Knicks Flagship Radio Station Finds New Home

If you’re looking for New York Knicks games on the radio, go ahead and touch that dial.

Good Karma Brands has announced a deal with Audacy that will afford subsidary ESPN New York, the flagship radio station of the Knicks, control of programming on the 880-AM frequency. ESPN New York is set sign off from its 98.7-FM frequency on Aug. 23 and the switch to 880 is set to go down three days after.

The deal will perhaps be viewed as unusual in the eyes of some New Yorkers considering that Audacy is the parent company of ESPN New York’s longtime competitor, WFAN.

In New York, 880-AM is known as the longtime home of WCBS, which was renowned for its all-news format. Audacy also owns WINS, which also carries an all-news setup. Pending FCC approval, the 880-AM callsign will be adjusted to WHSQ-AM.

“New York has always been proudly unique in supporting two all-news radio brands, but the news business has gone through significant changes,” Audacy’s New York market president Chris Oliviero said in a statement obtained by Neil Best of Newsday. “WCBS-880 has been one of the most respected radio stations in history, with a legacy cemented by the hundreds of world-class journalists, on and off the air, who willed it into existence over the decades.”

Upon shutting down its FM stream, ESPN New York was set to move to its original home of 1050-AM full-time. The 880 frequency, with its transmitter located on High Island in The Bronx, will afford it a wider range.

ESPN New York, which also serves as the flagship station for broadcasts of New York Jets and Rangers games, has been the main hub of Knicks games since 2004. Pat O’Keefe currently serves as the lead play-by-play man while former Georgetown star Monica McNutt is the top color commentator. ESPN New York is also known for The Michael Kay Show, the long-running afternoon drive program hosted by the eponymous television voice of the New York Yankees.

WCBS took over radio broadcasts of MLB’s New York Mets in 2019 and their games will continue to air on the network (with Audacy continuing to hold rights).

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