Following ALLCITY’s announcement of the lineup for its soon-to-debut digital sports platform PHLY and Gargano’s promotion as part of it, it appears WPEN-FM, Philadelphia “The Fanatic” morning drive host Anthony Gargano is dealing with a contractual situation with employer Beasley Media Group, according to a story by Kevin Kinkead at Crossing Broad.
Gargano’s contract most likely has a non-compete clause that would bar him from joining the new business, at least initially.
In a congested market that already features coverage from The Inquirer and so many other outlets and start-ups that it would be difficult to mention them all, PHLY Sports, a new digital media outlet specializing in the city’s sports teams, makes its debut.
However, the company’s top new hire’s situation is still uncertain.
Where is Anthony Gargano?
Tuesday morning’s episode of The Fanatic’s Anthony Gargano show, which he had hosted on Monday, had Andrew Salciunas and Connor Thomas in his stead.
At the beginning of the show, neither acknowledged Gargano’s absence.
What happened to Anthony Gargano?
Anthony Gargano’s debut with PHLY Sports is in doubt due to a disagreement between the parent firm of The Fanatic and the new digital start-up.
Anthony Gargano of 97.5 The Fanatic, who assisted in putting together the team and developing the website, was going to be at the debut with PHLY Sports.
The introduction of the new website would not have been possible without Gargano, according to Brandon Spano, co-founder and CEO of ALLCITY Network, of which PHLY Sports is a member.
The fourth city that ALLCITY has expanded into is Philadelphia, after starting in Denver in 2015, Phoenix, and Chicago.
The websites combine highly produced daily YouTube shows that stream in real-time with news articles from journalists who follow Philadelphia’s teams.
Shows of PHLY
The Eagles, Phillies, Sixers, and Flyers will be covered in four daily one-hour broadcasts that PHLY will start airing live on YouTube on Tuesday. Additionally, a weekly program devoted to the Union will air.
According to Spano, each broadcast will eventually go live at a set time every day, though this time may change depending on when teams are playing — “fixed but flexible,” as Spano described it. The live shows are subsequently delivered as podcasts after being recorded.
According to Spano, PHLY Sports won’t be starting from scratch. In order to guarantee they’ll have some fans locked in at launch, the corporation bought the feeds for Bodner’s Sixers Beat and Matz’s Broad Street Hockey Radio.
Monetary source behind the launch of PHLY Sports
According to Spano, ALLCITY has raised $5.3 million since the debut of the Chicago site last year, bringing its total venture capital and angel investment to $8.3 million.
Spano added that they are beginning in Philadelphia with six sponsors and that all 20 staff members, including the talent, work full-time hours.
Spano stated that ALLCITY’s three websites collectively reach 7 million fans each month, including podcast listeners, and they have roughly 107,000 YouTube subscribers.
Additionally, ALLCITY built DNVR Bar, a sports bar, in Denver in 2020. However, there are currently no plans to compete with Barstool Sansom Street in Philadelphia.
