#Michael Kay wins ratings book over ‘Carton & Roberts’

The full fall ratings-book numbers are in, and they spell victory for “The Michael Kay Show” and ESPN New York over WFAN’s “Carton & Roberts” in afternoon drive in the fall ratings quarter.

In the time slot of 3-6:30 p.m., when both shows overlap, Kay’s show, which features Don La Greca and Peter Rosenberg, bested Craig Carton and Evan Roberts with a 5.7 share in the Nielsen Audio ratings compared to 4.6 amongst men 25-54, the demographic in which sports talk radio advertising is sold against.

In this time slot, Kay finished fourth overall in the New York market, and “Carton & Roberts” seventh.

This result had been largely expected, as Kay’s show had won the first two months of the book. “Carton & Roberts” rallied to tie the final month, with both shows earning a 4.9 share and a tie of fourth in the market.

Nonetheless, this victory represents a coup for Kay & Co., as “Carton & Roberts” had bested them in the winter and spring books earlier this year.

The numbers include terrestrial radio and streaming.

From 6-10 a.m., WFAN’s staple show, “Boomer & Gio” (Boomer Esiason and Gregg Giannotti) finished first in the market with a 6.5 share. ESPN, which has the national show with Keyshawn Johnson, Max Kellerman and Jay Williams on in the second half of this stretch after Rick DiPietro and Dave Rothenberg, finished in a tie for 10th with a 3.9 share.

Elsewhere in the day, between 5-8 a.m., DiPietro and Rothenberg on ESPN New York relatively held their own against WFAN’s warmup show with Al Dukes and Jerry Recco and the first two hours of “Boomer & Gio.” WFAN finished first in the market with a 6.5 share during these hours, and ESPN New York finished third with a 5.6 share.

In the final quarter of WFAN’s “Moose & Maggie” with Marc Malusis and Maggie Gray, the duo finished sixth in the market with a 4.3 share. ESPN New York, airing national shows with Mike Greenberg and then “Bart & Hahn” with Bart Scott and Alan Hahn in these hours, finished 15th with a 2.9 share.

Malusis and Gray are getting replaced by Tiki Barber and Brandon Tierney in mid-days at WFAN in 2022. Gray left the station to host a national show on CBS Sports Radio with former “Dan Patrick Show” producer Andrew Perloff, and Malusis will remain in a utility role.

ESPN New York was recently sold to Good Karma Brands.