97.5 The Fanatic’s Bob Cooney out, Ricky Bottalico in, and Mike Missanelli goes true crime amid rumors of a return

Bob Cooney is out at 97.5 The Fanatic, the latest departure in a wave of moves as the station attempts to reinvent itself amid 94.1 WIP’s ratings dominance.

“Wanted to say thanks to all who listened over the years during my time at The Fanatic,” Cooney wrote on social media Wednesday. “Loved the conversations and getting to know a lot of you. They told me today they are moving in a different direction.”

Cooney, a former Daily News reporter, joined the station in 2017 as part of its first local morning show alongside then-Fanatic host Anthony Gargano. Cooney continued to cohost the station’s morning show alongside Marc Farzetta when he took the job in October 2018, and then again when Farzetta was replaced by John Kincade in December 2020.

Most recently, Cooney had shifted to hosting the midday show after Gargano was suspended and ultimately let go because of his involvement in digital media start-up PHLY Sports, where he hosts a daily show. Cooney has been hosting alongside a rotating series of cohosts that included NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Amy Fadool and Bill Colarulo, a former attorney who began slowly hosting weekend shifts before moving to weekdays.

“He’s really taken to feedback and coaching, and I feel he’s got a lot of potential to go a lot of great things,” program director Scott Masteller said “We’re looking at the best role for him and what’s the best role for Amy as we move forward. We feel we’ve got a couple of really good talents that fit within where the brand is moving.”

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Cooney’s departure is the latest in a series of exits that has included Gargano, Devon Givens, Jen Scordo, Pat Egan, Hunter Brody, and Jamie Lynch.

The move comes a day after The Fanatic’s parent company, Beasley Media Group, announced it had signed The Best Show Ever? cohost and NBC Sports Philadelphia analyst Ricky Bottalico to a multiyear contract extension. A former Phillies pitcher, Bottalico joined the station in August 2022 following the sudden departure of Mike Missanelli.

“Ricky was a fierce competitor on the mound during his 12-year career in Major League Baseball,” Paul Blake, the manager of Beasley’s Philadelphia stations, said in a statement. “His grit, toughness, and strong work ethic make him an ideal cohost for our afternoon show on The Fanatic. We’re thrilled to announce his renewal.”

Speaking of Missanelli, rumors continue to swirl in sports media circles about his possible return to The Fanatic before the start of the Eagles’ season. One the station’s biggest stars, Missanelli’s surprise exit in 2022 after 15 years — announced live on his former show with little fanfare — shocked listeners.

“At no point in time was I ever afforded a chance to give a farewell, nor did they offer any kind of a celebratory farewell to me. In fact, they didn’t even mention retirement to me,” Missanelli told former WIP host Angelo Cataldi last year.

So far, no deal has been announced, but Missanelli and the station have been speaking about a possible return since the spring, according to sources not authorized to speak publicly. Missanelli and Masteller declined to comment about the rumors of a return to the Philly airwaves.

Missanelli certainly has been keeping busy. In addition to hosting the appropriately named Mike Missanelli Podcast for BetRivers, he has launched a new true crime podcast called The Coldest Murder, which focuses on the unsolved murder of Carol Ann Dougherty, a 9-year-old who was raped and strangled around the corner from Missanelli’s childhood home in Bristol when he was 7.

“It had a big impact on my life, and I’m digging into it in an attempt to finally find out who was the murderer,” Missanelli told The Inquirer.