Craig Carton, New York Sports radio’s fallen angel, is coming back to the airwaves. The former King of New York Sports Radio is on the way back. The question remains is this move the right move?
Craig Carton Coming Back Will Generate Big Ratings
Carton held the number one rated morning show on WFAN with co-host and former Bengals great Boomer Esiason. The program, called Boomer & Carton, reached number one in the Arbatraion Ratings. It only took them a year of being on-air. Not even the legendary Don Imus had accomplished such a feat. The program held that spot for ten years from 2007-2017.
However, from a pure business standpoint, this move makes sense. Longtime host Joe Beningo will be retiring soon. And who else to fill that void other than Carton. Ethically, bringing a gambling addict back into sports talk radio flooded with betting site advertisements. Well, that’s up to WFAN to navigate the situation.
Now there could have been a ton of other radio personalities within WFAN to get the afternoon drive. However, none of them are Carton. Carton has generated incredible ratings and surely when he makes his return New York will be listening.
The Controversy’s That Made Carton Who he is.
However, there was a darker side to the New Rochelle raised radio jockey. On September 6, 2017, Carton was arrested by the FBI. Carton was brought up on criminal charges of securities fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit those offenses. Craig and his accomplices ran a Ponzi scheme to pay back his gambling debts. Almost $5 million dollars he took from people to pay for his habit.
Prior to the gambling, Carton constantly got into censoring issues for his impromptu takes. But, also has been known to say some pretty egregious things. For example, there was the lawsuit he got into in 1997. While he was at WIP Philadelphia, Carton reported Philadelphia Flyers captain Eric Lindros had missed a game due to being hung-over. Carton claimed the sore back designation was a cover-up.
Then, in 2005 there was his infamous on-air-feud with the Governor of New Jersey, Richard Codey. Carton made various comments about Codey’s wife battling postpartum depression. It led to a confrontation between Carton and Codey in the studio. Nevertheless, Carton was never shy of controversy. And his on-air feuds with various New York athletes. However, This only fueled his ratings and prominence within New York sports radio.
However, through all the controversy and addiction. Carton is on the way back and will be on WFAN soon. Additionally, bringing him back may not be ethical. But, controversy sells and Carton is the king of controversy.
