New York Yankees Broadcasts to ESPN-FM in 2013 Without John Sterling?

Phil Mushnick of the New York Post reports that the New York Yankees might have their games broadcast on an FM station next season.

According to Mushnick, ESPN is in the final stages of completing a deal with a New York area FM radio station that would give it programming rights. Since the Yankees' contract with WCBS AM radio expires at the end of the season, Mushnick concludes that the sports giant will make a strong push to land the rights to broadcast Yankees games.

Not one of the greatest of all John Sterling fans, Mushnick is almost besides himself when he speculates that ESPN would not be bound to retain Mr. Sterling's services.

The feeling here is, it doesn't matter whether WCBS retains the Yankees broadcasts or not. The price tag of about $14 million a season is not enough money for WCBS to turn a substantial profit. Even if ESPN gets the rights. John Sterling is not going anyplace.

Listeners identify with Sterling. A large, vocal contingent despise his broadcasting style, lack of accuracy, self-aggrandizement and condescending manner.

Mushnick recently wrote,."For 22 years, New York’s baseball fans have been forced to have a puffed-up buffoon describe games for them"

Many other fans love Sterling's "enthusiastic" approach to the game. They take great joy when he screams, "It is high, it is far, it is ...caught near the wall."

No one comes close to his modest, sportsmanship-like call of Ballgame over! Yankees win! Theeeeeee Yankees win!"

ESPN realizes that the worst thing is for a broadcaster, like a politican, at least in most cases (see Anthony Weiner as an exception) is to be ignored, which is why Sterling, much to Mushnick's chagrin, will do Yankees games as long as he wishes.