“I don’t know if we could pull this off, but I would like to find a former player to run the station,” Hollander said. “Right now, I don’t know if such a person, who is high profile and has business skills, exists, but I’m going to find out.”
After he finished speaking, Hollander told me he was “serious” about finding an ex-jock to run FAN. He also explained why he wanted to make the move.
And, of course, it was all about finding a way for the station to increase its advertising revenue.
“Hypothetically, let’s say I could hire Phil Simms or Troy Aikman,” Hollander said. “Do you think there would be any company, including current NFL advertisers, where the executives would not be thrilled to have a meeting with either one of these guys? Doors would open for them at companies all over the country.
“If I could find the right guy, a recognizable name who played the game, do you think anyone would deny him the opportunity to make a sales pitch for WFAN?” he asked.
Hmmm. Hard to say. Some people already have their minds made up about Wally Backman.