Sports radio station WEEI makes changes to midday lineup

Date: 5/15/2014

BOSTON – 93.7 WEEI-FM, carried locally on 105.5 WEEI-FM in Springfield, announced a major change to its weekday lineup. The station revealed that former NFL tight end Christian Fauria will join Lou Merloni middays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. New England native, 970 ESPN Pittsburgh sports personality and Clear Channel Pittsburgh sports director Tim Benz will join them beginning in late May.

WEEI program director and brand manager Kevin Graham said of the move: “We are thrilled with the new team we have assembled.  This show will be the only sports radio program in New England that offers listeners insight from a former major leaguer and a former NFL player. When you add in the sports radio experience of New England native Tim Benz, listeners will hear a brand new sound in the market.”

Graham describes the new program as “fast-paced, loose and fun with a diverse mix of opinions and entertainment.” The show will be called “Middays with MFB” and will also be heard across New England on the WEEI Sports Radio Network.

Fauria, a 13-year NFL veteran, spent four years with the Patriots from 2002 to 2005, and helped New England win two Super Bowl rings at Super Bowls XXXVIII and XXXIX. More recently, Fauria has worked as a college football analyst for CBS, color commentator for Patriots preseason games locally on WBZ-TV, and host of a pre- and postgame show during the NFL regular season.

Benz was born in Boston and is a graduate of Syracuse University. He served as a radio beat reporter for the Pittsburgh Steelers and also worked at stations in Columbus, Salt Lake City and Syracuse. No stranger to the Boston area, Tim’s father is the renowned Dr. Edward Benz Jr., who serves as the current President and Chief Executive Officer of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.

Merloni has co-hosted the midday show with WEEI since 2011. He grew up in Framingham, Massachusetts, and played baseball at Providence College before spending 10 years in the major leagues, six with the Boston Red Sox. Besides his WEEI hosting duties, Merloni is a frequent contributor to the Boston Red Sox Radio Network as well as Comcast SportsNet.

As part of the change, Merloni’s current co-host, Mike Mutnansky, will shift to another role inside the company that will be announced within the next few weeks.