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Barstool’s Rico Bosco headed to WFAN’s parent company?

The internet was thrown for a loop Wednesday when Barstool’s Dave Portnoy announced personality Rico Bosco was leaving the company. Many assumed it was an elaborate bit at first, but a parade of Barstool folks and Bosco himself have indicated it is not a bit.

Apparently Bosco is headed to Audacy, WFAN’s parent company.

“I’m hearing that this company went and got him. How about that? morning show co-host Gregg Giannotti said Thursday. “He’s not coming to WFAN as far as I know. But he’s a betting guy, a gambling guy, so I’m assuming they’re going to use him with BetQL.”

Giannotti said he has “multiple sources” on the Bosco news. But he and Boomer Esiason did not seem fully convinced. Giannotti even joked he might have “Jon Heyman sources.” So if people want to believe this is an Andy Kaufman-esque work, they have room to do so. But we’re going to operate under the assumption it’s the real deal.

Audacy has hired away a Barstool personality for BetQL before. They added Trysta Krick a few years ago. So this move would not come without precedent. And Bosco would be more of a splash acquisition.

Krick, who worked for USA Today before Barstool, has been utilized in a traditional sports talk radio role at Audacy. She creates content and is on air doing hits with affiliates and occasional host shifts. Bosco would presumably do the same, but he does not have the resume Krick has. So you assume Audacy would lean in with aspects of his Barstool persona. Specifically his knack for controversy. Bosco was once suspended for chucking a can of hard seltzer at a co-worker, and Barstool often made content out of his temper, work ethic and feuds with various colleagues.

Also: Bosco on WFAN — whether in a regular call-in role or potentially doing host shifts — would be electric content. You might need an army of producers screening calls and manning the dump button if he hosts though.

Last thing: Audacy’s stock is currently trading at 28 cents. It’s not what you want.

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James Kratch can be reached at [email protected]

James Kratch is the managing editor of ESNY. He previously worked as a Rutgers and Giants (and Mike Francesa) beat reporter for NJ Advance Media.