Brent Axe, a popular host on ESPN Syracuse, has been fired by the radio station for being too critical of the school’s men’s basketball program.
Ed Levine, the president and CEO of Galaxy Media Partners, which owns the ESPN Radio affiliate in the region, confirmed the news to Syracuse.com, where Axe remains a sports columnist.
“I had a problem with the content of the show,” Levine said. “I’m an SU fan. I’m sorry, but I bleed Orange. I’m not going to apologize for that, and I think a fair reading of the Orange is appropriate.
“I understand (Galaxy has) a business relationship (with Syracuse), that Coach (Jim) Boeheim and I are personal friends and he’s an investor in my company.
“I understand and acknowledge all of that. We’ve called it pretty fair, and I would argue we’ve been tough on SU when the on-field or off-field events warrant it. I just think over the past six months it took a different tone and became overly dark and negative. I don’t think that’s what Syracuse fans want to hear.”
Galaxy is the university’s radio broadcast partner for several sports, including football.
Axe did not believe he was more critical of the program than it deserved.
“I had a responsibility to give an honest, fair and thorough opinion to my audience,” he said.
“I certainly wasn’t perfect, but I don’t regret anything about the approach of the show. We put listeners on the air, and we gave them the opportunity to say what they needed to say. I don’t have any regrets.”
Jim Boeheim, who is officially done at Syracuse after 47 years as head coach (and later clarified that he is “thrilled” to be retired), is an investor in Galaxy.
Boeheim referred to Axe as a “local talk show host” who was persistently critical of the program in an interview with ESPN’s Pete Thamel, and Levine announced over the weekend on Facebook that Boeheim would be a regular contributor on the radio network.
Nevertheless, Levine denied that this timing had anything to do with Axe’s ousting.
“I put it on Facebook for the timing of it,” Levine said. “That agreement was done a full year ago. They are unrelated. Two completely separate items altogether.”
