In a significant development for sports media, Jon “Stugotz” Weiner has secured a multiplatform deal with iHeartMedia, paving the way for his return to national daily radio and the establishment of his own podcast network.
Where to hear Stugotz
The deal, announced on Monday, will see Stugotz launching a new weekday afternoon show on Fox Sports Radio beginning in January. Airing Monday through Friday from 3-5 p.m. ET, the program will be produced live from iHeartMedia’s South Florida studios and distributed to over 270 affiliates across the country.
It will also stream on iHeartRadio and FoxSportsRadio.com, effectively serving as a live radio companion to his existing Stugotz and Company podcast. Stugotz will be joined by his familiar on-air team, delivering the irreverent, humorous, and often unpredictable sports commentary that has become his trademark.
What happened to Doug Gottlieb?
Stugotz steps into the time slot vacated by Doug Gottlieb, who recently departed his Fox Sports Radio hosting duties to concentrate solely on coaching the men’s basketball team at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.
Gottlieb had spent the past year attempting to balance both high-profile roles, but ultimately stepped away, acknowledging the personal and professional strain. Under his leadership, the Phoenix posted a 4-28 record last season and currently stand at 6-7 this year.
Positioning within Fox Sports Radio’s dominant lineup—directly following the shows of Hall of Famers Dan Patrick and Colin Cowherd—adds considerable prestige to Stugotz’s new venture.
He expressed enthusiasm in the official release: “There was a ton of interest and a lot of great conversations, but it became obvious to me rather quickly that iHeart and FOX Sports Radio were going to be the landing spot. I miss doing live radio, and I was looking for a partner to grow my two existing podcasts and help us build out a network. To be able to partner with the biggest and best digital company on the planet—and host a daily, two-hour live radio show with two Hall of Famers as lead-ins—is a place, quite frankly, I never imagined arriving at, and an opportunity I wasn’t going to pass up.”
The agreement also encompasses the immediate launch of the Stugotz Podcast Network under iHeartPodcasts. It will feature his current hits Stugotz and Company and God Bless Football, with room for future expansions.
Both podcasts will be accessible via the iHeartRadio app, various platforms, and Stugotz’s YouTube channel, which will additionally host a live video simulcast of the radio show. No traditional television simulcast has been confirmed at this time.
It’s worth noting that, contrary to common perception, Fox Sports Radio is operated entirely by iHeartMedia under a branding partnership with FOX Sports, rather than being directly managed by the television network.
This arrangement permits significant crossover for talent. For instance, Colin Cowherd’s program airs on both Fox Sports Radio and FS1.
Similarly, Dan Patrick’s show benefits from such flexibility, simulcasting on Peacock and, following the recent relaunch of NBCSN on November 17, 2025, also airing on the revived cable network as part of its lineup of sports programming and studio shows.
Fox Sports Radio Senior Vice President Scott Shapiro highlighted the unique addition Stugotz brings: “This is a very exciting day for iHeart and FOX Sports Radio. I can assure you there is no one in the world like Stugotz—and I’m not entirely sure whether that’s a compliment or not. His uniquely bold, and sometimes outrageous, takes on the world of sports and culture will create a wildly unpredictable yet always entertaining destination for sports fans everywhere. Cannonball!”
Stugotz and Dan Le Batard divorce?
Stugotz’s professional journey has been closely intertwined with Dan Le Batard for over two decades, most notably on The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz, which evolved from a local Miami program to a national sensation on ESPN before transitioning to Meadowlark Media.
Recent developments, however, have raised questions about their partnership. Stugotz has not appeared on the Meadowlark flagship since July, despite earlier indications of a return.
He launched Stugotz and Company as a daily podcast in August, sponsored by FanDuel, after God Bless Football was left out of Meadowlark’s renewed deals.
Some public remarks from Stugotz suggested underlying tensions with David Sampson specifically, though he has remained vague when pressed. Prior rumors linked Stugotz to a potential program director role at WFAN, but those did not materialize.
With this new iHeartMedia partnership, Stugotz is poised to expand his independent footprint while continuing to build on his loyal audience. As competing networks navigate shifts in their programming, Fox Sports Radio’s continued strengthening—now bolstered by Stugotz—solidifies its standing as a leader in sports talk radio.
Fans can expect a mix of sharp analysis, comedy, and chaos when the show debuts next month.
