Syracuse radio host Brent Axe fired for ‘overly darkish and damaging’ protection of faculty athletics

ESPN Radio Syracuse character Brent Axe was fired after practically 10 years with the station over the weekend after the affiliate’s possession stated he had more and more turn into too important in his protection of the college’s athletics program.

Ed Levine, president and CEO of Galaxy Media Partners, which owns the affiliate station, instructed Syracuse.com on Sunday that Axe was fired as a result of he had “an issue with the content material of the present” he hosted. 

Syracuse Orange gamers enter the sphere earlier than the sport towards the Florida State Seminoles on Nov. 19, 2016, on the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York. (Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)

“I’m an SU fan. I’m sorry, however I bleed Orange. I’m not going to apologize for that, and I feel a good studying of the Orange is acceptable. I perceive (Galaxy has) a enterprise relationship (with Syracuse), that Coach (Jim) Boeheim and I are private buddies and he’s an investor in my firm,” Levine instructed the outlet. 

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“I perceive and acknowledge all of that. We’ve referred to as it fairly truthful, and I might argue we’ve been powerful on SU when the on-field or off-field occasions warrant it. I simply suppose over the previous six months it took a distinct tone and have become overly darkish and damaging. I don’t suppose that’s what Syracuse followers need to hear.”

The Syracuse Orange emblem on Jim Boeheim Court contained in the Carrier Dome earlier than the Miami Hurricanes sport on Jan. 4, 2017, in Syracuse, New York. (Rich Barnes/Getty Images)

Axe, who additionally works full time for Syracuse.com, instructed the outlet that he felt he was “truthful” throughout his broadcasts, seemingly disagreeing with Levin’s characterization. 

“I had a duty to provide an sincere, truthful and thorough opinion to my viewers,” he stated. “I definitely wasn’t excellent, however I don’t remorse something in regards to the strategy of the present. We put listeners on the air, and we gave them the chance to say what they wanted to say. I don’t have any regrets.”

His firing got here simply in the future earlier than Levine introduced that former males’s basketball coach Jim Boeheim, who seemingly retired after Syracuse acquired knocked out of the ACC Tournament by Wake Forest, would now be featured “repeatedly” on the radio station.

Syracuse Orange head coach Jim Boeheim in the course of the ACC Tournament quarterfinal sport towards the Duke Blue Devils on March 10, 2022, on the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. (Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Images)

According to Syracuse.com, Boeheim has been important of Axe prior to now, however Levine instructed the outlet the 2 choices had been unrelated regardless of his ties to Boeheim. 

“I put it on Facebook for the timing of it,” Levine stated. “That settlement was achieved a full yr in the past. They are unrelated. Two utterly separate objects altogether.”