Yanks manager taking swing at Jomboy podcast
AARON Boone is becoming a podcaster this season, the Yankees manager told The Post.
The manager of the Yankees traditionally has a oncea-week, six-figure paid spot on either the radio flagship of the team, WFAN, or with its rival station, ESPN New York.
But in a sign of the changing landscape of sports media, Boone is joining Jomboy Media, a digital sports media company, for which he will appear once a week for his 15-20 minute segment with the founders, Jimmy O’Brien and Jake Storiale, on their popular podcast, “Talkin’ Yanks.”
“My [agents] brought it up to me, ‘Would you be open to something like this this year?’ ” Boone told The Post. “And I was like, ‘Hmm,’ because it’s a little outside the box, not your typical having your radio shot every week that’s kind of gone on certainly here for a long time.
“I thought it was a really interesting opportunity and a cool idea. These guys have been innovators in this business, and they’ve built a massive young following. I think Jimmy and Jake are both really good guys. And they’re passionate about what they do, and they love the Yankees. And, sometimes they’re a little misguided, and it’s my chance to set the record straight every now and then.”
Boone’s first appearance on “Talkin’ Yanks” is scheduled for March 26. The plan is for Boone, who will appear over Zoom, to mostly be on Tuesdays throughout the season.
“It’s going to be really fun, and it kind of goes with the changing landscape of media,” said O’Brien, whose nickname is Jomboy. “The fact that two fans can create a show and in five years get to the point where they get to ask questions to the manager of the Yankees and bring whatever insight we can get out of that to our audience — it is pretty wild, a little surreal.”
Jomboy Media started as just a podcast and has grown into a company that just raised more than $5 million in funding, with some famous investors — including CC Sabathia, WWE and Billy Crystal.
O’Brien wouldn’t reveal the exact financials for Boone’s appearances, but it is likely similar to what radio pays, which is six figures. Last year, Boone was on “The Michael Kay Show” on ESPN New York.
Even without the funding, O’Brien said, “Talkin’ Yanks” probably could have afforded Boone because of the audience it has developed. Boone already has helped them get to their perch in sports media.
One of O’Brien skills is amplifying the sound off TV and breaking down moments in games, which brought him a lot of acclaim when he magnified Boone’s famous “savages in the box” rant from three years ago.
“That blew up and went viral,” Boone said. “They’ve kind of just created this monster.”
And now they will have the Yankees manager as part of their lineup.
➤ Michael Kay will stay on his ESPN New York afternoon show, he announced Thursday. It is a seven-figure deal per year and is for multiple years, according to sources.
The Post reported in January that Kay, 62, was considering retiring from the radio.
“When the story in The Post came out, I was pretty certain that was going to be it and I would leave the show after 21 years in September,” Kay said on the program Thursday.
Kay said after many sleepless nights and talks with his family, he decided to stay after ESPN stepped up with a big offer.
Kay will remain the TV voice of the Yankees on YES, and his radio show will continue to be simulcast on YES, as well.