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Rico Beard will join Mike Valenti as co-host on 97.1 The Ticket

Posted at 6:31 AM, Jul 17, 2020
and last updated 2020-07-17 06:31:09-04

(WXYZ) — 97.1 The Ticket's afternoon program is getting a new host. On Thursday, Entercom announced that Rico Beard will join Mike Valenti as co-host on "The Mike Valenti Show with Rico" from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. starting Aug. 3.

Longtime producer Mike Sullivan, who goes by "Sully," will be leaving the program starting Aug. 31.

“Rico’s immeasurable experience covering all avenues of the Detroit sports scene has granted him a front row ticket to some of the biggest stages in sports,” said Debbie Kenyon, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Entercom Detroit. “Rico has been on our wish list of talent to join our team for quite some time and we look forward to him joining Mike Valenti in offering a dynamic afternoon show for our listeners. We thank Sully for his contributions to the team and wish him all the best in his new endeavor.”

“I am extremely blessed and honored in becoming a host on ‘The Mike Valenti Show’ on 97.1 The Ticket,” said Beard. “I was flattered when Mike Valenti himself asked me to join his show. My job will be to bring in a new voice and opinions to a show that is already one of the best shows not only in Detroit but in the sports talk radio industry throughout the U.S.”

“I’ve wanted to work with Rico for several years now and it is simply fantastic the occasion has arrived,” Valenti added in a release “Adding Rico to our show represents a massive opportunity to not only stay at No. 1 but to evolve and become even stronger. I’m really proud of the show we created. Sullivan has meant a lot to this show, to the station and to me personally. I’m excited about his new opportunity and wish him all the success in the world.”

Beard is a Detroit native with more than 20 years covering sports in the city. He has worked at other radio stations in Michigan and has joined the 7 Sports Cave several times.

"We argue like cats and dogs, but I love the guy so I’m really excited about it," Valenti said on-air Thursday afternoon. "He will bring way different opinions than me."