Brian Sullivan is looking forward to his new gig.
Beginning on Monday, April 11, the Bucksport native will host a new show that will replace The Morning Line, the early morning sports talk show on The Ticket 92.9 FM that was created and hosted by Wayne Harvey.
The name of the new show, which will also air from 6 to 8 a.m. Monday through Friday, will be announced next week.
Sullivan co-anchors the WABI-TV Channel 5 News at 5 p.m. with Allegra Zamore and he will continue to do so.
“The biggest thing for me is for everyone to have fun,” said the 38-year-old Sullivan. “I hope I have built relationships over the years that will transcend to radio.
“We have a great team already in place and we will add other voices, too,” added Sullivan, a former three-sport athlete at Bucksport High and 2007 University of Maine graduate.
There won’t be any shows next week as The Ticket prepares for Sullivan’s debut.
Harvey left last month after doing 621 shows to take a job in the human resources department at Northern Light Health in Bangor.
Greg Hirsch and Channel 7 WVII/WFVX 22 sports director/anchor Dave Peck are among the co-hosts and Jeff Hoak produces the show.
Sullivan said it will remain a sports talk show primarily but he will also inject news or information about local events from time to time.
He feels his two jobs will be mutually beneficial to him.
“It’s all about what moves the needle with [our listeners],” Sullivan said. “We can break down the Red Sox’s fifth starter in their pitching rotation but if there is a big movie out and someone saw it, we’d like to hear about that, too.”
Sullivan used to be the sports director/anchor at WVII/WFVX before becoming the sports director at Fandom Sports and then moving on WABI-TV as a news anchor. He had anchored the early morning and late night news shows before moving to his current 5 p.m. slot.
“It’s all about life balance. As long as I can get six hours of sleep, I’m good to go. That will mean I will have to go to bed at 9 p.m. But if I don’t get my six hours, I also enjoy a good black cup of coffee,” he quipped.
Jim Churchill, The Ticket’s brand manager, said in a press release that they are “fired up” to have Sullivan on board.
“Brian’s passion for sports is infectious,” Churchill said. “His experience as the sports director at WVII/WFVX and as anchor and reporter at WABI-TV is invaluable. He has a lot of connections in the area and sports world that will help make this show a great way to start your day.”
Sullivan and wife Holly live in Bangor and have a 13-month-old daughter Layla and a second child due later this year.
Sullivan, who also did some co-hosting on The Ticket’s The Drive show from 4 to 6 p.m. before he landed his 5 p.m. time slot at WABI-TV, praised Harvey for the job he did creating and growing the show.
“He set it up for success,” said Sullivan. “It’s going to be fun.”