Former Fanatic radio host Mike Missanelli arrested after domestic dispute, placed on leave from On Pattison podcast
Missanelli, best known in the Philadelphia region for his 15 years as a radio host at 97.5 The Fanatic, was in a heated argument with his fiance over their engagement, according to court records.
Mike Missanelli, the Philly sports media personality, was arrested by Lower Merion police and charged Wednesday with simple assault and harassment in connection with a domestic dispute in Wynnewood.
An affidavit for probable cause said Missanelli, best known in the Philadelphia region for his 15 years as a radio host at 97.5 The Fanatic, was in a heated argument with his fiancee over their engagement. His fiancee’s name was redacted from court records.
Police responded to a 911 hang-up shortly after midnight Wednesday, and Missanelli told officers the argument led to a “scuffle.”
The fiancee struck him in the chest and Missanelli’s “open hand slapped her on the left side of her face/head,” according to police. One officer said he saw fresh blood on the fiancee’s forehead from a laceration allegedly caused by the slap.
Missanelli, who was a sportswriter for The Inquirer earlier in his career, could not be reached after his arraignment Wednesday and had no attorney listed. Missanelli was released on $10,000 unsecured bail with the condition he have no contact with the victim.
His preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 22.
Prolific at his peak popularity, Missanelli has faced controversy in the past.
He was fired from WIP in 2006 after he punched a producer. He was then fired by 6abc in 2017 for misogynistic comments he made about Beth Mowins, an ESPN broadcaster.
In recent years, Missanelli has been in the news for various job changes. After 15 years with 97.5 The Fanatic, he was pushed out by management in 2022, brought back in 2024, only to be ousted once more last August.
As of October, the sports broadcaster has found a home in podcasting, hosting the On Pattison podcast with Anthony SanFilippo. The Fideri News Network, the corporate parent of On Pattison, said in a statement that it was made aware of the charges through media reports Wednesday.
“In light of the nature of the allegations, Mike will not be a part of the On Pattison Podcast during the legal process,” the company said in its statement, noting it will continue to monitor the situation.
“Fideri News understands the serious nature of these allegations and condemns all acts of domestic violence,” the company said.
This story has been updated with a statement from Fideri News.
