Grand Rapids Radio: WBBL's Ray Bentley Fired Via E-Mail

Ray Bentley

Ray Bentley, who has been a local morning sports talk radio host since 2010, said he has been fired by WBBL 107.3 FM.

The 53-year-old Bentley, co-host with Ryan Schuiling of the "Sports Brothers" show and also a longtime ESPN football analyst, said he was informed via email late last week that he would no longer work at the station.

"They fired me; they decided to change the rules of our agreement," Bentley told mlive.com, who plans to leave Grand Rapids.

John Crenshaw, operations manager for Cumulus Media for the Grand Rapids area, confirmed the station is looking for replacement. He would not comment further on a personnel matter.

Bentley said the station had agreed to allow him to work ESPN college football broadcasts, which he has done since 2002, although that has often meant missing his radio show because of midweek games. Bentley said he received an email Tuesday while in Buffalo for a broadcast that he would be relieved of his duties if he did not show up for work the following day.

"I haven't missed any more days than any other year," he added. "They just decided to break the agreement. Totally unprofessional."

He will work Wednesday's Bowling Green-Toledo game on ESPN2 and then call Saturday's game between South Florida at Memphis on ESPN News.