'Overtime with Carly Zucker' debuts, KFAN's first woman-led sports talk show in a decade

MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - Sports talk radio is about to get a big shake-up in the Twin Cities. For the first time in a decade, a woman will lead a program on KFAN 100.3.

Premiering on KFAN Thursday evening, “Overtime with Carly Zucker,” will be a sports talk show about what players are like when they don't have their game faces on.

“Hopefully, this show will give them an avenue to talk more in-depth about their passions, what makes them tick, the philanthropic work they’re doing in the community—because there are a lot of athletes here and people doing a lot of good,” said Zucker.

Fox 9 caught up with Zucker at her home before “Overtime” debuted. She said she felt like something was missing on Twin Cities sports talk radio. She wanted a program going beyond the highlights.

“People like to find out the personality behind the athlete,” she said.

Zucker got her start in TV then made the switch over to radio where she could be more of herself. She's been part of KFAN’s "Power Trip" in the mornings for a while, but wanted to branch out on her own. However, that's not easy to do in such a male-dominated industry. In fact, there's a very short list of women hosting sports talk radio shows nationwide.

“There needs to be more women—you can hear Lil B and some other people on the station, but I think this will be a really neat voice to have on KFAN,” said Zucker.

She has already received criticism that she's only getting this platform because she's married to Minnesota Wild hockey star Jason Zucker.

“That really shocked me because I started in this industry seven or eight years ago—I was working long before I met Jason,” she said.

Zucker says her husband is her biggest fan and of course he'll join her on “Overtime.”

“I am very much an open book and I don’t have a filter—so poor Jason—my poor husband—is much more private than I am,” said Zucker.

But he didn't make the cut as her first guest. Instead, Vikings star Adam Thielen joined Zucker on her premiere to discuss football, family and his new foundation.

Lynx basketball star Lindsay Whalen is also set to make an appearance on “Overtime.” The show will normally air on Friday evenings at 6:30 p.m.