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Artwork for Carmen and Jurko

Carmen and Jurko

ESPN Chicago
Chicago Cubs
Cubs
Chicago Bears
Chicago White Sox
White Sox
Chicago Bulls
NFL Draft
Chicago
Major League Baseball
World Cup
Baseball
Milwaukee Brewers
Pete Crow-Armstrong
Bears
NBA
ESPN
Caleb Williams
Masters Tournament
Dansby Swanson
Kentucky Derby

Join ten-year NFL veteran John "Jurko" Jurkovic & Carmen DeFalco weekdays as they host the most entertaining sports talk roundtable in town.

PublishesDailyEpisodes263Founded19 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
FootballSportsBasketball

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Carmen and Jurko

Latest Episodes

Jesse and Carmen preview the best ways for Chicagoans to enjoy a beautiful weekend in the city! Plus, Lebron leads today's brunch rush!

Carmen and Jesse roll through the list of lists, and with 47 days remaining until the NFL season they decide what things have gotten worse over time. PLus, Lebron makes his decision

Carmen and Jesse Rogers speculate as to which superstar is in the building today with the WNBA All-Star game in town this weekend. PLus, Jesse talks trades for both the Cubs and the Sox.

Host of ESPN 1000s "The Hockey Show" Pat Boyle joins Carmen and Jurko to break down Patrick Kane's contact and his return to the city of Chicago. Plus, Carmen vs Jurko trivia is back!

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
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Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Roch Cholowsky
First overall pick in the MLB draft, Sox prospect
Chicago White Sox
Episode: 7/17 9AM: Roch Cholowsky
Tiago Splitter
Former NBA player; new Bulls head coach
Chicago Bulls
Episode: 6/15 10 AM: Bulls have a Coach!
Jerry Hairston Jr.
Dodgers analyst, former MLB player
Los Angeles Dodgers
Episode: 6/12 11A: Sox Manager Will Venable, and Dodgers Analyst Jerry Hairston Jr.
Dan Plesac
MLB Network analyst and guest on the show
MLB Network
Episode: 6/11 11A: MLB Network's Dan Plesac, World Cup Preview
Kendall Gill
Former NBA player and guest on Ying Wing guest hotline
CHSN / Bulls alumnus
Episode: 6/8 11A: Kendall Gill
Detroit Mike
Plumber, Wings fan, frequent caller and guest for hockey trivia segment
Wings fan community; regular caller
Episode: 05/28 10AM: Talkin' Puck
Dr. Balu Natarajan
Former national spelling bee champion from Chicago, sports medicine practitioner
Running Institute
Episode: 05/27 9 AM: Spell it out for me!
Mike Greenberg
TV host and ESPN personality, guest on Get Up; Knicks fan
ESPN
Episode: 5/26 10 AM: Mike Greenberg
Danny Zetterman
Studio guest, referenced as being in the studio
Episode: 5/21 10AM: The Brunch Rush

Hosts

Carmen DeFalco
Co-host and long-time host of the show with deep ties to ESPN Chicago; frequently introduces segments and guides discussions.
John Jurkovic
Host of the show, often referred to as Jurko; known for candid takes and in-depth sports banter.

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 336 ratings
  • There’s good football talk but….

    I can’t listen to Jurkos right wing politics, casual racism and homophobia anymore

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    puddleberg
    United States5 months ago
  • Monotonous and Grating

    How many Italian American Goodfellas jokes until it’s enough? Carmen’s stubbornness regarding certain topics makes the show impossible to enjoy. He mistakes his milquetoast surface level understanding of topics like analytics (for example) as gospel. And incorrectly applied these concepts way too often. Jurko’s humor can’t even save this show

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Dave Gai
    United Statesa year ago
  • Jurko is racist

    When Jurko isn’t being a football meathead, he’s being racist. He says so many coded messages. He criticizes black players differently that how he criticizes white players. One could argue he doesn’t know or realize it and I could are that’s worse.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    PromoGuru
    United Statesa year ago
  • Best Show on ESPN

    I appreciate this show even more now that I have to be dragged through 2 hours of Clinton and Friends. Worst 2 hours of radio.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    AntiNottingham
    United Statesa year ago
  • Best local Chicago sports talk

    Love the show boys, keep it up! Great window into the state of local Chicago sports. Let’s me keep track of my fave teams while living in a different city. Jurko is insanely funny. You guys capture the mood of the city incredibly well.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    David Chicagooo
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners appreciate the Chicago-centric sports banter and chemistry between hosts.
Some reviews call out problematic political or inflammatory comments and jokes.
Some episodes suffer from download or consistency issues that frustrate subscribers.
Fans praise the show for window into local sports and entertaining dialogue.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#84
United States/Sports/Football
Apple Podcasts
#122
Australia/Sports/Football
Apple Podcasts
#24
South Korea/Sports/Football
Apple Podcasts
#51
Singapore/Sports/Football
Apple Podcasts
#76
Spain/Sports/Football
Apple Podcasts
#136
Switzerland/Sports/Football

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

7/17 9AM: Roch Cholowsky
Q: What was cooler for you—the draft call or meeting the Sox staff during the June visit?
The visit was a major moment, meeting Jerry and the staff, but the draft call was the culmination of everything and special in its own right.
7/17 9AM: Roch Cholowsky
Q: When did you know you were the number one pick, and how did your family react at the moment you found out?
I learned about an hour and a half before the draft, and my family found out on TV with everyone else; I told my two best friends first and kept the surprise for my parents.
7/1 9AM: Jesse Rogers & Norman Powell Signs With Bulls!
Q: What does the Powell signing mean for the Bulls' outlook?
It provides veteran stability and a scoring/3-point shooting threat to help the younger core, though the team still has a long way to go to change championship odds; the move is seen as a solid, two-year investment to build around younger players.
6/30 11AM: Tom Thayer
Q: How confident are you that Caleb Williams will be a top 10 NFL quarterback by the end of the 2026 season?
Hosts largely express cautious optimism, with a mix of four and near-four-point ratings, reflecting belief in his talent but acknowledging the development and system interplay required to reach top-10 status.
6/11 11A: MLB Network's Dan Plesac, World Cup Preview
Q: What stood out about the White Sox performance this weekend?
The White Sox showcased energy, a willingness to compete, and improvements in young players like Davis Martin, suggesting a more versatile and competitive roster than in prior seasons.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Carmen and Jurko

What is Carmen and Jurko about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This long-running Chicago sports roundtable blends sharp game analysis with lively banter, covering baseball, football, and local sports culture. Episodes frequently pair in-depth discussions of Cubs, White Sox, and Bears with guest interviews from players, executives, and analysts, plus frequent sponsor reads and lighthearted personal anecdotes. The chemistry between hosts drives a casual, opinionated vibe that appeals to local fans who want the inside scoop, candid takes, and a strong sense of place. Notably, the show often threads data-driven insights with story-driven moments, travel anecdotes, and fan interactions, creating a memorable, neighborhood-sized sports talk experience.

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How many listeners does Carmen and Jurko get?

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What are the audience demographics for Carmen and Jurko?

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How many subscribers and views does Carmen and Jurko have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Carmen and Jurko has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Carmen and Jurko?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Carmen and Jurko:

1. Waddle & Silvy
2. Kap & J.Hood
3. The Chicago Bears Podcast
4. Mully & Haugh Show
5. CHGO Chicago Bears Podcast

How many episodes of Carmen and Jurko are there?

Carmen and Jurko launched 19 years ago and published 263 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Carmen and Jurko?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

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What guests have appeared on Carmen and Jurko?

Recent guests on Carmen and Jurko include:

1. Roch Cholowsky
2. Tiago Splitter
3. Jerry Hairston Jr.
4. Dan Plesac
5. Kendall Gill
6. Detroit Mike
7. Dr. Balu Natarajan
8. Mike Greenberg

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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