It was just a normal Tuesday in our nation’s capital. Washington Commanders training camp was underway. The Nationals were set to host the Chicago Cubs for a three-game series. Thus, Andy Pollin was doing what he’s done for the last seven years at ESPN 630: being the guiding voice of the D.C. sports fan in the late morning, discussing the headlines and topics fans cared about.
However, that normal Tuesday took a turn immediately following Pollin’s signing off from another day of programming.
“As I was wrapping up the show, the station manager came inside the studio. Which he’s done in the past often with a smile and a compliment on the show. I could tell by the look on his face that wasn’t it,” explains Pollin. “He said he didn’t want to do this, but it came from Cumulus.”
In an instant, Pollin went from wrapping up another Tuesday in D.C. to having his time at ESPN 630 come to an end. He found himself part of the nationwide Cumulus Media layoffs that had already begun a week earlier.
An Uncertain Feeling
During the first week of cuts, Pollin was on vacation, observing the headlines circulating in radio trades and on social media. When he returned from vacation, Pollin says he texted station assistant program director Mike Callow to see if he had heard whether Pollin should plan on hosting programs this past week. With no signs of impending cuts, Pollin moved forward as if it were a normal week.
“There wasn’t going to be a massive layoff in the building. We had only two employees on the station including me. Now they’re down to one. That tells you the scope of what might have happened,” said Pollin.
As I often say, “in this business, you don’t retire, they retire you.” Cumulus just did that to me. I’m open to opportunities, but sadly that’s unlikely at my stage of the game. I’m thankful for the last 7 years at 630 and look forward to what’s next
— Andy Pollin (@andypollin1) August 11, 2026
The meeting was quick after the news. Pollin met with the station manager in his office while Cumulus human resources joined via Zoom from Atlanta. Following the meeting, Pollin returned home and alerted his social media following.
After a nearly five-decade career in radio, including the last seven years at ESPN 630, this time felt different.
At 68 years old, Pollin posted on X that in this business, “You don’t retire. They retire you.” The tweet was shared online, and news began to spread. As a founding team member of both WFAN in New York City and WTEM in Washington, D.C., Pollin understood his removal from the station was part of the industry.
“The last six months we’ve had two employees. They let me do my show, which I enjoyed doing. Given that the overhead was two salaries, which I can say mine was not back breaking. I thought maybe they were making enough to survive,” noted Pollin. “It didn’t happen. This is a company going through a restructure, and I’m a line item. I’ve been through this multiple times. It’s part of the business.”
At 68, Pollin says he continued to host the show not for the money, but because of his passion for sports and his connection with the audience. In fact, he had targeted February 2028 as the time when he planned to retire, marking 50 years in the industry. That goal was something he didn’t just share with his audience, but also with the same station management that delivered the news about his dismissal.
“The person who let me go; he didn’t want to do it. He really liked my work and told me that quite often. He knew my goal, and that was the hope. But I always told people I didn’t know if I would,” said Pollin.
Moving Forward
While he says he leaves with no regrets, Pollin told Axios following the news that he had hoped to do a farewell program for the listening audience. In the days following his dismissal from ESPN 630, Pollin’s longtime friend Kevin Sheehan provided him that opportunity.
The two taped a podcast together, and Sheehan shared the recorded audio on his program last Thursday. Although Pollin didn’t get his planned ESPN 630 exit, Sheehan gave him the send-off at Team 980 he truly wanted.
“Frankly, that’s the station I wanted to do my farewell on anyway since it’s the station I started in 1992,” says Pollin. “I have no ill will toward Cumulus Media or at ESPN 630. That’s not an issue. But if the chat with Kevin [Sheehan] is my last appearance on radio, so be it. If not, we’ll see what happens.”
Layoffs are a part of the radio industry. Pollin understands that. After more than four decades in the business as both talent and management, he understands that some decisions aren’t yours to make.
What Pollin questions more today is how success in the industry is defined. While the race for Nielsen ratings has primarily been a focus for talent, he says it’s more confusing than ever today to understand what matters.
“I haven’t heard a word about ratings in years,” said Pollin, who argues other metrics outside of traditional ratings have become more the norm for judging success. “Measuring success in radio now, I don’t know how you do it. Other than if you’re able to sell it successfully, I don’t know how that works today. I’m not saying radio is dead or dying, but it’s not the same type of industry that it used to be.”
In Reflection
Over his radio career, Pollin has experienced nearly every way a radio career can change course: a format change, a nonrenewal and now his third layoff.
This time is different, as he’s not chasing the next steps in his immediate future. Instead, he’s approaching another football season more as a fan than with a critical eye. Pollin says he’ll miss Monday’s following football because of the fast-paced and live environment of it. He says he remains open to opportunities, including additional appearances on platforms with former teammates of his, including Sheehan and Steve Czaban.
But in 2026, Pollin understands that his book may already be written and finished in an industry that continues to evolve every day.
“I don’t have any regrets. I started my career in Port Arthur, Texas. My break in and story couldn’t happen today,” said Pollin. “I don’t think I could have carved out a better path in my career. There’s been highs and lows just like anyone else, but I couldn’t have done anything more enjoyable.”
The ending may not have come on Andy Pollin’s terms, but his story continues to live on among those he impacted. After nearly five decades in radio, including helping build two of the country’s most influential sports radio stations. He leaves ESPN 630 with something more valuable than a planned farewell. The knowledge that he gave the industry everything he had and built a connection with listeners that no ratings book or balance sheet can measure.
Radio may have decided when Pollin’s final show would be, but it doesn’t get to decide what his career meant. If his conversation with Kevin Sheehan turns out to be his final appearance behind a microphone, Pollin can walk away knowing he didn’t leave radio because he was ready to stop loving it.
He simply ran out of time on someone else’s clock.
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John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
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