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It was the final day of July in Nashville, Tennessee. The city was continuing to count down to the beginning of another season of Tennessee Titans football. The top overall selection in the NFL Draft was just getting the pads on as training camp opened. The dawn of a new season arrived once again. But for Jared Stillman, his time at 102.5 The Game had reached its unfortunate sunset.
“I went into work on that Thursday not sure what was going to happen,” said Stillman.
The Nashville native had commanded afternoon drive for 102.5 The Game since he arrived at the station in 2015. He was originally paired with former Titans general manager Floyd Reese for what was called Jared and the GM. Following Reese’s untimely passing in 2021, Stillman had hosted solo in the day part for the next four years.
Last summer, Stillman approached station management about beginning to work on a new contract extension. His agreement with the station expired on December 15. While the two sides didn’t reach an agreement by the expiration of his contract, Stillman continued to work without a contract for seven months, hosting solo in afternoons on The Game.
“It was difficult for us to find common ground, given the unprecedented success that the station and in particular my show had over the last couple of years,” Stillman noted about the negotiations. “I did feel as if in the end it probably would have been hard one way or another for us to come to common ground where both sides would have been happy and comfortable with the arrangement.”
Stillman Continued To Work For A Deal
Stillman felt that his value to the station was higher than it had been in previous agreements. His program once had finished No. 1 in men 25-54 during his tenure and had seen gains against head-to-head competition for some time.
He noted that he took “several” below-market deals in the past. However, with a decade of experience as the flag bearer for the radio station in afternoons and a child on the way. Stillman believed it was better to have no deal than a bad deal.
“We kept talking and we kept meeting. The talks always ended up with a ‘let’s have another talk, let’s have another meeting,’” said Stillman. “To say that I was frustrated with that process probably would be a complete and total understatement.”
He noted that as the discussions continued, the progress made toward a resolution was headed backward. This led to Stillman growing concerned with the financial state of the radio station, or Nashville radio in general.
“I felt like last year, the tenor of the discussions was a lot different than recently in terms of what they would or would not be able to do,” explained Stillman. “There wasn’t really a lot of progress being made at all. That was getting a little frustrating, and I wonder if it was getting frustrating for them too.”
Leaving With No Regrets
Stillman grew up in Nashville listening to sports talk. He never dreamed of hosting sports radio but always envisioned himself working in sports. His journey began working as a manager at Louisville for the women’s basketball team, but then an opportunity arose to host a show at the local ESPN affiliate in Louisville.
Growing up a fan of Mike & The Mad Dog on the YES Network, Stillman found his calling. He says he’s grateful as an artist. To have had the opportunity to host in his hometown and make his eighth-grade self proud.
“Going through it, there were so many moments that were rather surreal that I made sure I never lost track of. There must be a level of objectivity for a good radio host, but I think that we’re all into this because we’re fans,” said Stillman. “It was an incredible experience, and it’s one that I was so incredibly grateful for.”
Stillman noted that when he arrived at 102.5 The Game in 2015, the culture of the radio station was poor. He recalled the negativity in the building upon his arrival. Several former employees of the station’s crosstown rival were not having the same amount of success at the time. With low ratings and chasing competition, Stillman earned a sense of pride in being part of the team that turned the culture and success story of the station around over the past decade.
As Stillman’s time reached its conclusion at 102.5 The Game, he was surprised at how relieved he felt to have a resolution to the contract matter. Reflecting on the discussions, Stillman said he has no regrets.
“Are there little things that I could have done in the negotiating process that could have changed the outcome? Maybe, but probably not,” said Stillman. “I felt as if I had reached a certain point where it was time now, at 35 years old with a child, to make the best decision for me as opposed to necessarily making the best decision to fit that time slot.”
Stillman Remained Focused on Entertaining
While hosting afternoons in Nashville, Stillman has also been a rotating voice on SiriusXM’s Mad Dog Radio channel. Utilizing his skill set acquired through his local offerings, Stillman began working part time for the satellite radio network in 2022. Making his debut following Super Bowl LVI in 2022, Stillman has enjoyed the luxury of having a worldwide audience for his opinions to be heard.
“I love being at Mad Dog Radio with SiriusXM. I think SiriusXM is an incredible product,” explained Stillman.
Following the events at 102.5 The Game, one of the first calls Stillman made was to SiriusXM to let them know he would have more opportunity to work. Since then, he has been filling the airwaves on SiriusXM for the last couple of weeks as the NFL season nears.
“I called them after we were unable to reach a resolution. I told them what had happened. I did not call them and ask for a job or ask for more shifts,” said Stillman. “I wanted them to know from me that there was no animosity or event that led to the separation between the station and me.”
Stillman understands his role with Mad Dog Radio and respects the brand. He said he would be very open to something long term with SiriusXM if offered.
“It’s a great channel, and I absolutely love being a part of it,” noted Stillman.
The Next Steps for Stillman
As for his immediate future, Stillman didn’t reveal many details about exactly what his next steps would be. He says he weighed the decision to go public about his contract negotiations while at 102.5 The Game but chose not to do so.
“I try to be as transparent as possible, but business is business,” said Stillman. “I didn’t feel like I owed it to anybody, and I didn’t think that it would help the situation to be public about it.”
Stillman says his focus for the next steps is keeping the core audience that carried his program in afternoons at 102.5 The Game. He plans to provide a product that will keep the Jared Stillman listener tuned in. Entertaining as ever in afternoon drive in the very near future.
“Hang in there with me for a little bit,” said Stillman. “I am almost positive that I will be on some form of media for you to listen to in the car. I will be on some form in the afternoons for your commute home in the near future.”
While the past year has been a test for Stillman, he’s excited about his immediate future. He believes in the power of radio and the connection it provides his audience — a connection he’s not planning to lose anytime soon.
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John Mamola is the sports editor and columnist for Barrett Media. 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. Honored to be a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Media and honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL). Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.