Big Drew and Jim on ESPN 96.1 in Grand Rapids, MI is officially “And Jim” for now, as Costa begins his search for a new co-host. Announced last week that he was leaving the show, Drew McCarthy hosted for the final time with Costa Tuesday afternoon, as he begins a new and exciting venture.
Two of the most rapidly growing industries in the United States are also trades that previously held significantly negative connotations around the country. Sports betting and cannabis, long ridiculed, but now embraced.
While sports radio hosts, stations and brands are seemingly running every which way to attach themselves to the gambling industry, Drew McCarthy is leaving ESPN 96.1 in Grand Rapids to open a cannabis store. McCarthy has joined Gage Cannabis to help bring their next store to West Michigan.
McCarthy officially said goodbye Tuesday afternoon, sharing a lot of tears with Costa and their producer Bryan Fongers. In a year where a lot of sports media personalities have unwillingly said goodbye to audiences and colleagues, it was nice to hear McCarthy’s departure come on his own terms.
McCarthy and Costa teamed up in afternoon drive on ESPN 96.1 more than five years ago. In 2016, the show entered Detroit, adding Gregg Henson as its third host as they joined longtime sports radio station WDFN. Henson was let go by iHeart one year later, but Big Drew and Jim remained on WDFN until this past June when it flipped from a sports talk format after more than a quarter century.
In addition to his gig on ESPN 96.1, McCarthy has been pulling radio double duty, also hosting middays on sister station 101.3 The Brew. Although he’s no longer on the Grand Rapids sports station, listeners will still be able to hear McCarthy hosting nights on The Brew. Being that he remains in the iHeart family, maybe it will lead to a fill-in reunion show for Big Drew and Jim down the road.
Brandon Contes is a former reporter for BSM, now working for Awful Announcing. You can find him on Twitter @BrandonContes or reach him by email at Brandon.Contes@gmail.com.
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