The excitement that follows the release of the NFL schedule is unlike anything else in sports. The race to find out who your favorite team will be playing, when they’ll be playing, and what record sports fans project they’ll have at the end of the 17-game slate is thrilling. For Tennessee Titans fans, May 15 brought an added sense of excitement in knowing when number one overall selection Cam Ward would take his first snaps as the quarterback for the hometown Titans. The morning of May 15, unfortunately, was not a celebration for everyone in Nashville. For Kayla Anderson, it marked the end of her time at the radio home of the Tennessee Titans on 104.5 The Zone.
“Unexpected on my end, but maybe not on their end,” said Anderson. “I was brought into a meeting on a Thursday since I was leaving for vacation the next day. I was told that they were not going to renew my contract, and so that was pretty much it.”
Anderson was a key member of The Zone’s highly successful Ramon, Kayla, and Will program since she joined the station in 2022. After leaving a television position with local WKRN-TV in Nashville—where she spent six years as a sports anchor, reporter, and digital contributor—Anderson was ready for the challenge of hosting morning radio in an NFL market.
“I never had a conversation that was negative about anything in terms of my work ethic there (The Zone). I’m a really hard worker,” noted Anderson. “I attended Titans practices every week on my own. I’d go all week just to help the listeners relate more to what I could bring to the show. That was all on my own time, but it was because I wanted to add as much as I could to the station. I never at any point felt like I wasn’t doing my job correctly there.”
She signed a two-year contract with an option year that was picked up by The Zone in 2024, and felt the show was performing well ratings-wise, with no indications otherwise from station management or peers.
“It came as a surprise to me,” said Anderson. “I’ve been in a spot like this before where there’s not a lot of explanation. I have to, as a professional, take it for what it is, and I’ve got to move forward.”
Working Through the Emotions of the Moment
While hosting mornings on The Zone, Kayla developed a deep connection with the listening audience as she was there to greet them every weekday morning. Following news of her dismissal from the morning program, reaction flooded into the station and Anderson’s personal social accounts with words of encouragement—but also in search of an answer as to why. This has proven difficult over the past weeks, as Anderson has made an effort to connect with as many loyal supporters as possible, without any knowledge as to the answers her following is in search of.
“It is sad, and I would be lying if I were to say I wasn’t sad that it ended like that—so abruptly,” stated Anderson. “It’s hard answering to a lot of people that are reaching out to me. I’ve got loads of people who listen to the show that want an explanation, and I don’t have that to really give.”
The amount of reaction that Anderson has received over the past couple of weeks has served as comfort and assistance through a tough time for her professionally and personally. Messages of positivity and appreciation for her efforts Anderson says, were needed—and not expected.
“It has been extremely difficult,” said Anderson. “To have listeners and people in the media reach out—not only here but from across the country—that have worked with me or come across me in whatever market; the strength that it’s given me over the last couple of weeks is helping to just stay positive. To know what I’m doing is making a difference and that I am good at what I do. Sometimes when you lose your job like this, you’re questioning your talent and your ability. This is what I put my heart and soul into for 20-plus years. That’s been really nice to have that amount of feedback. I did not expect that at all.”
Growing With Ramon, Kayla & Will
Reflecting on her working relationships with co-hosts Ramon Foster and Will Boling, Anderson says she felt privileged to be part of a three-person morning show. Understanding that having three voices on one show in sports radio is rare, she felt the combination allowed them to dive into amazing conversations with different perspectives. With the former-player perspective of Foster mixed with Boling’s experience as a radio lifer, she says her reporting background was a key ingredient to what made the radio show perform so well for so long. The opportunity also allowed Anderson to begin to find her own voice—sharing opinions with confidence, leaving the audience wanting more.
“What I learned is it’s okay to have your own opinion, and it’s okay to have your own perspective,” said Anderson. “What I’ve been hearing a lot in the feedback I’ve gotten after I lost my job is people really loving my perspective. I’m glad that came through that way, because at first, I think I was a little scared to be the different one—or to be the one that you didn’t agree with all the time.”
Utilizing that feedback and a growing confidence in the skill set she gained with her time at The Zone, Anderson is excited to see where her next steps may lie. With her exit from Ramon, Kayla, and Will, she will also no longer be working as part of the Tennessee Titans Radio Network this coming fall. However, although her time at The Zone ended as abruptly as it did, it won’t dissuade her from chasing another position in sports radio moving forward.
“I’m now more motivated than ever because now I’ve got radio and TV. I’m like, ‘Alright, what do y’all want me to do? I can do it for you,’” explained Anderson. “It strengthens my overall resume. In times like this, when there are not a lot of jobs, people are looking at what you can do for them in all capacities.”
Searching for the Next Steps With an Open Mind
Anderson understands the demands in an ever-changing sports media landscape, where fewer people are asked to do more. She stated that the experience she shared on Ramon, Kayla, and Will at The Zone along with her work with the Titans can only benefit her moving into her broadcasting future.
“I’m open for everything,” said Anderson. “I am so glad that I took this challenge on in my life and made the risk of getting out of local news and going into radio. I think it was still a great decision, even though it didn’t end great.”
A native of Spokane, Washington, Anderson noted it’s been a long time away from her home in the Pacific Northwest. Although she says she is “more active now than before” in considering heading back west, she’s very open to staying in Nashville. If the right opportunity were to come along, she would highly consider it. In the meantime, Kayla is staying active—covering the journey of Vanderbilt baseball and offseason workouts for the Titans—while in search of her next steps.
“It’s kind of a journey where you’re betting on yourself,” said Anderson about her search. “I feel like I have enough experience, and I’ve done enough good things in this business that somebody will eventually give me a shot somewhere.”
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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.
