Gary Sharp announced that he is leaving 1620 The Zone and NRG Media, ending a 13-year run with the Omaha sports radio station. Sharp shared the news in a heartfelt tweet, thanking listeners, colleagues, coaches, and athletes for their support throughout his career.
“After 13+ years, my time with NRG Media has come to an end, being told my services were no longer needed last Friday,” Sharp wrote. “Thank you to listeners, colleagues, friends, coaches and athletes who have reached out with support. It has meant more to me than you know.”
Sharp joined 1620 The Zone after returning to Nebraska and quickly became a fixture on the station’s airwaves. Over his tenure, he hosted nearly 4,000 shows, blending humor, insight, and an engaging presence that earned him a loyal audience. “Hopefully we made you laugh, think differently, stay in your car longer, and I would do it again,” he added.
In January 2022, Sharp moved from middays to the coveted morning drive slot, reuniting with former co-host Damon Benning. The pair had previously hosted mornings together for seven years before Sharp’s move to middays. Connor Happer joined the station for middays after leaving BDP Communications sports “93.7 The Ticket” in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Sharp later partnered with Matt McMaster for the Gary and Matt morning show, which ran from December 2024 until January 2026. McMaster, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln broadcast journalism graduate, previously worked as a producer at ESPN Chicago and reported sports and news for NRG Media’s KLIN in Lincoln.
Despite the abrupt end to his tenure, Sharp expressed pride in his accomplishments and gratitude toward mentors.
“I learned and grew from two of the best in the business, Neil Nelkin and Dave Tepper,” he wrote. “I shared the airwaves with some extremely talented people who made me better. Proud of what we did on- and off-air, including going out on top at the end of a recent first-year show.”
Sharp did not provide specifics about future broadcasting plans but indicated he will remain active in Omaha’s athletic and local organizational community.
“I will continue to be involved with Omaha athletics and other local organizations that I enjoy furthering their cause,” he said.
NRG Media has not publicly commented on the news of Sharp’s departure. McMaster has moved to middays while Connor Happer and Mike Schaeffer have moved to take over morning drive.
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