Popular sports radio host leaving Columbia market. He shared details about his exit
Heath Cline — a longtime host on 107.5 The Game — is no longer with the radio station, he announced Wednesday on the air and through social media.
“I spent almost 16 years doing drive time radio at 107.5, and am hugely appreciative for that opportunity,” Cline said in a statement he posted to X, formerly known as Twitter.
In his statement, Cline attributed his departure to being unable to reach a new contract agreement to stay on as a 107.5 host. His next job will be as an executive producer and substitute host for Chuck Oliver’s regional college football show. Cline has been working with 680 The Fan in Atlanta for years and said he will do more of that now.
Officially, 107.5 is known as WNKT-FM and owned by Cumulus Media. Cline’s last show was Tuesday.
Station director Terry Ford was leading Wednesday’s afternoon show and interviewed Cline on the air about his decision and future.
“It’s not a money thing,” Cline told Ford. “I just hit 50 this year. There are some things in my career I still I want to do. They really wanted to keep me in Columbia and focused on that, and we just couldn’t get to where we needed to.
“This isn’t anybody’s fault. It’s just how radio and how business works sometimes.”
Ford did not indicate what the short- or long-term plan was for filling Cline’s slot from 3-6 p.m. weekdays.
Cline hosted the afternoon drive for 107.5 the Game since December 2007, according to the station’s website, known in recent years as “Game Time with Heath Cline.” He started covering the SEC in 1994 as a student at the University of Florida for WRUF. Between then and Columbia, Cline has worked at stations in Gainesville, Jacksonville and Tampa, and has filled in on national ESPN shows.
In Columbia, Cline was regarded for his deep sports knowledge and his unbiased approach to covering the hometown Gamecocks on 107.5, known as the flagship station for USC athletics. He often spoke about his fandom for the Colorado Buffaloes and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Support from listeners poured in from social media. Some of those comments were:
▪ “Heath, I am a strong believer that radio shows are better with two host. You changed my mindset. You have always been engaging, insightful, and entertaining. I appreciate listening to you for the past 16 years. I wish you all the best in your future endeavors.”
▪ “Geez that’s a shame. Loved your show. One of the few that was just matter of fact and not always with the ‘garnet colored glasses.’ Thanks for the Great Times Man. Huge loss for @1075thegame”
▪ “I listened to you all 15 plus years. Always thought you were a bigger talent than the Columbia market and wouldn’t stay long. You did. Thank you. To say ‘you will be missed’ doesn’t come close.”
The entirety of Cline’s social media statement is as follows:
“Some news: I am no longer employed by Cumulus as a host for 107.5 the Game. We had been negotiating a contract for the last few weeks, and in the end we couldn’t make it work. Everyone there has been great to work with, and I’ll miss them. If you’re disappointed in this news, please don’t get angry with anyone there. It’s not their fault.
“I spent almost 16 years doing drive time radio at 107.5, and am hugely appreciative for that opportunity. The reason I got to is because of a loyal audience, and thanks to social media we can still remain connected even though I no longer work in Columbia. If you listened, thank you.
“As for what’s next, I’ll be executive producer and sub host for Chuck Oliver’s regional CFB focused show. I’ve been doing weekend and fill in work for 680 the Fan in Atlanta for years, and will be doing a lot more now that I have more time available. We’ll see where things go, but I’m nothing but excited about what’s next. Again, if you were part of the last 16 years, thank you.”
This story was originally published August 23, 2023 at 4:17 PM.
