When Drew Ivery was laid off from a new sportscasting job after just 10 months, he didn’t get mad. He got creative. He contacted employers who’d had openings in recent months to see if any of them might still need someone. That determination led Ivery to his new position as an On-Air Personality & Play-by-Play Broadcaster for Mitchell Radio Group, a four station cluster in Mitchell, SD.
In addition to hosting a daily air shift, Ivery will be the voice Mitchell High School and the NAIA’s Dakota Wesleyan Tigers. He makes the 70 minute drive West from Madison, SD where he spent 10 months with KJAM Radio before being laid off in July.
Congratulations @ItsUncleDrew_ on your new position at the Mitchell Radio Group! Share on XCaught off guard
“Oddly enough I was at work when I was informed [of the layoff],” Ivery recalls. “I had already done most of my duties for the day and got called into a meeting, along with the news director who had been there just two months longer than me. Never felt like the meeting was going to be a good one.”
Ivery left the meeting stunned. “I felt like I was in a marriage and my wife slid me her divorce papers out of the blue. Alpha Media was making cuts across the company and we were in those cuts. This came just a couple weeks or less after talking about the future/next season. More games to broadcast, a raise, etc so it was the last thing I was expecting.”
Ivery has been an STAA member for 21 months. “I was looking back at old STAA emails the first month or so after being laid off and contacted multiple places just to see if something had come back open at some locations. I got ahold of this station and the position was filled, but they took my resume anyway. The guy who took my resume left that station, but left my resume on his GM’s desk. [The GM] called me the Tuesday after I interviewed for another job I never heard back from.”
Hesitation
Being laid off admittedly made Ivery hesitant about continuing in broadcasting. “Initially I didn’t want to stay in the radio industry for the fear of that happening again; definitely not in a corporate ownership situation. The uncertainty made me nervous and will always be in the back of my mind a bit now,” Ivery recalls. “Getting on directly with a university didn’t work for months, so I opened myself up to being in radio again. It just seemed like all I was gonna be able to make happen for now. Though I made sure it was locally owned instead this time, which is what I was used to before this. And when KMIT called, we talked and it seemed like I was truly wanted by them over our various discussions instead of just someone being brought in to fill a position/role.”
Ivery is closing in on his second full year with STAA. “My STAA membership has benefited me since the moment I became a member. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, it’s the best place for sports broadcasting opportunities. Not only does it help in the job pursuit, but you’re able to grow in your profession with the tools and tips available.
“[STAA Owner Jon Chelesnik] has been huge in keeping my confidence high and encouraging me to continue going after what I was searching for. As well as sending contacts my way that could’ve been a fit for me.”
It turns out the best fit for Ivery for now was just 70 minutes down the road with an employer he is excited to be joining.“They jumped through some hoops to make it happen and have been extremely helpful in this process. Feeling good about this one!”
Click here to see how STAA can help you advance your sportscasting career.