Looking back on NBC Sports Washington, and ahead to a new national role with Audacy

By Nick Ashooh

I know people always say "some personal news" on social media, but really, isn't it "professional news" when you're making a change in your career? Anyway, let's pull the bandaid off here...I'm leaving NBC Sports Washington. It's bittersweet, but I'm excited about what's next.

If I wasn't, that might be a bad sign.

Before I get to that though, I want to thank everyone that I've worked with there, I got a chance to grow a TON at the network.

If you want to skip down to the "next" part, feel free, you won't hurt my feelings.

Anyway, as for the NBCSW part, it started with Wizards Outsiders, where most people probably don't know, but I'd never even met Wes Hall until we sat down in the green room before they put us on set for a test show. We started talking about this poster on the wall where John Wall was wearing these old school Reebok Zigtechs, and it was super random, but our chemistry instantly carried over into our first time on camera together.

We clicked.

Outsiders was a ton of fun, and the freedom we had to be creative was a big reason why. I mean, I made a fake Gucci sweatshirt strictly to prove I could replicate Jeff Green's and wore a poop emoji mask not once, but twice on set, so yeah I'd call that freedom.

Wes is as quick-witted and smart as anyone I've ever worked with, and would always keep me on my toes.

Then came D.C. Sports Live, where they paired us with the talented Alexa Shaw. She fit in right away, and definitely understood how to deal with Wes and me when it came to...well...I guess our competitive personalities? Yeah, we'll go with that. Add that to our producer Danny Golden, who was more prepared than anyone I'd ever met each and every show, along with executive producer Benjie Kaze, who always wanted to help make the show better, and we knew that D.C. Sports Live had a real chance to be something special.

Then...came the pandemic.

As with so much in 2020, things were forced to change. So when we were finally cleared to go back in studio almost a year later, I got a chance to work with the hockey genius himself, Alan May. Was it a different world for me? Yes. Was I ready to dig in because we could only do Wizards and Caps shows and this is what they needed? Yup. "Let's move forward and get some shows on TV again" was my mindset (that and make sure to wear a whole range of suit colors because it clearly made some people mad on Twitter which is stupid and hilarious at the same time).

People like Damon Phillips, Matt Volk, Frank Crisafulli, and Tim McDonough all had my back when it came to how I approached what I did, and I was never put in a box. I will always appreciate that.

Okay, so what’s next already?

Right. On to that part now.

I'm signing with Audacy, which you saw in the whole headline there. It's a national multiplatform role, and it’s exactly the right fit for me.

I'll be an on-air talent and writer for BetQL, Audacy's new national sports betting network, while also hosting two new nationally syndicated shows on CBS Sports Radio. I'll also be sticking around locally, hosting shows on 106.7 The Fan and The Team 980 (now one big happy family) as well.

Saturdays, 10 a.m to noon eastern I’ll be with my guy Grant Paulsen, on a show called "Countdown to...", focused on the biggest sporting events of the weekend from both a betting and wagertainment perspective. We'll be simulcast on both the BetQL Network and CBS Sports Radio, along with YouTube, Twitch, the Audacy app and website.

Gotta be on everything now right?

From noon-2 p.m. eastern after that, I'll host a seperate solo show on CBS Sports Radio.

I’ll also be a regular on the other strong lineup of shows they put together throughout the week on BetQL.

The plan was to be across every Audacy Sports platform they had, and this is exactly what I want to be a part of, with more to come content-wise as time goes on.

If you're still reading this and aren't totally bored, well thanks. If not, I don't know why I'm addressing you since you're not reading it anyway. This has been a long process that of course means the end of one really great era in my career, but the chance to help build something new moving forward.

To those of you that followed me throughout my time at the network, and all the way before that at ESPN 980, thank you. It's been a fun ride so far.

Now comes the next chapter, so hopefully you come along with me.