Television audiences understand and enjoy sports more when there are exciting and entertaining sportscasters leading the commentary. These individuals provide background information about the players and teams, analysis of the games in real time and even humor throughout their discussion of the action. Of course, the sports contests are also important to viewers. However, the most entertaining sportscasters on television throughout the years of broadcast athletics are what keep people coming back time and again to watch the games and matches.
Marv Albert
Born and raised in New York, Marv Albert began his career as both the television and the radio announcer for the Knicks. After 37 years with the team, he was released in 2004. Since then, Albert has blossomed into covering Nets games for the YES Network and for important national games. In addition to NBA games, Albert has also called professional football and hockey games. His signature voice and his famous one-liners include “Re-jected!” and “Yes! And the foul!!” and “Serving up the facial!” These kind of classic and repeatable phrases are what make Marv Albert one of the most entertaining basketball sportscasters.
Al Michaels
With the infamous line, “Do you believe in miracles?” after the U.S. men’s hockey team won gold in the 1980 Winter Olympics, Al Michaels has become synonymous with important sports broadcasting. He spent almost 30 years doing commentary for ABC before he moved to NBC in 2006 to take over Sunday Night Football. Michaels has covered the Olympics, the NBA and even the World Series, and he always offers his opinions of the players and the games with a few life lessons thrown in. It is this combination of knowledge and advice that make him so entertaining.
Howard Cosell
When he began broadcasting the fights of Muhammad Ali, few knew that Howard Cosell would become one of the best sportscasters on television. After stints with Monday Night Football, the World Series and the Olympics, Cosell earned a reputation for being witty and poignant at the same time, a winning combination for a television entertainer. His declaration that “sports is the toy department of human life” is both true and entertaining, and he combined these two qualities throughout his broadcasts.
Bob Costas
From simple truths like “Mickey Mantle was baseball” to witty quips about NBA championships such as “all that’s missing for Utah is a blindfold and a cigarette,” Bob Costas has staked his career on accurate and entertaining broadcasting. Working for NBC since the early 1980s, Costas has covered nearly every professional sport as well as the Olympics. He even had the honor of narrating Michael Jordan’s final basket as a player for the Chicago Bulls. His humorous expressions and his unwavering integrity make him one of the most entertaining sportscasters on television.
Jack and Joe Buck
As the elder Buck, Jack was the first to take on the broadcasting world, becoming an announcer for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1954. With a distinctive and soothing deep voice, Jack Buck made accurate and eloquent description his main goals, and he succeeded brilliantly, often explaining hits with the simple phrase, “That’s a winner.” His son, Joe Buck, has been with Fox Sports since 1994, covering the World Series since 1996. Prior to his work with Fox, Joe and his father briefly called the St. Louis games together. The pair of men has created an impressive and an entertaining dynasty of sportscasters in their family.
No matter the athletic contest being called, the most entertaining sportscasters are the ones who make the games and the matches fun for television viewers. With their signature phrases, humor and enthusiasm for the events, these sportscasters make it worthwhile to tune in each time.
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