Bill Riley, the long-time radio voice of Utah Athletics, will be joining the athletic department in the role of Director of Broadcasting. Riley, a three-time Utah Sports Broadcaster of the Year is being brought in to oversee the launch of the school’s new endeavor where it will self-produce digital game for ESPN+ as a part of its move to the Big 12 Conference.
Utah Athletics says it will produce 50-plus live broadcasts of home athletics competition during the next school year via the conference’s Big 12 Now digital platform on ESPN+.
Riley has been the play-by-play voice for Utah’s football and men’s basketball radio broadcasts on ESPN 700 and 92.1 FM since 2010, and also hosted weekly coaches’ shows. He will continue those duties and will also continue to teach a sports media class at the school, which he started in 2022. He will not, however, continue in his role as program director or daily host for ESPN 700 as he moves to the athletic department full-time at the end of the month.
“We are very excited to bring Bill Riley into our team and benefit from his extensive experience in broadcasting and his deep connections and familiarity with Utah Athletics spanning nearly three decades,” said Charmelle Green, Utah’s Deputy A.D. and Chief Operating Officer in a release.
“This is an important new endeavor for our department and the University of Utah, and this position is critical for us to have immediate success in the broadcasting space. We’re looking forward to working closely with our university partners to build a robust broadcasting department and establish a strong presence in this industry as we enter the Big 12 Conference later this summer.”
“I am thrilled to join the amazing team at the University of Utah in this exciting new position,” Riley said. “Not only do I look forward to continuing as the Voice of the Utes, but the opportunity to play a role in this significant expansion of the U’s broadcasting capabilities will enable me to become more deeply involved with all of the Utes’ teams as we grow their coverage and expand the broadcast curriculum for students.
“The talent, vision and commitment of the Utes’ athletics staff has built a tremendous foundation for the production and distribution of digital broadcasts, as well as elite storytelling and content creation, and I’m excited to come alongside that team as we take on this new endeavor.
“This opportunity is a dream job, and it would not have been possible for me without the great experience that I’ve had at ESPN 700 here in Salt Lake City over the past 20 years,” Riley added. “It is a first-class station with first-class people, and I’m grateful that I can continue to be part of Utah radio broadcasts on the ‘Home of the Utes’ in my new role at the U.”
