Peter Rosenberg owns a broadcasting resume that most personalities lust for but shudder to consider chasing at the same time. At 45-years old, the Maryland native has molded his love for hip-hop, sports, and professional wrestling into a career that marvels peers of his age and tenure in broadcasting.
Since graduating from the University of Maryland with a degree in journalism and working at UMD’s campus radio station WMUC, Rosenberg’s professional journey landed him at the wildly popular HOT 97 in New York City in 2007. Since, Peter Rosenberg has continued to work for HOT 97 and added to his impressive abstract with experience such as ESPN New York, MTV, HBO, BET, and now his newest venture as the voice of the WWE’s developmental program EVOLVE which debuted earlier this month.
“I adore great wrestling commentary,” said Rosenberg. “At its best I feel like it’s almost like listening to radio but while watching television. It’s the sound that fills your home for hours while you watch the action in the ring.”
The WWE’s latest programming project is just the latest addition to the multi-billion-dollar company’s portfolio, which historically has been at the forefront of merging professional sports and American culture performing what has been dubbed ‘sports entertainment.’ Rosenberg’s fondness for professional wrestling runs deep from child to professional, as he exercised his work-first mindset born early in his career to eventually land a position with the WWE in 2016.
Just under five years later, Peter Rosenberg would become the play-by-play voice for the next evolution with a focus on the future superstars of the WWE. A challenge his already established resume prepared him for over time.
“The approach I must have for play by play is just so different than any of my other endeavors,” Rosenberg stated. “It just requires so much more prep and thought – especially in wrestling where stories are being told.”
Some of Rosenberg’s earliest influences with the performance art of professional wrestling served as his guide as he understood that EVOLVE would add another layer of skills to an already established biography.
“I would say my first real introduction to play-by-play in general was Gorilla Monsoon,” Rosenberg referenced. “Then I was so drawn to the comedic style and just ridiculousness of Bobby “The Brain” Heenan. To this day I love so much about their style.”
Consistency Is The Key To Success
The art of calling play-by-play is all in telling the story of the event. Grabbing the consumer by the wrist and leading them on a journey through the hills and valleys to the eventual outcome of the contest. The key is consistency, a trait that becomes harder to accomplish in an ever growing on-demand culture.
However, for Rosenberg, his consistency in his approach of balancing a new opportunity with EVOLVE isn’t one that he hasn’t done before.
“I don’t have one specific key to consistency. My life is consistent by nature because the work is so consistent,” says Rosenberg. “I just get up every day and do my thing. I think working on some more consistent routines would be super helpful. But right now, I just do the work, sleep, spend time with the family and repeat.”
For Peter Rosenberg, his career path has been a model of evolving through change keeping an ever-present mindset of staying consistent. Taking his experience working on New York City’s top hip-hop radio station HOT 97, and building the successful podcast Juan Ep is Life, featuring co-host Cipha Sounds. Evolving his skill set learned in music radio and applying it to his passion for professional wrestling leading to the Cheap Heat podcast, which began in 2013.
Rosenberg: Signing With ESPN New York
Then hard work was rewarded in 2015 for Rosenberg, when he signed with ESPN New York as a contributor on The Michael Kay Show featuring the play-by-play voice of the New York Yankees, Michael Kay, and ESPN New York original Don La Greca. A lifelong Washington D.C. sports fan, Rosenberg now had the opportunity to bring his devotion for sports and apply his layered broadcasting acumen to entertain New York sports fans in the most coveted and competitive daypart for the market.
The competitive nature of going head-to-head with WFAN’s Mike Francesa for many years was a characteristic the Rosenberg already grew to know from his experience working for HOT 97. Now, several years following Francesa’s departure from WFAN along with ESPN New York officially unsubscribing from the Nielsen ratings system, he said it was a relief to not worry about ratings any longer when it came to his mentality.
“Several years ago, the rivalry was big on both stations and less so now. It a relief honestly,” said Rosenberg. “I always took it so personally and held such negative energy towards some of my competition. Whether it was founded or not, it didn’t benefit anyone. I’m happy to not care about it as much.”
Rosenberg: Evolving Through Changes At ESPN New York
When Good Karma Brands entered into a local marketing agreement in 2024 with Audacy, the company assumed responsibility for the programming on ESPN New York but now on the legendary 880AM, which had been the radio home of WCBS since 1967. The step meant a large amount of change for everyone associated with ESPN New York in a very short amount of time.
Within one calendar year, Good Karma Brands ended its ratings contract with Nielsen in January, dropped its 98.7FM signal in August, and then moved ESPN New York programming from its longstanding 1050AM signal to the 880AM signal in the same month. Then in early December, The Michael Kay Show featuring Peter Rosenberg announced a lineup change coming with the new year where Kay would move to a solo show in mid-days, with La Greca and Rosenberg remaining in the afternoon drive timeslot on the station.
“There have been lots of changes over the last year and change is always scary and it certainly was in moments,” said Rosenberg. “Change also leads to new opportunity so I never got overwhelmed with fear.”
Following the announcement from Kay about his departure from the daypart, there was high speculation if Rosenberg would remain not only in the daypart but also with the station. That was an element of the timing Rosenberg was fully prepared for, and ready to evolve once again one way or another.
“Regardless of whether I was a part of the future of the station, I absolutely knew I would be doing something fun,” noted Rosenberg. “I have built a good enough name and reputation over the last 18 years in this market to find a microphone somewhere.”
Due to his dedication and passion for the format, he was awarded a new agreement with ESPN New York, and Don, Hahn & Rosenberg was born. The new opportunity featured La Greca, and studio analyst for the New York Knicks on the MSG Network, Alan Hahn. Three months later, the new program in the daypart continues along the same path of evolving as has everything in Rosenberg’s career path.
“I think we’re building something special,” said Rosenberg. “I’m excited to get to build something new on this station that I have really grown to love.”
Rosenberg: Becoming Nationally Recognized By Billboard
The evolution of Peter Rosenberg continues to mold him into one of the more celebrated voices of his generation. So much so, this February Billboard recognized Rosenberg as one of its Sports & Music Power Players for 2025. The entertainment and music magazine says of the ranking that the combined power of the sports and music worlds is stronger than ever and will only keep growing.
“It was super cool. I obviously am very deep in music and sports so to be recognized for my connecting the dots there was super appreciated,” Rosenberg notes. “I was pretty early when it comes to mixing those worlds so it’s gratifying to get some recognition for it.”
While change is always ever-present in entertainment, Peter Rosenberg is prepared to roll with it. He has always attempted to be one step ahead and forward thinking on how he can consistently evolve with how the audience in changing. From his humble roots in hip-hop radio, to advancing his passions in the podcast space, along with expanding his sports radio profile and now growing as a signature voice with the WWE.
Peter Rosenberg is a singular representation of following your spirit, being ahead of the game, and always finding new avenues to consistently evolve.
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John Mamola is the sports editor and columnist for Barrett Media. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. Honored to be a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Media and honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL). Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
