NBC Sports announcer Mike Tirico is one of the more respected names in sports broadcasting. He has been on the call for some of the biggest moments in sports, including the Kentucky Derby and the Super Bowl. Over the weekend, Tirico was a guest on The Orange Zone podcast, which is a Syracuse-based show hosted by Samantha Croston and Racel Culver. During the episode, he dived into his childhood growing up as a New York Mets fan. However, he explained that he had to give up his fandom following the 1986 World Series once he found his footing in journalism and broadcasting.
While he acknowledged that he gave up his fandom for his profession, Tirico pointed out that not everyone on television has done the same, and he’s not a fan of that trend.
“You can’t have fandom seep in,” Tirico noted. “Now, people do now, and it bothers me. I don’t like watching SportsCenter or other shows on ESPN where the anchors are talking about who they’re fans of. Like, who cares? I don’t care.”
Indeed, several SportsCenter and ESPN personalities are not shy about showcasing their personal fandom on national television. For example, Stephen A. Smith’s love for the New York Knicks is widely known. According to Tirico, while this might reflect a more modern approach, he believes personal passions should remain separate from the content—especially in instances where they currently are not.
“Stephen A. Smith is great, and he’s a friend, and he’s done a wonderful job,” Tirico said. “I don’t want time wasted during the NBA halftime telling me your feelings as a Knicks fan. I want to hear about the game, and what I missed, and what I need to look forward to. But, again, that’s just a personal way of consuming sports, and I’m a little bit old school when it comes to that.”
Moreover, the voice of NBC’s Sunday Night Football likened his opinion on the matter to the role of a journalist covering politics. In that realm, the position is to deliver details and headlines—not personal bias or fandom.
“The way I was brought up as a journalist. I don’t care if you’re a Republican or a Democrat. I don’t care if you’re a Phillies fan or a 49ers fan,” explained Tirico. “Your job is to tell me the news. And in sports talk, that’s a different world. But when you’re doing the facts, and you’re in the middle of a game, I don’t want to hear.”
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