As one of the most recognizable voices in sports broadcasting, Joe Buck has heard his share of criticism. Now at ESPN, he says dealing with that scrutiny has evolved over time. During a recent appearance on Sports Media with Richard Deitsch, Buck offered a candid look at how social media feedback has impacted him throughout his career.
While many broadcasters claim to ignore the noise, Buck admitted that wasn’t always the case.
“I did let it bother me,” Buck said. “Unless you’re a psychopath, when you see things written about you and they’re not nice, it’s hard to just slough that off.”
He described the accumulation of criticism as something that gradually wears on a person. Even dismissive advice about ignoring online comments never fully resonated with him.
“People say, ‘Why do you care about somebody in their mom’s basement?’” Buck said. “Well, maybe they’re not in their mom’s basement. Maybe they’re CEO, and they think you suck. So, I don’t subscribe to that either.”
However, Buck made it clear that perspective has come with experience. As his resume grew to include some of the biggest events in sports at FOX Sports and now with ESPN, so did his understanding of the job’s realities. From calling the Super Bowl to the World Series, Buck said criticism is simply part of the territory.
“If you’re going to cash the check and you’re going to be there all puffed up getting ready to do World Series, Stanley Cup, or the Super Bowl… This is part of the job,” he said. “You have to be an adult and realize that not everybody’s gonna like you. I realized that a long time ago. It wasn’t easy and it hurt.”
Buck acknowledged that earlier in his career, negative feedback felt more personal and more difficult to process. Over time, though, he learned to separate performance from perception. Still, the platform delivering that criticism has changed the equation.
Buck pointed to the immediacy of smartphones as a key factor in how he receives feedback today.
“When it’s on your phone, it feels personal,” he said. “When it comes to this thing, and it’s in your hand and it’s on the same thing that your family and your daughters text you, I love you. Then you see, oh, you suck. You’re the worst I’ve ever heard. Good thing you had a famous dad. It’s all filtered in the same machine, and it feels like it’s more personal.”
That proximity, he explained, blurs the line between professional critique and personal attack. As a result, even seasoned broadcasters can feel the sting more sharply. Hence why Buck decided to move away from reading his critics on his phone moving forward.
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