If you follow sports media and don’t know the name John Fanta, you will. At 31 years old, Fanta could be considered one of the fastest-rising stars at NBC Sports. Last year, the Cleveland native joined the network full time after several years building his profile calling college basketball games for FOX Sports and hosting podcasts for The Field Of 68 media network. His high-energy, enthusiastic approach to sports even caught the eye of Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy, who offered Fanta an opportunity to join the company before he ultimately signed with NBC Sports.
Now entering his second year with NBC Sports, Fanta is bringing his talents to his own weekly program, titled after a segment he conceptualized during his first week on the job.
“During my first week [with NBC Sports], our wardrobe department put out a suit for me to wear even though I wasn’t going to be on camera. I put the suit on and did my game breaks and brought the energy. Then I got a call the following Monday saying that energy was infectious, and they tasked me with coming up with ideas on how to do more,” said Fanta. “I thought about a segment showcasing the wild and wacky of college football in 60 seconds. Hence, I pitched Fanta in 60.”
The concept was a smash hit, becoming a fan favorite by matching colorful commentary with Fanta’s unmistakable energy. From its launch, the segment lasted throughout the college football season and helped Fanta grow his profile within NBC Sports.
From Segment To Show
Because of that energy, Fanta was granted opportunities across the NBC Sports portfolio. From college football to the NBA and, most recently, MLB Wild Card coverage, Fanta has become one of the more recognizable talents for viewers of the network. So much so that last month, Fanta launched a weekly program on NBCSN titled Fanta In 60, based on his original concept.
“I wrapped up coverage of the Kentucky Derby in May. Alexa Maremaa [NBC producer] approached me about doing a show. I’m always about saying yes, but this was the quickest yes I could say,” explained Fanta.
The show is designed as a recap of the top stories from the weekend, but with a unique approach to audience engagement. Instead of a typical studio program where commentary is the focal point, Fanta wanted something that felt different from what traditional studio programs provide.
“Fan engagement is everything to me. I want to blend the social media audience into this show where they have a voice,” said Fanta. “I grew up a sports talk caller, and I would share my takes when I was a teenager. So, I wanted to involve the fans. We talked throughout the summer and then launched the show.”
Fanta In 60 airs on Monday evenings as part of NBC Sports’ push for more studio programming. The Monday night program fits perfectly with Fanta’s growing schedule of play-by-play assignments and on-site contributions for the network.
Fanta called his first year with NBC an absolute dream come true, not only because of the number of opportunities he’s been allowed to pursue, but also because of the team environment and support the network has shown him.
“You want to be in a place that believes in you. One of the biggest reasons I joined NBC Sports is I would be in the role that’s I’ve been in calling games, but college basketball gave me my ‘in’ to this industry. But it’s not the only thing I want to talk about in my career,” said Fanta. “NBC has been willing to let me expand my horizons with different assignments. Versatility is everything in this business… I couldn’t have scripted year one any better.”
A Digital Entry Point
While growing up in Cleveland, Fanta fell in love with the hometown voices of his beloved Northeast Ohio teams. Tom Hamilton, Joe Tait and Jim Donovan were the soundtrack of his youth. But when deciding on a path for his career, Fanta opted for digital as his starting point.
“I graduated from Seton Hall in 2017. At the time, the digital space was opening up opportunities,” said Fanta, who explained he was close to beginning his career in television in Odessa, Texas. “Rick Gentle [senior associate commissioner of broadcasting, Big East Conference] reached out to me about launching a digital show surrounding the conference. Jay Wright [former Villanova head coach] was pushing the conference to start their own network. So, I went with the idea to see where it goes.”
The success and growth of that leap of faith led to traditional linear opportunities for Fanta, first catching the eye of executives at FOX Sports. Fanta called basketball games for six seasons before joining NBC Sports.
Understanding the role the internet played in his career growth, Fanta doesn’t consider himself an internet sensation.
“I try to bring that energy to any platform I’m on. But it’s not my goal to wake up in the morning and aim to be an internet sensation,” said Fanta. “In the here and now, it’s about how do we deliver on television with the next assignment. I know that’s been out there, but it has played a major role for me. I just don’t want to be defined solely as that for the next 50 years.”
Instead, Fanta makes a point of making every opportunity and every delivery as authentic as possible. He says it’s never been more important to connect with the viewing audience by giving them something that enhances their experience.
Sports is Fanta’s passion, and he always aims to showcase the energy he brought during his first week of in-game updates across every touchpoint with the NBC Sports audience.
“With anything I do, it’s, ‘I get to do this.’ The moment that you don’t give everything you have to the assignment, to me, that’s wrong in our industry. Because how many people would kill for these opportunities that we’re given?” explained Fanta.
That passion is why Fanta consistently works hand in hand with NBC Sports’ digital teams. Navigating unique ways of developing content that works for both traditional television and digital audiences.
“Where in a time if you can bring it in the digital and social space, having that on linear isn’t a bad thing either. Ten years ago, there were two separate lanes. As time has gone on, people now say if they can do it in one place, why not the other?” questioned Fanta. “Fanta In 60 is a show that incorporates a lot of social, and it is part of the strategy. There’s not a day that goes by where I’m not thinking about how I can continue to find new audiences.”
Paying It Back
Versatility is everything in the business, as Fanta believes. He’s reinforcing that skill set with every new assignment for NBC Sports.
“What you do on the assignment, every word has to count. When the viewer is dedicating time to our broadcast, that’s the most important thing to them. Because they’re making the time to watch us,” said Fanta. “The product better be for the fan. Everything I do has to count no matter what it is. I look at any second on the air trying to meet and exceed the bar that’s been set. That’s what makes it fun.”
After the many experiences Fanta has had during his first year with NBC Sports, he gave back this summer by organizing a broadcast camp in his hometown. More than 80 kids interested in broadcasting attended the camp. They also received exclusive sit-downs with some of the industry’s top names, including Mike Tirico and Scott Van Pelt.
“It was one of the best weeks of my entire life. We got hands-on instruction with these campers, and it was such a powerful experience,” explained Fanta. “That’s what I wanted at that age. My advice to the industry is you have to believe in yourself, but you have to take that belief and do something with it.”
For Fanta, the broadcast camp was more than an opportunity to give back to the community that helped shape him. It was another extension of the philosophy that has guided his career from the beginning: Believe in yourself, say yes to the opportunity in front of you and then find a way to make something of it.
That approach has taken Fanta from a digital show built around the Big East to six seasons calling games for FOX Sports. It has also led to a growing role across the NBC Sports portfolio. Along the way, he has turned a 60-second segment into a weekly program. He has expanded his work beyond college basketball while continuing to find new ways to connect with audiences.
At 31, Fanta isn’t looking to define what his career will look like 20 years from now. He’s focused on making the next assignment count.
Give the audience everything you have. Make every second count. And when an opportunity comes your way, do something with it.
For Fanta, that’s more than career advice. It’s the blueprint that got him here.
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