Chris Berman
ESPN's Chris Berman is one of sports television's brightest and most recognizable personalities. Twice the versatile Chris Berman has been selected the National Sportscaster of the Year (1989 1990) by the members of the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. He is the only cable commentator ever chosen.
Chris Berman is noted for delivering in depth sports reports in an upbeat and easygoing manner, without sacrificing content. "Whatever lightness I try to add, I never let fun interfere with the news. That comes first," Chris Berman said.
Chris Berman hosts NFL GameDay, a weekly Sunday morning pre game show which won a Sports Emmy Award in 1991 and a Cable ACE in 1989 NFL PrimeTime, ESPN's extensive Sunday evening highlight show and ESPN's Sunday night NFL telecasts. During halftime of the NFL telecasts, Chris Berman narrates "the fastest three minutes in television" featuring highlights of all the day's NFL results. He also hosts ESPN's NFL Draft coverage and, on occasion, SportsCenter.
In 1988 and '89, he hosted ESPN's first ever sports game show, "Boardwalk and Baseball's Super Bowl of Sports Trivia."
In addition to the NSSA Awards, he was also honored in 1990 with a Cable Ace Award as cable's best sports host and The Cable Guide readers voted him "Best Cable Sportscaster."
Chris Berman was also voted the "Best Sports Commentator" in 1987 and 1988 by readers of The Cable Guide, and TV Guide chose him as one of the "Top Stars of the 90s." In November 1991, Chris Berman was inducted into the Brown University Athletic Hall of Fame. In 1992, the syndicated "NFL Pre Season Special" surveyed NFL players on their favorite football commentator and 43% selected Chris Berman, an overwhelming majority.
Berman's first broadcasting position came while he was a student at Brown, serving as sports director for WBRU Radio and commentator for baseball, basketball, football and ice hockey games. He also assisted NBC Sports telecasts in New England and served as a correspondent for WEAN, a Providence, R.l. news radio station.
Berman's first television exposure came in 1979 when he joined WVIT TV, an NBC affiliate in Hartford, Conn., as a weekend sports anchor. In October of 1979, Chris Berman was hired by ESPN, one month after its inception.
- More Speakers: