ESPN MediaZone

ESPN Studio Host/Play-by-Play Commentator

John Saunders

John Saunders, one of ESPN’s most visible and versatile commentators, has hosted and provided play-by-play for a variety of sports since joining ESPN in 1986. He is a play-by-play commentator on NBA telecasts and serves as host of ESPN’s NBA Matchup, a weekly studio show focusing on the X’s and O’s of the game, and ESPN2’s NBA Coast to Coast, the whip-around format program offering live look-ins to games along with news, information and analysis. In addition, in January 2002 he was named host of ESPN Magazine’s Sports Reporters, ESPN’s Sunday morning roundtable of print reporters who discuss the week’s topical issues.

Saunders has also worked for ABC since 1990, hosting NCAA basketball telecasts since 1998 (also 1990-91), college football telecasts since 1992 and NHL action (1993, 1999-2004). He has served as a contributor to Wide World of Sports since 1990 and also provided play-by-play of NCAA basketball games (1992).

A former colleague and close friend of the late Jim Valvano, Saunders serves on the board of directors for The V Foundation for Cancer Research and is actively involved in many of the organization’s fundraising events and initiatives.

At ESPN, Saunders has also called play-by-play for college basketball since 1990, WNBA (1999-2001) and NBDL games (2001). He hosted the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs (1993-2004), Baseball Tonight (1990-93) and SportsCenter’s coverage of the Final Four (1991-93), the World Series (1990-92) and Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game (1990-92). He also hosted Rendez-Vous ’87, the two-game series between the NHL All-Stars and the Soviets. He occasionally hosted ESPN’s NHL telecasts in 1987-88.

Saunders joined ESPN in December of 1986 as a SportsCenter anchor. He came to ESPN from WMAR-TV in Baltimore, where he had worked since 1982 as an anchor of three daily sports reports. He also hosted the Baltimore Orioles pre-game program Orioles on Deck and provided analysis for Baltimore Colts preseason games. WMAR was honored by The Associated Press and UPI in 1983 and ’85 for having the best sportscast in Baltimore.

Saunders, a native Canadian, called play-by-play for the Toronto Raptors on CKVR-TV (1995-2001). He was the main sports anchor for City-TV in Toronto from 1980-82 as well as ATV News in New Brunswick (1979-80) and CKNY-TV in Ontario (1978-79). In 1978, he was the news director for CKNS Radio in Espanola, Ontario. 

An all-star defenseman in the Montreal junior leagues, Saunders received a scholarship and played hockey at Western Michigan from 1974-1976.  He then transferred to Ryerson Polytechnical in Toronto.

While attending school, Saunders provided news reports for CHOO-Radio in Ajax, Ontario, and continued to play hockey. Saunders’ brother, Bernie, played left wing for the Quebec Nordiques in the NHL from 1979-1981.

- 30 -

No related posts.