ESPN's Chris Berman Renews Contract Through His 50th Anniversary at the Network
The personality has covered many sports and events for the network, including a major earthquake!
Iconic ESPN personality Chris Berman has signed an extension to his contract, allowing him to become the first ESPN employee to celebrate their 50th anniversary at the network.
What’s Happening:
- Legendary ESPN anchor Chris Berman, who has been with the network since just after its launch back in 1979, has extended his contract.
- This means that in 2029, Berman will become the first employee of ESPN to celebrate their 50th anniversary at the network.
- Berman has been closely associated with ESPN’s NFL coverage beginning with the 1981 NFL Draft, and will contribute to the coverage of ESPN’s first Super Bowl on February 14, 2027.
- Berman, who has been the recipient of many football honors including the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award from the Pro Football Hall of Fame, is the long-time host of NFL PrimeTime, which continues in 2025 on ESPN+ and with post-season special editions on ESPN.
- In 2000, 2003 and 2006, Chris anchored ABC’s Super Bowl XXXIV, XXXVII and XL pre-game shows.
- Berman joined ESPN on October 1, 1979 and celebrated his 70th birthday on May 10th. He is a six-time National Sportscaster of the Year and a member of several Halls of Fame, including the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame, the National Sports Media Association (formerly NSSA) Hall of Fame and Cable Hall of Fame.
- When ESPN first got NFL rights in 1987, Berman was already the host of NFL GameDay (later named NFL Countdown) and continued in that role for a total of 31 years.
- Berman regularly hosted ESPN’s flagship SportsCenter during the network’s first 11 years, often doing 10 shows a week, and his other works have ranged from Major League Baseball to the NHL to golf and even darts.
- Berman’s catch phrases have entered the sports lexicon from: “He could…go…all…the…way", “Back, Back, Back, Back, Back" and “Whoop!".
- Throughout his career, viewers have loved Chris’ lighthearted and humorous approach, including his nicknames. Berman’s personal favorites from the more than 1,000 monikers he has coined include: Bert “Be Home" Blyleven, Roberto “Remember the" Alomar, and Jim “Two Silhouettes On" Deshaies for baseball; plus Andre “Bad Moon" Rison and Mike “You’re in Good Hands with" Alstott for football.
- His coverage of Major League Baseball for ESPN spanned almost four decades and has included play-by-play and hosting the Home Run Derby from 1986-2016 plus Baseball Tonight. Berman’s most significant contribution to MLB history came Sept. 6, 1995, when he handled play-by-play for the Emmy Award-winning telecast of Cal Ripken’s 2,131st consecutive game in 1995. He covered 31 All-Star games and 30 World Series for ESPN, including the game that was interrupted by the 1989 San Francisco Earthquake.
What They’re Saying:
- Chris Berman: “I came to ESPN at 24 years young for my first full-time TV job. I had a full head of hair, was wet behind the ears, and my assignment was to host the wrap-up SportsCenter at 2:30 a.m. ESPN had been on the air for less than a month and we had fewer than 100 employees… Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined turning 70 and still being here at our network, which long ago became an icon of sports broadcasting. We’re closing in on our very first Super Bowl, and now I will be able to be part of that, too… My thank yous are to everyone who has worked at ESPN-past, present and future. The same goes out to our viewers-past, present and future-as you welcome us into your homes with the same love of sports we have…It is mind-blowing to think that I now have the opportunity and good fortune to work here for 50 years, which would be two-thirds of my entire life!"
- ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro: “For a remarkable half-century, Chris has embodied ESPN with his smart and entertaining style. Boomer’s enjoyment of sports jumps through the screen and generations of fans have loved being along for the ride. ESPN has been so fortunate to have Chris making us better for decades and I am delighted that will continue beyond our 50th anniversary. And no studio broadcaster has meant more to NFL coverage than Chris and to have his presence on our first Super Bowl presentation is both apropos and significant."
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