Ian Eagle

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Ian Eagle
Eagle in 2021
Born (1969-02-09) February 9, 1969 (age 55)
Miami, Florida[1]
Other names"Bird"
Alma materSyracuse University
OccupationSports announcer/commentator
Years active1992–present
SpouseAlisa Eagle
Children2 including Noah
Parents

Ian Eagle (

college basketball games on CBS, TNT, and TBS, as well as Brooklyn Nets games on the YES Network and French Open tennis for Tennis Channel.[2] Other announcing experiences include Army–Navy football games, boxing, and NCAA track and field for CBS.[3]

Early life and education

Eagle was born in Miami to entertainers Jack Eagle and Monica Maris. Jack, a Jewish former "Catskills comedian" and commercial actor, was best known for portraying "Brother Dominic" and "Mr. Cholesterol" in Xerox and Fleischmann's margarine television commercials respectively in the 1970s. Maris was a singer.[4][5][6]

Eagle graduated from Syracuse University's S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications in 1990.[7] He was in the Alpha Epsilon Pi, a traditionally Jewish fraternity.

Career

Early career

While at Syracuse, Eagle joined

Carrier Dome.[7] In his sophomore year, he was given more opportunities to call high-profile Syracuse Orange games on WAER, a student run radio station.[8][6] He also joined UUTV (now CitrusTV), to gain on-camera experience.[7] Outside the campus, Eagle interned with then-recent graduate Mike Tirico at WTVH in Syracuse for three years. He hosted 10 shows during his senior year.[9]

Following his graduation in 1990, Eagle began working for

MSG Plus). In 1997
, WFAN made Eagle play-by-play announcer for Jets games.

Later television and radio career

Eagle joined CBS in 1998 doing announcing work for NFL and NCAA basketball. He continues to serve these roles today. In 2010, he joined

2008 U.S. Open
coverage), and the NCAA Track and Field Championships.

Prior to joining the YES Network as Nets announcer in

2011-12 NBA season
upon Albert's departure.

During the

2011 NBA Playoffs, pairing with his YES colleague Mike Fratello. He has since continued to cover the NBA Playoffs for TNT through the first 2 rounds, though the amount of games fluctuates on whether the Nets make the playoffs (in 2019 and 2020, with the Nets making the playoffs, he instead covered the team locally on YES and missed the entire 1st round of TNT coverage, with Spero Dedes filling-in. He returned to cover part of the Toronto-76ers 2nd round series for TNT). He also does play-by-play for Thursday Night Football on Westwood One. On Sirius, in addition to his daily talk show, Eagle did a weekly talk show, The Phil Jackson Show, with Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson
. And Eagle retains his roots to WFAN, occasionally serving as a fill-in talk show host on his old station.

Eagle also serves as the voice-over host of NBA Action replaced Spero Dedes in 2005 and previously, NBA Jam. In 2013, he called the international telecasts of the 2013 NBA Finals alongside Jim Spanarkel, his partner on Nets broadcasts on YES.[11]

Prior to the 2019-20 NBA season, it was announced that as a replacement to the recently eliminated "Players Only" broadcasts which occurred on Tuesday nights beginning during the 2nd half of the season, TNT would instate a more traditional broadcast format to their Tuesday Night slate of games. Eagle was announced to be one of the play-by-play announcers to the weekly scheduled doubleheader, along with Brewers announcer Brian Anderson. Eagle will be partnered with either Stan Van Gundy or Jim Jackson.

In October 2022, it was announced that Eagle will succeed Jim Nantz as the lead play-by-play announcer for CBS and TNT Sports' coverage of the NCAA Tournament starting in 2024.[12]

Since Eagle pronounces his first name "EYE-un" (instead of the more common "EE-an"), he has often admitted that life was easier prior to the 1986 release of the movie Iron Eagle. In fact, many callers (including prominent sports figures) continue to call him "Iron Eagle"—much to his chagrin.[13]

Other announcing

Personal life

Eagle lives in Essex Fells, New Jersey, with his wife Alisa (née Terry). They have two children, Noah and Erin.[15] Noah, also a Syracuse alum,[6] is a play-by-play announcer for college football and college basketball on NBC, the Brooklyn Nets on YES Network,[16] and has held the same role for NFL coverage on Nickelodeon.[9][17]

Awards

References

  1. ^ "One Shining Podcast with Tate Frazier: Super Sweet 16 Preview With Ian Eagle, Cousin Sal, and Princeton HC Mitch Henderson".
  2. ^ "Biographies".
  3. ^ "CBS Sports TV Team - CBSSports.com".
  4. NBA.com. Archived from the original
    on January 8, 2018. Retrieved March 3, 2007.
  5. ^ "Passings: Jack Eagle; Comedian acted in TV commercials". Los Angeles Times. January 18, 2008. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  6. ^ a b c d Deitsch, Richard (February 16, 2018). "Broadcasting in the blood for Ian Eagle, son Noah". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  7. ^ a b c Crockett, Corey (March 4, 2012). "Ian Eagle explains past experiences, path to successful broadcasting". The Daily Orange. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  8. ^ Masur, Andy. "Anatomy of a Broadcaster: Ian Eagle". Barrett Sports Media. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
  9. ^ a b Axe, Brent (October 30, 2019). "Episode 58: SU football's worst fear, 1-on-1 with Ian Eagle". Syracuse Sports Podcast (Podcast). Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  10. ^ "CBS Sports 2014 booth pairings: Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts named No. 2 team".
  11. Journal Sentinel
    . Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  12. ^ Marchand, Andrew (October 24, 2022). "Jim Nantz to call his final NCAA Tournament with Ian Eagle as successor". New York Post. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
  13. ^ Lawrence, Andrew (October 28, 2013). "The Case for ... Ian Eagle". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  14. ^ "Ian Eagle ::Tennis Channel". September 17, 2021.
  15. ^ "Paramount Press Express". www.paramountpressexpress.com. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  16. syracuse.com
    . Retrieved October 3, 2019.
  17. ^ "Bears-Saints Broadcast on Nickelodeon Draws Rave Reviews From Fans". NBC Chicago. January 10, 2021.
  18. ^ "2020 Sports Media Awards". The Big Lead. December 7, 2020. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  19. ^ Giuffra, Brian (December 8, 2020). "Ian Eagle Discusses Overcoming Obstacles During Standout 2020 Performance". The Big Lead. Retrieved October 27, 2022.

External links

Preceded by #2 play-by-play announcer, NFL on CBS
2014–present 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
Preceded by Play-by-play announcer,
2024
–present 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
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