Although every kid dreams of, one day, being a pro athlete who achieves fame and fortune by winning championships and individual awards, not all of us are blessed with god-given talent. And for those who can’t slam dunk a basketball, hit a 90 miler per hour-plus fastball or catch a football over the middle, the world of broadcasting might just be the next best thing to work in sports. And seeing how much some of these guys make, being a sports announcer isn’t all that bad of a gig, either. Here are the highest-paid sports announcers.
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12. Skip Bayless – $500,000/year
He might not be a guy whom you would want to invite to a family outing because of his ranting and raving, but ESPN’s Skip Bayless has been able to use his mouth for one thing—getting paid. Giving his opinions every day on “First Take,” Bayless might cause a lot of us to either look up in disagreement or just hit mute, but he gets paid $500,000 a year for talking, so he’s doing something right.
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11. Don Cherry – $800,000/year
Known for his colorful outfits, NHL commentator Don Cherry is one of the most notable figures in the hockey world. Working on CBC’s “Hockey Night in Canada”— which is similar to “Football Night in America” here in the States—Cherry garners a salary of $800,000 annually, proving that his opinions and knowledge are as respected as his outfits are.
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10. Charles Barkley – $1.7 million/year
One of the loudest mouths in sports, NBA analyst Charles Barkley has shown that his personality is as admired as his hoops game was during his playing career. Doing work with both CBS and TNT for college and NBA games, Barkley earns $1.7 million per year, making him a star on any network he’s involved with. A fan favorite, Sir Charles seems to love the attention his opinions brings.
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9. Mike Tirico – $3 million/year
As the voice of Monday Night Football for ESPN, Mike Tirico has gone from just over $1 million per year to about $3 million, proving that, with more responsibility comes more financially. On the road for nearly the entire NFL season, Tirico is happy to get more money to justify the traveling. He has been one of the more-recognizable figures in sports over the past few decades, too, making him one of the better ones.
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8. Chris Berman – $3 million/year
Love him or hate him, ESPN’s Chris Berman is legendary, using quick wit and a variety of voices to entertain fans. Sure, Boomer might get flak for not being very knowledgable and doing the same old schtick, but the network knows that he draws fans, which is why they put him front and center on most big-time broadcasts. For that reason, Berman earns $3 million per year.
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7. Jon Gruden – $4.3 million/year
The second member of ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” booth with the aforementioned Mike Tirico, former head coach Jon Gruden has done wonders in helping produce great content for the network. Along with his in-game duties each week, ESPN features him in “Gruden QB Camp” segments that have him interviewing and working out with future draft picks, which makes him a full-timer whose $4.3 million salary is justified.
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6. Al Michaels – $5 million/year
One of the most iconic voices and play-by-play guys ever, Al Michaels has seemingly had every sports fans’ dream job for the past 30 years. Calling big-time games and memorable moments, Michaels is a legend in the business and often gets assigned to the most important showdowns. For all of his experience and great calls, he is rewarded with a $5 million/year salary.
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5. Joe Buck – $5 million/year
While Joe Buck might be disliked by more than a few sports fans, he’s someone who, personally, has become one of the better play-by-play guys during sporting events. He might lack solid partners while calling both NFL and MLB games, but Buck is knowledgeable about teams, players and city history, proving why he is paid $5 million per year.
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4. Jim Nantz – $5 million/year
The voice of the Masters and NCAA tournament, Jim Nantz might just be the most heard commentator in sports these days. Like the aforementioned Al Michaels, Nantz has made some of the most memorable calls in sports over the past few decades, making him someone who can be trusted by networks to deliver a broadcast that fans will be happy about, which is why he makes $5 million per year.
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3. Dan Patrick – $5 million/year
Another legend in his own right, Dan Patrick is probably best known for his time at ESPN years ago, but, thanks to his own radio show now, he can be heard every single day for a few hours. Showing more of his personality on the radio than being restricted while on TV, Patrick does a great job talking about trending topics and delivering an educated opinion, which has helped make his salary $5 million.
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2. Bob Costas – $5.5 million/year
My personal favorite, Bob Costas has covered major sporting events for years, including the Olympics, World Series, NBA Finals, etc., making him both recognizable and respected. Educated and witty, Costas might not be someone who parades around trying to relate with current athletes, but it works for him well, because he gets paid $5.5 million per year to stay with what works.
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1. Jim Rome – $30 million/year
No, that $30 million that Jim Rome earns per year isn’t a typo. While his peers might be making a fraction of what the outspoken Rome is, thanks to a popular radio show and hundreds of affiliates that are broadcasted on different stations, along with a TV show, the guy actually makes $30 million per year. It might seem insane for a guy in broadcasting to make more than most athletes do, but that’s the life that Jim Rome lives, as he has actually topped $100 million over the course of his entire career.
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