JP Dellacamera
Encyclopedia
John Paul Dellacamera (born January 11, 1952), known as JP (no periods), is an American
sportscaster
for Major League Soccer
with the Philadelphia Union and the Fox Soccer Channel
.
on ESPN and FNN-Score
.
He is also ESPN and ABC's play-by-play announcer for their coverage of international soccer, and has been calling the sport for nearly 30 years.
In the early 1990s, JP was apart of the Chicago Wolves
for two seasons being the first play-by-play person of the team.
His most famous assignments include the 1999 UEFA Champions League Final
and 1999 Women's World Cup
final between the United States
, and China
. That match ended in a 0–0 tie after regulation, with the U.S. women winning in a penalty kick shootout 5–4 ("The shot-save, Scurry!" was one of Dellacamera's most memorable calls from that day's shootout, coming from U.S. goalkeeper Briana Scurry
's save on China's third kick of the shootout). He has also called numerous United States'
World Cup qualifiers, including Paul Caligiuri
's famed 1989 "Shot Heard Round the World" goal against Trinidad & Tobago.
In the early 2000s, he was the lead play-by-play announcer for the WUSA
national broadcasts. Dellacamera was NBC
's play-by-play voice for soccer at the 2004 Summer Olympics
, where he did both the men's and women's tournaments. He also did play-by-play for the New York Red Bulls
on MSG Network
for several years.
Dellacamera was the first host of ESPN's PressPass
, in which he was the "referee" to analysts Tommy Smyth
and Eddie Mighten. The show airs on ESPN's African, Pacific Rim, and Middle East channels, in addition to ESPN 360. Dellacamera has been replaced by Derek Rae
, and Mighten has been replaced by Janusz Michallik
.
Dellacamera served as the lead play-by-play announcer for NBC Sports
coverage of Soccer at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
On January 16, 2010, Major League Soccer expansion team Philadelphia Union announced that Dellacamera will do play-by-play for local TV broadcasts during its inaugural season.
In March 2011, Dellacamera left ESPN to join the Fox Soccer Channel as their lead MLS play-by-play commentator. He will continue with his duties for the Philadelphia Union.
announcer. From 2003-04 through 2008-09 he was the television play-by-play voice of the Atlanta Thrashers
, and previously served as one of ESPN
's many play-by-play commentators. Possibly due to his extensive work in soccer, Dellacamera is one of the few hockey play-by-play broadcasters to use "goal" in his goal calls (i.e. instead of saying "he takes the shot and scores," Dellacamera will say "takes the shot, goal")
. Dellacamera replaced Gary Thorne
who was originally scheduled to announce the games.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sportscaster
Sportscaster
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
for Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
with the Philadelphia Union and the Fox Soccer Channel
Fox Soccer Channel
Fox Soccer is an American television specialty channel, owned by News Corporation's Fox Entertainment Group, that specializes in soccer. It formerly broadcast rugby and Australian rules football, but is now dedicated strictly to soccer...
.
Soccer
In the 1980s, Dellacamera was the play-by-play announcer for broadcasts of the original Major Indoor Soccer LeagueMajor Soccer League
The Major Indoor Soccer League, known in its final two seasons as the Major Soccer League, was an indoor soccer league in the USA from 1978 to 1992. After the folding of the North American Soccer League in 1984, the MISL was the Division I soccer league for the United States...
on ESPN and FNN-Score
SCORE (television)
SCORE was a joint venture with Financial News Network which aired sports-themed programming in the 1980s. It began in 1985 and shut down six years later. It was renamed FNN Sports in 1990 when FNN decided to go with a 24-hour feed on weekdays. SCORE was forced to dissolve after CNBC bought out FNN...
.
He is also ESPN and ABC's play-by-play announcer for their coverage of international soccer, and has been calling the sport for nearly 30 years.
In the early 1990s, JP was apart of the Chicago Wolves
Chicago Wolves
The Chicago Wolves are a professional hockey team playing in the American Hockey League. They are the top affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks of the NHL. The Wolves play home games at the Allstate Arena in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Illinois...
for two seasons being the first play-by-play person of the team.
His most famous assignments include the 1999 UEFA Champions League Final
1999 UEFA Champions League Final
The 1999 UEFA Champions League Final was a football match that took place on Wednesday, 26 May 1999. The match was played at Camp Nou in Barcelona, Spain, to determine the winner of the 1998–99 UEFA Champions League. The final was contested by Manchester United and Bayern Munich...
and 1999 Women's World Cup
FIFA Women's World Cup 1999
-Teams:16 teams participated in the final tournament. The teams were:-Squads:For a list of all squads that played in the final tournament, see 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup squads.-Match officials:...
final between the United States
United States women's national soccer team
The United States women's national soccer team represents the United States in international soccer competition and is controlled by U.S. Soccer. The U.S. team won the first ever Women's World Cup in 1991, and has since been a superpower in women's soccer. It is currently ranked first in the world...
, and China
China women's national football team
The China women's national football team represents the People's Republic of China in international women's football.- Records :China had held the record of going for 442 minutes without conceding a World Cup goal, until it was broken by Germany on September 26, 2007, when Germany beat Norway 3-0...
. That match ended in a 0–0 tie after regulation, with the U.S. women winning in a penalty kick shootout 5–4 ("The shot-save, Scurry!" was one of Dellacamera's most memorable calls from that day's shootout, coming from U.S. goalkeeper Briana Scurry
Briana Scurry
Briana Colette Scurry is a retired American soccer goalkeeper. Scurry was the starting goalkeeper for the United States women's national soccer team at the 1995 World Cup , 1996 Olympics , 1999 World Cup , 2003 World Cup , 2004 Olympics and 2007 World Cup...
's save on China's third kick of the shootout). He has also called numerous United States'
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
World Cup qualifiers, including Paul Caligiuri
Paul Caligiuri
Paul David Caligiuri is a retired American soccer player.Caliguiri's professional career spanned 16 years, during which he played for numerous teams in the United States and Germany, and for the U.S. national team...
's famed 1989 "Shot Heard Round the World" goal against Trinidad & Tobago.
In the early 2000s, he was the lead play-by-play announcer for the WUSA
Women's United Soccer Association
The Women's United Soccer Association, often abbreviated to the WUSA, was the world's first women's soccer league in which all the players were paid as professionals. Founded in February 2000, the league began its first season in April 2001 with eight teams in the United States...
national broadcasts. Dellacamera was NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's play-by-play voice for soccer at the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
, where he did both the men's and women's tournaments. He also did play-by-play for the New York Red Bulls
Red Bull New York
The New York Red Bulls are an American professional soccer team based in Harrison, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The team competes in the Eastern Conference of Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
on MSG Network
MSG Network
The MSG Network, now shortened to simply MSG, is a regional cable television and radio network serving the Mid-Atlantic United States. It is focused on New York City sports teams...
for several years.
Dellacamera was the first host of ESPN's PressPass
PressPass
ESPNsoccernet PressPass is a 30 minute show which airs Monday to Friday and is a soccer discussion show between presenters Adrian Healey, Dan Thomas, Andrew Orsatti and analysts including Robbie Mustoe, Gabriele Marcotti, Tommy Smyth, Janusz Michallik, Shaka Hislop, Robbie Earle, Steve Nicol,...
, in which he was the "referee" to analysts Tommy Smyth
Tommy Smyth
Thomas Michael "Tommy" Smyth is one of the most recognized soccer commentators in the United States. He is a color commentator for ESPN, which he joined in February 1993 as a football analyst. He provides co-commentary or in-studio analysis for major soccer events...
and Eddie Mighten. The show airs on ESPN's African, Pacific Rim, and Middle East channels, in addition to ESPN 360. Dellacamera has been replaced by Derek Rae
Derek Rae
Derek Rae is a Scottish football announcer for ESPN, working as a sports commentator for its coverage of the UEFA Champions League and Scottish Premier League. He is also the host of ESPNsoccernet's PressPass.- Career :...
, and Mighten has been replaced by Janusz Michallik
Janusz Michallik
Janusz Michallik is a retired Polish-American football defender and current soccer coach and television sports commentator.-Youth:...
.
Dellacamera served as the lead play-by-play announcer for NBC Sports
NBC Sports
NBC Sports is the sports division of the NBC television network. Formerly "a service of NBC News," it broadcasts a diverse array of programs, including the Olympic Games, the NFL, the NHL, MLS, Notre Dame football, the PGA Tour, the Triple Crown, and the French Open, among others...
coverage of Soccer at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
On January 16, 2010, Major League Soccer expansion team Philadelphia Union announced that Dellacamera will do play-by-play for local TV broadcasts during its inaugural season.
In March 2011, Dellacamera left ESPN to join the Fox Soccer Channel as their lead MLS play-by-play commentator. He will continue with his duties for the Philadelphia Union.
National Hockey League
In addition to soccer and a few other sports, Dellacamera is a veteran NHLNational Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
announcer. From 2003-04 through 2008-09 he was the television play-by-play voice of the Atlanta Thrashers
Atlanta Thrashers
The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League on June 25, 1997, and became the league's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL season...
, and previously served as one of ESPN
ESPN National Hockey Night
ESPN National Hockey Night was ESPN's weekly television broadcasts of National Hockey League regular season games and coverage of playoff games, broadcast from 1992 to 2004...
's many play-by-play commentators. Possibly due to his extensive work in soccer, Dellacamera is one of the few hockey play-by-play broadcasters to use "goal" in his goal calls (i.e. instead of saying "he takes the shot and scores," Dellacamera will say "takes the shot, goal")
World Junior Hockey
Dellacamera served as the Play-by-Play announcer for all US National Team games on the NHL Network during the 2010 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships2010 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
The 2010 IIHF World U20 Championship, commonly referred to as the 2010 World Junior Hockey Championships , was the 34th edition of World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. The tournament was hosted in Saskatoon and Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, from December 26, 2009 to January 5, 2010...
. Dellacamera replaced Gary Thorne
Gary Thorne
Gary Thorne is a play-by-play announcer for ESPN and ABC, working Major League Baseball, College football and Frozen Four hockey contests. He is also the television play-by-play voice of the Baltimore Orioles...
who was originally scheduled to announce the games.