John Saunders
Encyclopedia
John Saunders is a Canadian
–American
sports journalist
from Toronto
, Ontario
. He is currently working for ESPN
and ABC
.
junior leagues, received a scholarship and played hockey
at Western Michigan University
from 1974–76." His brother, Bernie Saunders
, also played hockey at Western during this time. The university's official hockey media guide lists Saunders as having played limited time for the Broncos
in that time frame, and also lists his hometown as Ajax, Ontario
. He attended high school in Montreal. He transferred to Ryerson University
in Toronto
and played for the Rams from 1976–78. After the 1977–78 season, Saunders was named to the Ontario University Athletic Association All-Star team. He was the news director for CKNS Radio
(Espanola, Ontario
, 1978), and sports anchor at CKNY-TV
(North Bay, Ontario
, 1978–1979) and at ATV News (New Brunswick
, 1979–1980). He also served as the main sports anchor for CITY-TV
(Toronto, 1980–1982). He then moved to the United States to work as a sports anchor at WMAR-TV
(Baltimore
, 1982–1986).
and is currently the host of ESPN's The Sports Reporters
. He previously co-hosted NFL Primetime
from 1987 to 1989. He was also the studio host for the network's NHL
broadcasts from 1992–93 until 2004, and is currently the studio host of ABC's coverage of college football
. He has also hosted ABC's coverage of baseball under the Baseball Night in America banner and was involved in ESPN's coverage earlier in his career. He also anchored the 1995 World Series
.
to 2004
, and occasionally during the 2007
season, Saunders has done play-by-play for ESPN's coverage of the NBA, mostly on Sunday nights. He was the studio host of ESPN's NBA Shootaround from 2004
to 2006
.
Saunders also serves as a back-up play-by-play man for NBA on ABC. He has called most of the Team U.S.A. games on ESPN for the 2007 FIBA Americas Qualifying Tournament.
during the NFL season with Chris Berman and analyst Tom Jackson
.
from 1995 to 2001, eventually being replaced by Chuck Swirsky
.
Saunders currently resides in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York
, with his wife and children.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
–American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sports journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
from Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. He is currently working for ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
and ABC
ESPN on ABC
ESPN on ABC is the brand used for sports programming on the ABC television network. Officially the broadcast network retains its own sports division; however, for all practical purposes, ABC's sports division has been merged with ESPN, a sports cable network majority-owned by ABC's parent, The...
.
Early life and career
According to his ABC biography, "Saunders, an all-star defenseman in the MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
junior leagues, received a scholarship and played hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
at Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University is a public university located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1903 by Dwight B. Waldo, and as of the Fall 2010 semester, its enrollment is 25,045....
from 1974–76." His brother, Bernie Saunders
Bernie Saunders
Bernie Saunders is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who played two seasons in the National Hockey League for the Quebec Nordiques. His brother is ESPN sportscaster, John Saunders....
, also played hockey at Western during this time. The university's official hockey media guide lists Saunders as having played limited time for the Broncos
Western Michigan Broncos
The Western Michigan Broncos are a NCAA Division I FBS team representing Western Michigan University. They compete in the Mid-American Conference in men's baseball, basketball, football, soccer and tennis; and women's basketball, cross-country, golf, gymnastics, soccer, softball, track and field,...
in that time frame, and also lists his hometown as Ajax, Ontario
Ajax, Ontario
Ajax is a town in the Durham Region in the Greater Toronto Area.The town is named for the HMS Ajax a Royal Navy cruiser that served in World War II. Ajax is a part of the Greater Toronto Area and the...
. He attended high school in Montreal. He transferred to Ryerson University
Ryerson University
Ryerson University is a public research university located in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its urban campus is adjacent to Yonge-Dundas Square located at the busiest intersection in Downtown Toronto. The majority of its buildings are in the blocks northeast of the square in Toronto's Garden...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
and played for the Rams from 1976–78. After the 1977–78 season, Saunders was named to the Ontario University Athletic Association All-Star team. He was the news director for CKNS Radio
CKNR-FM
CKNR-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts an adult contemporary format at FM 94.1 in Elliot Lake, Ontario. The station uses the on-air brand Moose FM.-History:...
(Espanola, Ontario
Espanola, Ontario
Espanola is a town in Northern Ontario, Canada, and is the seat of Sudbury District. It is situated on the Spanish River, approximately 70 kilometres west of downtown Sudbury, and just south of the junction of Highway 6 and Highway 17.- History :The name "Espanola" has been attributed to a story...
, 1978), and sports anchor at CKNY-TV
CKNY-TV
CKNY is a Canadian television station, broadcasting in North Bay, Ontario. It is an owned-and-operated station of CTV.-History:...
(North Bay, Ontario
North Bay, Ontario
North Bay is a city in Northeastern Ontario, Canada. It is the seat of Nipissing District, and takes its name from its position on the shore of Lake Nipissing.-History:...
, 1978–1979) and at ATV News (New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, 1979–1980). He also served as the main sports anchor for CITY-TV
CITY-TV
CITY-DT, Channel 57 , is a television station based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada owned and operated by Rogers Media...
(Toronto, 1980–1982). He then moved to the United States to work as a sports anchor at WMAR-TV
WMAR-TV
WMAR-TV, channel 2, is the ABC affiliate television station in Baltimore, Maryland, owned by the broadcasting division of the E.W. Scripps Company...
(Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, 1982–1986).
Career at ESPN and ABC Sports
Saunders came to ESPN in 19861986 in television
The year 1986 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1986.For the American network television schedule, please see 1986-87 American network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:*September 6 –...
and is currently the host of ESPN's The Sports Reporters
The Sports Reporters
The Sports Reporters is a sports talk show that airs on ESPN at 9:30 a.m. ET every Sunday morning . It is broadcast from Bristol, Connecticut at the main ESPN studios. However, before 1999, it was broadcast from a studio in Manhattan. and from 1999-2010 it was recorded at the ESPN Zone at Times...
. He previously co-hosted NFL Primetime
NFL Primetime
NFL Primetime is a sports television program that has aired on ESPN since 1987. The show is presented similarly to ESPN's own SportsCenter, featuring scores, highlights, and analysis of every game of the week in the NFL.-Format :...
from 1987 to 1989. He was also the studio host for the network's NHL
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...
broadcasts from 1992–93 until 2004, and is currently the studio host of ABC's coverage of college football
College Football on ABC
ESPN College Football on ABC presented by Kay Jewelers is a presentation of the American Broadcasting Company's regular season American college football television package...
. He has also hosted ABC's coverage of baseball under the Baseball Night in America banner and was involved in ESPN's coverage earlier in his career. He also anchored the 1995 World Series
1995 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 21, 1995 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta ace Greg Maddux pitched a two-hit complete game victory in his first World Series appearance ....
.
NBA
From 20022002-03 NBA season
The 2002–03 NBA season was the 57th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the San Antonio Spurs beating the New Jersey Nets 4-2 in the 2003 NBA Finals.-Notable occurrences:...
to 2004
2003-04 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-Yearly awards:*Most Valuable Player: Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves*Rookie of the Year: LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers*Defensive Player of the Year: Ron Artest, Indiana Pacers...
, and occasionally during the 2007
2006-07 NBA season
The 2006–07 NBA season was the 61st season of the National Basketball Association. The regular season began on October 31, 2006 and ran through April 18, 2007. The league fielded 30 teams, each playing an 82 game regular season schedule. The top eight seeds from each conference reached the NBA...
season, Saunders has done play-by-play for ESPN's coverage of the NBA, mostly on Sunday nights. He was the studio host of ESPN's NBA Shootaround from 2004
2004-05 NBA season
The 2004–05 NBA season was the 59th season of the National Basketball Association . It began on November 2, 2004 and ended June 23, 2005. The season ended with the San Antonio Spurs defeating defending champion Detroit Pistons 4–3 in the NBA Finals....
to 2006
2005-06 NBA season
The 2005–06 NBA season was the 60th season of the National Basketball Association. It began on November 1, 2005 and ran through April 19, 2006...
.
Saunders also serves as a back-up play-by-play man for NBA on ABC. He has called most of the Team U.S.A. games on ESPN for the 2007 FIBA Americas Qualifying Tournament.
SportsCenter
In 2008, he began hosting the 7pm ET Sunday SportsCenterSportsCenter
SportsCenter is a daily sports news television show, and the flagship program of American cable network ESPN since the network launched on September 7, 1979. Originally broadcast only daily, SportsCenter is now shown up to twelve times a day, replaying the day's scores and highlights from major...
during the NFL season with Chris Berman and analyst Tom Jackson
Tom Jackson (American football)
Thomas Louie "Tom" Jackson, also referred to as "TJ" or "Tommy", is an NFL analyst for ESPN and a former Pro Bowl linebacker for the Denver Broncos.-College:...
.
Toronto Raptors
He was the television play-by-play announcer for the Toronto RaptorsToronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
from 1995 to 2001, eventually being replaced by Chuck Swirsky
Chuck Swirsky
Chuck Swirsky is the radio play-by-play voice of the Chicago Bulls of the NBA. He was formerly the longtime play-by-play voice of the Toronto Raptors....
.
Personal life
John is an advocate for juvenile diabetes research and is a founding board member of the Jimmy V Foundation for cancer research, a charity that has raised almost 90 million dollars with 100 percent of the charity funding cancer research.Saunders currently resides in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York
Hastings-on-Hudson, New York
Hastings-on-Hudson is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located in the southwest part of the town of Greenburgh. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 7,849. It lies on U.S. Route 9, "Broadway" in Hastings...
, with his wife and children.