In a special conversation edition of the Sports Media Watch Podcast, host T.J. Rives and Jon Lewis of Sports Media Watch welcome Ryan Ruocco of the YES Network in New York and ESPN/ABC’s coverage of the WNBA.
Ruocco has been part of YES and their coverage of the New York Yankees since 2015. He also does fill-in work for the Yankees games on WFAN/Yankees Radio. During the conversation Ryan discusses those roles and Yankee star Aaron Judge’s ongoing pursuit of the American League single-season record 61 home runs by former Yankee Roger Maris. He also discusses stepping aside from his scheduled assignment on next week’s Yankees-Blue Jays series to allow Yankee voice John Sterling to call the potential record-setter (around 11 minute mark):
“I saw a lot of people on Twitter [saying] ‘oh this is messed up’ or whatever, but I really don’t think it is at all, not at all. … John Sterling has been the voice of the Yankees for three decades. He is his own unique highlight machine and if he wants to call that moment, he deserves to call that moment. … It’s absolutely the right thing to do and John deserves to call that moment. … John should be the voice, or at least have the option to be the voice of that moment when it comes.”
Ruocco is also the primary play-by-play announcer for ESPN and ABC’s WNBA coverage — a role he has held since 2013 — and on Sunday called the Las Vegas Aces’ first-ever title. He discusses his role as the voice of the league and how much longer he hopes to continue. Plus, he talks through the process of preparing a championship-level call and what it’s like to work with women’s legend Rebecca Lobo.
Make sure that you’re following/subscribing to the Sports Media Watch Podcast feed on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and more. For more interviews, listen to the latest edition of the George Ofman “Tell Me A Story I Don’t Know” podcast with Chicago radio host Laurence Holmes or last week’s “Announcer Schedules Podcast” with guest Tom McCarthy of CBS Sports and the Philadelphia Phillies.
