Ian Eagle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ian Eagle
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Eagle in 2021
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| Born | February 9, 1969 Miami, Florida, U.S.
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| Other names | "Bird" |
| Alma mater | Syracuse University |
| Occupation | Sports announcer/commentator |
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Spouse(s) | Alisa Eagle |
| Children | 2 including Noah |
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Ian Eagle (pronounced EYE-ən; born February 9, 1969) is a well-known American sports announcer. He is famous for calling exciting games in the NFL and college basketball for CBS. He also announces NBA games for Prime Video and has been the voice of the Brooklyn Nets on the YES Network since 1995. Since 2024, Ian Eagle has been the main announcer for the exciting NCAA Tournament on CBS and TNT Sports.
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Early Life and School Days
Ian Eagle was born in Miami, Florida. His parents, Jack Eagle and Monica Maris, were both entertainers. His father, Jack, was a comedian and actor. He was known for his roles in TV commercials during the 1970s. Ian's mother, Monica, was a singer.
Ian went to Syracuse University and graduated in 1990. He studied at the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, which is a famous school for media. While at Syracuse, he was part of a fraternity called Alpha Epsilon Pi.
Ian Eagle's Career Journey
Ian Eagle started his career in sports announcing while he was still in college. He worked hard to gain experience and build his skills.
Starting Out in Sports Broadcasting
At Syracuse University, Ian joined the student radio station, WJPZ, in his first year. He began by announcing women's basketball games. As he got better, he was given more chances to call bigger games for the Syracuse Orange on another student radio station, WAER. He also worked at the campus TV station, UUTV (now CitrusTV), to learn how to be on camera.
Outside of school, Ian also interned at a TV station in Syracuse, WTVH. After graduating in 1990, he started working for WFAN Radio in New York City. He began as a producer, helping to put shows together. By 1992, WFAN gave him his own show. In 1993, he started doing pre-game and post-game shows for the New York Jets football team.
In 1994, Ian became the radio announcer for the Nets basketball team. A year later, he moved to TV, announcing Nets games for SportsChannel, which later became Fox Sports Net New York. In 1997, WFAN made him the main play-by-play announcer for the Jets games.
Becoming a Top Announcer
Ian Eagle joined CBS in 1998. He started announcing NFL football games and NCAA college basketball games, and he still does these jobs today. He became a key part of CBS's NFL coverage. For many years, he worked with former NFL player Dan Fouts as a broadcast team. Later, he teamed up with Charles Davis, another former NFL player and analyst. Starting in 2025, former NFL star J. J. Watt will join Ian as his partner for CBS's second main NFL broadcast team.
Ian has also announced other sports for CBS, including boxing and tennis tournaments like the U.S. Open. He also announced the NCAA Track and Field Championships.
Before joining the YES Network in 2002 to announce Nets games, Ian worked for other networks like MSG Network and Fox Sports Net New York. He became the main announcer for the Nets again in 2011.
Ian has also called NBA playoff games for TNT. He also announces Thursday Night Football games on Westwood One radio. He used to host a talk show on Sirius radio with famous basketball coach Phil Jackson. Ian also sometimes fills in as a talk show host on his old station, WFAN.
He is also the voice-over host for NBA Action, a weekly show that highlights NBA games and players. In 2013, he announced the international broadcasts of the 2013 NBA Finals.
In 2022, it was announced that Ian Eagle would take over as the main play-by-play announcer for the NCAA Tournament on CBS and TNT Sports. This big role started in 2024.
With TNT no longer broadcasting NBA games, Ian Eagle joined Prime Video as a lead play-by-play announcer for their NBA coverage. He shares these duties with Kevin Harlan. Ian Eagle will continue his roles with CBS and TNT for NFL and college basketball.
Many people sometimes call him "Iron Eagle" because his first name sounds similar to "Iron." He often jokes that life was simpler before the movie Iron Eagle came out in 1986!
Other Announcing Roles
Ian Eagle has lent his voice to many other sports and projects:
- Announcing the French Open tennis tournament for Tennis Channel.
- Providing commentary for the Masters Online golf tournament.
- Being the voice of the announcer for the NBA 07, 08, and 09 video games for PSP.
- Announcing NBA playoff games for NBA TV.
- Calling games for Westwood One radio during the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
- Hosting NBA Action, a weekly show about the NBA.
- Announcing preseason New York Jets football games on WCBS-TV in New York.
- Being the voice for commercials and in-store announcements for Modell's stores.
- Being a commentator and playable character in the video game NBA Playgrounds.
Family Life
Ian Eagle lives in Essex Fells, New Jersey, with his wife, Alisa. They have two children, Noah and Erin. Their son, Noah, also went to Syracuse University and is now a sports announcer too! Noah announces college football and basketball games for NBC, and also works for the Brooklyn Nets on the YES Network. He has also announced NFL games for NBC and Nickelodeon.
Awards and Recognition
Ian Eagle has received many awards for his excellent work in sports broadcasting:
- The Bob Costas Award for Outstanding Sportscasting (while at Syracuse University).
- Multiple New York Sports Emmy Awards for On Camera Talent: Sports Play by Play (in 2002, 2013, 2016, and 2017).
- Inducted into the WAER Wall of Fame in 2013.
- Named The Big Lead Play-by-Play Announcer of the Year in 2020.
- Named National Sports Media Association Sportscaster of the Year in 2022 and 2024.
