Mark Champion facts for kids

Mark Champion was born on August 8, 1950. He is an American radio sportscaster. He is best known as the main radio voice for the Detroit Pistons basketball team. He has been calling their games since 2001.

Early Career and Moving to Detroit

Mark Champion was born in Muncie, Indiana. He went to college at Ball State University. In the 1970s, he worked as a sports reporter in Tampa, Florida. In 1979, he became the radio announcer for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers football team. He worked with them for ten years.

In 1989, Champion moved to the Detroit area. There, he announced games for several teams. These included the Detroit Lions (from 1989 to 2004) and the Detroit Pistons (from 2001 until today). He also announced for the Detroit Fury (from 2001 to 2004). In 2004, he received a special award. It was called the Ty Tyson Award for Excellence in Sports Broadcasting. The Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association gave him this honor.

Famous Disney World Commercials

You might know Mark Champion's voice from a very famous TV commercial! After the Super Bowl each year, there's an advertisement for Walt Disney World. These ads have been airing since 1987.

In the commercial, you hear Champion's voice asking the Super Bowl's Most Valuable Player (MVP), "_____, you've just won the Super Bowl. What are you going to do next?" The player always replies, "I'm going to Disney World!" It's a fun tradition that many people recognize.

Other Announcing Roles

Mark Champion has had a long and busy career. He has also worked for Westwood One. This involved announcing NFL football games across the country. He also called games for the NCAA men's basketball tournament.

Champion was an anchor for CBS Radio during the Winter Olympics in 1992, 1994, and 1998. He has also been an announcer for major golf tournaments. These include the Masters, the Ryder Cup, and the PGA Championship.

He was the main voice for the Detroit Lions for sixteen years. During that time, he announced every single run made by the famous football player Barry Sanders. Mark Champion has been honored by the National Sportscasters Association. He lives in Michigan and has three children named Nicole, Carly, and Evan. He also has two stepchildren and two grandchildren.

Signature Catchphrases

When Mark Champion announced games for the Detroit Lions, he had some fun and memorable phrases. These are called catchphrases.

• "It's off to the races!" He would say this when Barry Sanders made a very long run.
• "How about that?!" This was used when the Lions made a really big play.
• "Holy mackerel!" He used this phrase for both good and bad moments. It could show excitement or disappointment.
• "Man, oh, man!" He would say this after a referee made a bad call or when the other team made a big play.