Category: Major League Baseball

Joe Buck had the good fortune of watching his father, Jack Buck, broadcast countless games as the voice of the St. Louis Cardinals. But when the time came to step up to the booth, the younger Buck made the most of his opportunity. Now he is the lead Major League Baseball and National Football League announcer for Fox Sports, having just completed his 19th World Series and preparing to call his fifth Super Bowl. In his recent memoir, “Lucky Bastard,” Buck recounts his rise, one that almost came crashing down in 2011 when complications from anesthesia during a hair-plug procedure cost him his voice for nearly a year—an absence he previously attributed to “a virus.” He has since recovered to cement his status as a leading voice in sports broadcasting…

Ari Fleischer

There seems to be no shortage of sports-related scandals. Major League Baseball has been battling issues over player steroid use for years. International federations are being investigated by governments. Even underinflated footballs have caused a stir. But when those types of incidents occur, Ari Fleischer is there to help. As White House press secretary under President George W. Bush from 2001–2003, he oversaw communications for the administration’s share of crises, including the 9/11 attack. When he left, he moved to New York and formed Ari Fleischer Sports Communications to provide media training and crisis response to sports clients that have included leagues and teams and, recently, Peyton Manning in his fight against HGH-use allegations. In this interview with SportsTravel’s Jason Gewirtz, Fleischer discusses how his business began, the advice he offers athletes most and why everyone lost in Deflategate.…