Whit Watson
Encyclopedia
Whit Watson is a sportscaster
for Golf Channel, hired in August of 2010.
Prior to that position, Watson was a primary host for Sun Sports
and Fox Sports Florida, the Florida-based regional cable networks owned and operated by Fox Television. He joined the network in August 2003 after nearly seven years at ESPN
in Bristol, Connecticut. At ESPN, Watson hosted a variety of programs, including SportsCenter
, RPM 2Night
, NBA 2Night, and shifts on ESPNEWS
, in addition to filling in on ESPN Radio
. Prior to working for ESPN, Watson was a television producer and radio reporter for the Orlando Magic
from 1993 through 1997.
At Sun Sports and Fox Sports Florida, Watson served a variety of roles, including hosting pregame shows and ancillary programming for the Tampa Bay Rays
, Orlando Magic
, and Tampa Bay Lightning
. In the past, he served as the primary studio host for several (now-defunct) Sun Sports original productions, including the pregame and postgame shows for University of Florida
and Florida State University
football games. Watson was the first host of In My Own Words
, a show that was created in Orlando and subsequently adopted by other Fox Television-owned regional sports networks around the country.
Watson also served as the primary play-by-play announcer for the FHSAA high school football and basketball state championship games, and called University of Florida
and Florida State University
basketball and football games as needed. In 2008, he won two Suncoast Regional Emmy awards as a host and writer, and added another in 2009.
Watson is an Orlando
native who graduated from Trinity Preparatory School
in Winter Park, FL in 1989 and later went on to graduate from Cornell University
in 1993, where he spent four years as a radio announcer for WVBR
. At Cornell University
, he was both a National Merit Scholar and Cornell National Scholar, the latter being the highest honor bestowed upon incoming freshmen. He majored in English at Cornell, with a concentration in Communications, and graduated "with distinction" from Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences.
In 2007, Whit Watson was honored as the Distinguished Alumni Award winner at Trinity Preparatory School
, and currently serves on the school's Board of Trustees. He lives in the Orlando
area.
Over the course of his career, Watson worked directly with fellow television personalities Dave Revsine
, Bill Pidto
, David Steele
, Cara Capuano
, and Mike Tirico
, among many others.
Sportscaster
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
for Golf Channel, hired in August of 2010.
Prior to that position, Watson was a primary host for Sun Sports
Sun Sports
Sun Sports is a Florida sports broadcasting network, with its headquarters in Orlando. Launched in 1988 as Sunshine Network, the station is now affiliated with virtually every cable company throughout the state of Florida and can be picked up by some satellite providers around the United...
and Fox Sports Florida, the Florida-based regional cable networks owned and operated by Fox Television. He joined the network in August 2003 after nearly seven years at 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....
in Bristol, Connecticut. At ESPN, Watson hosted a variety of programs, including SportsCenter
SportsCenter
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...
, RPM 2Night
RPM 2Night
RPM2Night was an American nightly news program seen on ESPN2 that was devoted entirely to motorsports.The program aired six nights a week from 1995 to 2003...
, NBA 2Night, and shifts on ESPNEWS
ESPNEWS
ESPNEWS , launched on November 1, 1996, is a 24-hour-a-day sports news television channel...
, in addition to filling in on ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio is an American sports radio network. It was launched on January 1, 1992 under the original banner of "SportsRadio ESPN." ESPN Radio is located at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut...
. Prior to working for ESPN, Watson was a television producer and radio reporter for the Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
from 1993 through 1997.
At Sun Sports and Fox Sports Florida, Watson served a variety of roles, including hosting pregame shows and ancillary programming for the Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
, Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
, and Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the...
. In the past, he served as the primary studio host for several (now-defunct) Sun Sports original productions, including the pregame and postgame shows for University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
and Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
football games. Watson was the first host of In My Own Words
In My Own Words
- Chart positions :- External links :* at Discogs* at Metacritic* at The Washington Post...
, a show that was created in Orlando and subsequently adopted by other Fox Television-owned regional sports networks around the country.
Watson also served as the primary play-by-play announcer for the FHSAA high school football and basketball state championship games, and called University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
and Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
basketball and football games as needed. In 2008, he won two Suncoast Regional Emmy awards as a host and writer, and added another in 2009.
Watson is an Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
native who graduated from Trinity Preparatory School
Trinity Preparatory School
Trinity Preparatory School of Florida is an independent college preparatory day-school for students in grades 6 to 12, located east of Winter Park, Florida, a suburb of Orlando. It is affiliated with the Episcopal Church.-History:...
in Winter Park, FL in 1989 and later went on to graduate from Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
in 1993, where he spent four years as a radio announcer for WVBR
WVBR
WVBR-FM is a college radio station that broadcasts to Ithaca, New York, and surrounding areas. It operates at 3 kilowatts from a transmitter on Hungerford Hill, in Ithaca. A translator on 105.5 FM provides a cleaner signal to certain areas of Ithaca...
. At Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
, he was both a National Merit Scholar and Cornell National Scholar, the latter being the highest honor bestowed upon incoming freshmen. He majored in English at Cornell, with a concentration in Communications, and graduated "with distinction" from Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences.
In 2007, Whit Watson was honored as the Distinguished Alumni Award winner at Trinity Preparatory School
Trinity Preparatory School
Trinity Preparatory School of Florida is an independent college preparatory day-school for students in grades 6 to 12, located east of Winter Park, Florida, a suburb of Orlando. It is affiliated with the Episcopal Church.-History:...
, and currently serves on the school's Board of Trustees. He lives in the Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
area.
Over the course of his career, Watson worked directly with fellow television personalities Dave Revsine
Dave Revsine
Dave Revsine , is an American sportscaster, and sports columnist and journalist who currently serves as the lead studio host for the Big Ten Network...
, Bill Pidto
Bill Pidto
Bill Pidto was a former radio personality on Mad Dog Radio on the show The B-Team and is currently an anchor for MSG Network's coverage of New York Rangers road games and select New York Knicks games. He was formerly a journalist for ESPN from 1993 to 2008. He was often seen as one of the anchors...
, David Steele
David Steele
David Stanley Steele was an English international cricketer. Tony Greig picked him for England in 1975, when he was close to retirement from county cricket for Northamptonshire....
, Cara Capuano
Cara Capuano
Cara Capuano is an American sports anchor for ESPNU. Before joining ESPNU in 2008, she was a former sports reporter for FSN. She joined Fox Sports Northwest in August 2004, as a reporter and anchor for the Northwest Sports Report, and the Detroit Sports Report...
, and Mike Tirico
Mike Tirico
Michael Todd Tirico is an announcer for ESPN's presentation of Monday Night Football, and second lead broadcaster for ESPN's presentation of the NBA. In addition, Tirico hosts a multitude of programming on ESPN/ABC. He was the host of ABC's golf coverage from 1996 to 2007, and continues in that...
, among many others.