Thought-about among the finest NFL TV producers of all time, Fred Gaudelli will obtain the Pete Rozelle Radio-Tv Award from the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame in Canton this August.
Gaudelli, 62, is receiving the respect for his a long time as primetime’s lead NFL producer, from ESPN’s Sunday nights to ABC’s Mondays to NBC’s Sundays and final yr on Amazon’s Thursdays.
Earlier than he receives the award in August, Gaudelli spoke with us on a spread of subjects:
• How he went from the ESPN mailroom to Canton
• Inside his strikes from ESPN to ABC to NBC to Amazon
• Who’s the most effective play-by-player and analyst ever?
• What he would inform Tony Romo
• If he thinks Tom Brady will probably be a broadcaster
It was fulfilling to speak with Fred, and I hope you get pleasure from it.
The place did you develop up? What had been you want as a child?
Fred Gaudelli: I grew up in Harrison, New York. I used to be an obsessed sports activities fan. I learn all the pieces about sports activities. I performed each sport. It was my purpose to have a profession in sports activities.
How good had been you? What was your greatest sport?
FG: I used to be a mean athlete, at greatest. I might most likely say my greatest sport was baseball, however I wasn’t above common in something. However I used to be above common in my information of sports activities.
How did you get so serious about sports activities?
FG: My dad grew up in Brooklyn, however was a Yankees fan. I used to be a Yankees fan, a Giants fan, Knicks fan and a Rangers fan. I simply grew to become obsessive about the groups and the historical past of the groups. I watched all the pieces, and clearly we’re speaking about manner earlier than the web or something like that. I learn all the pieces I might learn.
Let’s quick ahead you to varsity: The place and why?
FG: I went to LIU, which was then often known as C.W. Put up.
I had utilized to at least one faculty, Emerson, as a result of I knew I needed a profession in broadcasting. I bought accepted. My father simply took me up for what he thought was going to be only a requisite go to — register for courses and that may be it.
I didn’t understand there wasn’t a campus. It was principally a bunch of buildings in the midst of the town. And my conception of school was campus and all these issues. We’re driving dwelling and I mentioned, “I don’t need to go right here.” He mentioned, “What are you speaking about? It’s the one faculty you utilized to.” I mentioned, “Yeah, it simply doesn’t match my conception of school.” He’s like, “Effectively, you higher determine it out.”
My aunt was a faculty trainer, and had a pupil who was sports-obsessed like me. She mentioned, “Hey, he went to C.W. Put up, and he does sports activities on the radio there.” At that time, I needed to be Marv Albert. That’s what I needed to be. So I used to be trying to do on-air work. So I went there for a go to.
It was most likely early Might, and it was like an 80-degree day with a fantastic campus and Frisbees flying and all these issues — that match the image of school that I had. I went for the go to, and I enrolled that day. The scholar that my aunt had taught is a man named Dan Reagan, who directed the Islanders, the Mets and was a yr forward of me. And he form of took me underneath his wing and we did a whole lot of video games collectively on the radio — soccer and basketball — at C.W. Put up.
What was your first job?
FG: I used to be working at, I feel it was known as WVOX in New Rochelle. I used to be doing weekend sports activities on the radio … simply doing a one-minute report on the prime of the hour.
The proprietor of the station was a fairly well-known man. His identify was Invoice O’Shaughnessy. He got here in at some point and he mentioned, “Hey, have you ever heard of ESPN?” I mentioned, “Yeah, I’ve heard of it. I’ve by no means seen it.” (We didn’t have cable in Westchester again then.) He mentioned, “A very good buddy of mine runs manufacturing. Would you prefer to go for an interview?”
I had finished an internship my final semester at Metro Media, Channel 5, which is now Fox. I labored on “Sports activities Further.” That was the present with Invoice Mazer. It was just like the week-in-review of New York sports activities. I labored in manufacturing, and I assumed, “You already know, this could be a greater route for me. I don’t have the voice of an Al Michaels or a Dick Enberg or a Pat Summerall, and, to me, the voice is large, in case you’re a expertise.”
So I mentioned, “Yeah, I’d like to get interviewed.” I went as much as Bristol. This might have been like July of ’82. I met his buddy for about 30 seconds. He despatched me on to HR. HR mentioned we have now a job within the mail room in case you’d like to use for it. They known as me like the primary week in August and mentioned, “Hey, we’re providing you the job.” I began at ESPN within the mail room on August 24, 1982.
Take me by way of how you bought from the mail room to doing “Monday Night time Soccer.”
Effectively, six months later, there was a gap in distant manufacturing, which is the division that produced all of the occasions and the video games. From March 1983 till March 2001, I used to be in that division.
I rose to senior coordinating producer. I used to be slightly below Jed Drake, who was the manager producer. I began producing school soccer in 1987. After which in 1990, I took over “Sunday Night time Soccer” from John Wildhack. I produced the draft from 1990 to 2001. I produced the ESPY Awards, the X Video games, you recognize, all these issues.
From like ’95 to ’99, Howard Katz ran manufacturing at ESPN. We solid an amazing relationship. He left for ABC. He advised me sooner or later, he would really like me to supply “Monday Night time Soccer” for him. He introduced Don Ohlmeyer in for one yr. After that yr, Don determined that he now not needed to supply it. Howard known as me and provided me the job.
That’s how I bought to Monday night time in winter of 2001. The sales space was Al [Michaels], Dennis [Miller,] Dan [Fouts] with Melissa [Stark] and Eric [Dickerson] on the sidelines.
And also you had that sales space for only one yr. Then it went to Al and John [Madden]. What’s your greatest story about how that occurred?
FG: The common season had ended, and I used to be in my workplace on West 66th. Howard Katz requested me to return to his workplace. He mentioned to me, “Sit down.” I sat down and he mentioned, “What would you say to me if I advised you you possibly can have John Madden for the following 4 years?”
I used to be like, “What?” I mentioned, “Simply Al and John?”
He mentioned, “Yeah.”
I mentioned, “Effectively, look, I really like the fellows I’m working with, however that may be an all-time sales space. I don’t know the way you’ll flip it down.”
He mentioned, ‘I feel there’s an excellent likelihood we’re going to get him.’
I mentioned, “Unbelievable.”
4 years later, ESPN will get Monday night time. You had been in line to probably keep on MNF because it moved from Sunday to Monday. In the meantime NBC bought “Sunday Night time Soccer.” How did all the pieces work out for you?
FG: The day that it was introduced that ABC was dropping “Monday Night time Soccer” and ESPN was selecting it up, I obtained a name from George Bodenheimer, who had run ESPN and, at that time, was working ABC Sports activities.
He mentioned, “Hey, hear, we have now two nice manufacturing groups and two nice announce groups, and we’re unsure what we’re going to do.” That will have been like March of 2005.
Then, about six weeks later, he known as me and he mentioned, “Pay attention, I simply needed to let you know, you’re not our choice to stay the producer of ‘Monday Night time Soccer,’ however we’d such as you to remain at ESPN. And I’d such as you to arrange a gathering with [ESPN executive VP of programming and production] Mark Shapiro.” I arrange a gathering with Mark. It wasn’t an amazing assembly. I left there fairly sure that I wanted to depart, that there wasn’t actually a job that I used to be going to get pleasure from at ESPN.
So at that time, I made a decision, hey, simply give attention to this final season and all the pieces else will handle itself. It was a Tremendous Bowl season at ABC. We had been going to be doing Tremendous Bowl 40. [Director] Drew [Esocoff] instantly went to NBC. Madden adopted shortly. At that time, Tommy Roy was going to be the producer of “Sunday Night time Soccer” for NBC.
Midway by way of that summer season, Shapiro leaves to go to Six Flags. Norby Williamson takes over, and Norby calls me and he principally says, “Pay attention, I can’t offer you ‘Monday Night time Soccer,’ however I can just about offer you every other job you need.” I began laughing. Norby goes, “Why are you laughing?” I mentioned, “Effectively, that’s what Shapiro advised me till I advised them the job I needed, and he mentioned, ‘Oh yeah, you may’t have that one both.’” Norby requested, “What’s the job?” I mentioned, “I need the NBA Finals.” Norby mentioned, “Completed.” I mentioned, “You would possibly need to test the contract of Ed Feibischoff as a result of I feel he’s assured this,” which is what Shapiro advised me.
He goes, “Are you kidding me?” I mentioned, “No, test it. If it’s not there, and also you need to give me the job? Yeah, I’ll take it, however I don’t suppose it’s there.” He was on my voicemail, 7 a.m. the primary day of his job, so I actually give Norby a whole lot of props for that.
After our dialog, he calls me again at about two o’clock. He goes, “Man, you had been proper. I can’t give it to you. Is there every other job you need?” I mentioned, “Norby, I actually recognize it. Right here’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to supply this season. After which on the finish of the season, I’ll work out what I’m going to do. However, you recognize, I simply don’t need the distraction of looking for a job and going by way of my final season and the Tremendous Bowl.”
Norby stayed on prime of it: “Hey, what about this? What about that?” A few of these had been jobs my associates had. I wasn’t going to attempt to go in and take a job away from one in every of my associates. A few of the jobs weren’t something I used to be actually serious about. And I simply saved repeating, “Hey, let’s get to the tip of the season and see what occurs.” As a result of at that time, NFL Community had “Thursday Night time Soccer,” the total slate. I figured I might get that job.
I simply needed to carry out hope for NBC as a result of Drew was going and John was going. In some unspecified time in the future, Howard Katz and Sandy Montag satisfied Dick Ebersol simply to have a gathering with me.
So I met with Dick. I need to say it was the primary week in November of 2005. I went to 30 Rock. We sat in his workplace. We spoke for about two hours, had an amazing dialog. And on the finish of it, he mentioned, “Pay attention, if I didn’t have someone, I might rent you in two seconds, however I’ve to be loyal to my folks. Tommy Roy has finished an incredible job for me and has produced a few Tremendous Bowls. I owe it to him.” I mentioned, “Look, I respect that, but when something ever adjustments, please name me.”
So now we fast-forward to December. And Dick calls me and says, “Hey, hear, I’d actually love to return sit within the truck for a Monday night time sport. I’d like to carry Tommy. I’d prefer to carry Cris Collinsworth. Are you OK with that?”
I mentioned, “I’m one hundred pc OK with it, however I most likely simply want you to get the OK from George Bodenheimer because you guys are on a special degree than I’m at.” He mentioned, “No drawback. I’ll handle it.”
It’s a Monday night time sport in Baltimore. He sits within the truck for the primary half with Tommy. After which at halftime, he comes as much as me and he says, “Hey, do me a favor. Whenever you get again to the resort, simply name me. I simply need to discuss to you for a couple of minutes.” So I used to be like, “Nice.” I’m strolling out. Madden’s on the bus, and Madden’s like, “Fred, Fred, Fred, come right here.” So I am going on to the bus.
He goes, “You gotta act shocked, however Dick Ebersol goes to give you the Sunday night time job.”
I’m like, “What?”
“You’ve bought to behave shocked, however I needed to let you know.”
Now, I am going again to the resort, name and go as much as my room. Tommy’s there. Sandy Montag, who’s my agent, is there.
Ebersol says to me, “Effectively, your good associates at ESPN determined to dump all their golf. We acquired most of it. I gave Tommy the selection of manufacturing all of the golf and having the ability to stay in Florida or staying on ‘Sunday Night time Soccer.’ He determined to supply the golf, so we’re providing you ‘Sunday Night time Soccer.’ Sandy and I’ve labored out the numbers, would you like the job?”
I mentioned, “Hell, yeah.”
Now he, Tommy, Sandy and I stroll all the way down to the bar. The primary individual we see is Drew. I mentioned, “Drew, you’re not going to imagine this, however I’m now the producer of ‘Sunday Night time Soccer.’”
Drew begins laughing, says, “Tommy, it was nice working with you.” Then Ebersol makes a beeline for Al. Tells Al that he has employed me. Now it’s Madden, Drew and myself all going to Sunday night time.
After which that started the courtship of Al and the eventual trade.
The following morning, I known as George Bodenheimer to inform him. I say, “Pay attention, Dick Ebersol provided me Sunday night time, and I’m accepting it.”
And he mentioned, “I perceive. I’m sorry to see you allow, however I perceive.” Then I known as Norby, who was nice about it. I mentioned, “I’m actually sorry, you had been nice to me, however that is the job that I actually needed, and because you didn’t have Monday night time, I’m taking it.”
[Editor’s note: Jay Rothman and Chip Dean were the producer and director for Monday night after Gaudelli and Esocoff went to NBC.]
Earlier than Al adopted you to NBC, did you check out Collinsworth on play-by-play with Madden?
FG: Oh, yeah, we had that rehearsal. We did a wild card sport on a Saturday night time. It was New England at Denver. We had been at John’s studio in Pleasanton, Calif. Cris got here in. Cris did play-by-play. John was coloration. We had the stay feed coming again. We had a few our personal cameras there. And we did like three quarters of the sport.
How was it?
FG: It was superb. It was going to take work. We had been going to must do much more video games to get the rhythm and all that, nevertheless it actually had potential.
However it wasn’t going to be the surefire lock that Al and John had been.
Al had a signed contract to stay with Disney. I reported about that again then. Did you suppose Al wasn’t coming? How did that go down?
FG: I knew Al needed to return. There was an amazing delta between what Disney had signed him for and what NBC was providing.
I feel he was simply making an attempt to determine how you can bridge that delta, however, in his coronary heart, I do know he needed to return, [that] he needed to stick with the remainder of the group.
What’s the factor you’re most happy with from your time on SNF?
FG: We had been the No. 1 present in primetime for 12 straight years. We shortly made Sunday night time the primetime vacation spot over Monday night time, which Al and I, I don’t suppose … noticed taking place, both ever or that shortly. As a result of “Monday Night time Soccer” was a part of the American material for 35 years, and other people had been simply conditioned that the large video games had been on Monday night time.
By the league, and, actually, Howard Katz and commissioner [Roger] Goodell actually ensuring that we had an amazing and versatile schedule, [and] the way in which that Dick was in a position to market the entire thing, that enabled us to show that tide actually shortly.
You’ll be able to say what you need concerning the Emmys, however there was one time the place we gained “Greatest Stay Sequence” six years in a row, then we misplaced after which we gained it 5 years in a row. No present had ever gained that greater than thrice. We gained it 11 occasions. Three of our 5 Tremendous Bowls gained “Greatest Stay Particular.” It’s been a extremely acclaimed present from viewership and from essential popularity of all the period. These could be the issues I’m most happy with.
How did Amazon come about for you?
FG: [NBC Universal CEO] Jeff Shell bought a name from [Amazon SVP, Prime Video] Mike Hopkins and mentioned, “Hey, we’re on the lookout for someone to supply our Thursday night time telecasts. Would your organization have an interest?” So Jeff threw it to [NBC Sports chairman] Pete Bevacqua, who threw it to [NBC executive producer] Sam Flood and I and the one prerequisite was, “You’ll be able to’t lose cash.” However there’s actually no option to lose cash on this except you strike the worst doable deal of all time.
At that time, we had been dropping hockey. We didn’t have Huge 10 soccer but, and we had a whole lot of proficient folks that may actually thrive on one other massive primetime soccer present, so we aggressively bid for it.
I knew this previous season, whether or not I stayed on Sunday night time or no matter else, this was going to be my final yr within the truck. I just about determined that. I simply mentioned to Pete and to Sam, “Hey, in case you guys suppose it makes a distinction, if it helps us, inform them I’ll produce the video games for the primary yr. After which I’ll be the manager producer for the remaining two years.” They had been like, “Hey, are you positive you need to do this?” I mentioned, “Yeah. Look, that is my final yr anyway. We are able to get [new SNF producer] Rob Hyland in a yr sooner. He will get one other yr underneath his belt earlier than he has to do a Tremendous Bowl.
I mentioned, “I feel this may be good for me personally, as a result of it’ll give me a whole lot of vitality to attempt to create one thing.”
They agreed to let me do it. I’m actually glad I did. It actually supplied for me what I hoped it will, and that was a whole lot of vitality and a whole lot of juice since you had been continuously fascinated by what we had been going to do on this present, and the way we had been going to create this present and the way we had been going to make this present appropriate for the NFL fan.
I advised Amazon, “Look, right here’s the deal: If you’d like my opinion, you’ve gotten one likelihood to make a primary impression. NFL followers are very specific. They’re very specific about what goes in primetime. If you wish to have a high-quality soccer broadcast, I’m your man. If you wish to do a whole lot of experimentation and gimmick stuff, I’m not your man.”
They mentioned, “No, no, we purchase what you’re saying. We need to set up credibility immediately.”
How will it work now for this coming season and past?
FG: I’m the manager producer of Sunday night time and Thursday night time. Proper now, I’m sitting in on all of the conferences for each these exhibits as we gear up for the 2023 season. I’m working with Rob Hyland on Sunday night time and [producer] Mark Teitelman on Thursday night time.
On Sundays, I’ll be within the studio with the “Soccer Night time in America” gang after which on Thursday nights, I’ll most likely go to a handful of video games … however I’ll have a stay feed in my home. I’ll be capable of talk in actual time to the truck, which I don’t count on to be doing a whole lot of, however I’ll be dwelling watching, taking notes and making an attempt to assist them clear up any issues that may come up.
Let’s get to some opinion stuff. Who’s the most effective NFL TV analyst of all time?
FG: I’d say John Madden.
As a result of?
FG: I feel John redefined the place. To start with, John is like one of many smartest folks I’ve ever met about a whole lot of issues. He’s worldly. He by no means actually let that facet out on tv. He performed the soccer coach on TV.
John clearly understood soccer, however he understood the medium of tv. There have been a whole lot of imitators, however there’s by no means been one other. There gained’t be one other. He was in a position to carry out each facet of ball — from X’s and O’s to the sidelines to the tools supervisor to the coach to all of the issues that nobody else ever talked about — he knew could be fascinating or humorous or compelling to the viewer. He was in a position to do this earlier than anybody else ever even considered it.
He additionally skilled — and put myself on this listing — numerous folks on how you can produce soccer and how you can cowl soccer. What we had been doing earlier than was not even scratching the floor of what we could possibly be doing. He skilled generations of individuals on how you can cowl soccer.
Who’s the most effective play-by-play man?
FG: I’m going to say Al Michaels. There’s simply nobody higher within the massive second than Al, ever.
Should you needed to take one analyst at the moment?
FG: Cris Collinsworth
As a result of?
FG: As a result of I feel Chris does probably the most full job. Chris clearly spent 15, 20 years in a studio, the place he needed to give opinions, the place he had to have the ability to discuss on a whole lot of totally different subjects and a whole lot of totally different topics and actually discovered how to do this in a really concise method. He understands the X’s and O’s in addition to anyone. He’s updated with all of the analytics clearly. He owns an organization that makes its manner in analytics.
He has the widest breadth of a presentation of any analyst on the market. He can inform tales. He can do replays. He can discuss analytics, and he can do it in an entertaining manner.
What would you say to Tony Romo now in case you had been his producer?
FG: What I might say to Tony Romo? Hold doing what you’re doing. And dig a little bit deeper.
What did you make of all of the announcer motion — Joe Buck and Troy Aikman to Monday night time, and so on. — final yr?
FG: I feel you’ve completely characterised what Jimmy Pitaro did. He went full–on Steinbrenner and bought the 2 greatest folks he might probably get. I’ve by no means spoken to Eric Shanks about this, however I’m guessing he had a worth on these positions and didn’t need to exceed that worth.
However what he put on the market was wonderful. I actually preferred listening to Kevin [Burkhardt] and Greg [Olsen]. I assumed they did a extremely good job — particularly for 2 guys not of their first yr collectively, however their first yr on the most important stage after which the Tremendous Bowl. I assumed they each had a extremely wonderful Tremendous Bowl.
It was actually distinctive. I’ve by no means actually seen that in my 40 years within the enterprise.
I used to be actually form of shocked concerning the cash that was being thrown round. However I get why ESPN did it. I really do. They needed to have a first-class sales space. They’d been struggling to supply that for some time. And Jimmy did what he needed to do to get it.
And what was your response if you heard Tom Brady agreed to change into a Fox analyst?
FG: I used to be actually shocked.
Look, I’m not going to take a seat right here and let you know that I do know Tom, however I’ve been in conferences with Tom for over 20 years. And whereas he undoubtedly knew our group, I by no means heard him categorical any curiosity in being an analyst. I knew he was starting to dabble in media. He had the TB Times, the place he had these cartoons after video games that he’d have his workers put collectively that had been actually fairly enjoyable and considerably progressive.
After which you possibly can see him dipping extra into media, however I noticed him extra like Peyton [Manning], a media mogul and form of doing it on his phrases.
Like I mentioned, I by no means bought the impression as soon as that being in a sales space and doing what we had been doing was one thing that appealed to him. It doesn’t imply it didn’t, I simply by no means had that interplay with him the place he was interested in what we had been doing or how we had been doing it and what our lives had been like or what the method was like. So I used to be shocked.
Does he occasionually do it?
FG: I imply, he’s signed on to do it. I suppose till you see him within the sales space, there’s all the time that query whether or not he does it or not, however at this level, I’ve to take him for his phrase.
Whenever you go into Canton and you consider your speech, who’s on the prime of the listing that you just need to thank?
FG: Effectively, clearly, my mom and father. They’d be one, two or co-No. 1s. However there are such a lot of folks. Dick Ebersol, Howard Katz, Steve Anderson, Steve Bornstein, John Walsh, John Wildhack, Mark Lazarus, Al, Madden, Cris, Michelle Tafoya, Mike Patrick, Joe Theismann, Paul McGuire, Andrea Kremer, Drew Esocoff, clearly, Marc Payton, who was my director at ESPN for all these years, Commissioner Goodell, he’s been an amazing supporter of mine by way of the years.
