Nick Wright (sportscaster)

Last updated

Nick Wright
Born
Nicholas James Wright

(1984-10-03) October 3, 1984 (age 40)
Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
Education Syracuse University (BS)
Occupation(s)Sports television personality
Sports radio talk show host
Notable credit(s) First Things First
What's Wright? with Nick Wright

Nicholas James Wright (born October 3, 1984) is an American sports television personality, sports podcaster, and former sports radio talk show host. Wright is a co-host on Fox Sports 1's First Things First (FTF) alongside Kevin Wildes and Chris Broussard. Wright also hosts his podcast What's Wright? with Nick Wright with Damonza Byrd.

Contents

Early years

Nick Wright was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri. [1] He attended Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, graduating with a degree in broadcast journalism in 2007. [2] While at Syracuse, he worked at WAER-FM as sports talk director. [3] Shortly after graduating, he was a contestant on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. [2]

Sports broadcasting career

After graduating from Syracuse, Wright began his sports broadcasting career as production assistant and weekend host for the KCSP 610 AM radio station, [4] based in his hometown of Kansas City, Missouri. [5] He then began hosting What's Wright with Nick Wright? , his own weekly program on the station. [2] [4] The Pitch , a local Kansas City newspaper, called Wright "610 Sports' most polarizing and likely most popular host," and also named him the best sports personality in 2010. [6] Following his time in Kansas City, Wright co-hosted In the Loop with Nick and Lopez on KILT 610 AM, a Houston-based radio station. [7] [8]

Wright parlayed his experience in sports radio into a broadcast television career as he began working with Fox Sports in 2016. [9] His early work at Fox involved regularly contributing to FS1's daily studio shows. [4] He often appeared as a guest host of The Herd . [4] In late December 2016, Wright and former wide receiver Cris Carter co-hosted an episode of The Herd, while its regular host Colin Cowherd was out for vacation. [10] Then-Fox Sports executive Jamie Horowitz used Carter and Wright's co-hosting venture to test their chemistry together, in order to assess the potential of them co-hosting a daily morning sports talk show on FS1. [10] At the time, the early morning block (6:00–9:30 AM EST) was "a black hole for FS1", according to Sporting News , as the network used that slot for game replays and reruns of other shows. [10]

Carter and Wright proved to be a successful pairing, as they were then paired up to host FS1's morning talk show First Things First, which premiered on September 5, 2017. [9] Carter and Wright were joined by reporter Jenna Wolfe, who fills the show's moderator and anchor role. [11] [12] First Things First also functioned as a lead-in program for Skip and Shannon: Undisputed . [9] In 2018, it was announced Wright would begin hosting What's Wright, a weekday radio show on Sirius XM's Mad Dog Radio. [13]

In June 2019, Wright received media attention for making an inaccurate claim during an episode of First Things First about the awarding of the 2015 NBA Finals MVP Award to Andre Iguodala. After multiple Finals MVP voters and an NBA representative debunked Wright's version of events, Wright apologized. [14]

In February 2020, Wright said about the Golden State Warriors trade for Andrew Wiggins, "Wiggins is a bad basketball player", and that the trade jeopardized any future success: "We will never see Steph [Curry] in another NBA Finals. Ever. They have no path forward." [15] Wright's take on Wiggins received pushback, particularly after the Warriors won the 2022 NBA Finals, with Curry awarded the Finals MVP and Wiggins serving as the team's second-leading scorer. [15] [16]

In 2022, Wright began co-hosting his What's Wright? podcast with his son, Damonza Byrd. [17] [18] While on The Colin Cowherd Podcast discussing Draymond Green, Wright disclosed that he is a Klutch client. [19]

Poker career

Wright made his first poker-related appearance on PokerGO's video podcast No Gamble, No Future, in March 2021. [20] Wright would make his second appearance in June 2021 where it was announced that he would be playing in PokerGO's High Stakes Duel III against Phil Hellmuth on July 28, 2021. [21] It was also revealed that Wright would appear in the upcoming Season 13 of PokerGO's Poker After Dark , alongside poker professionals Hellmuth, Maria Ho, and Daniel Negreanu, as well as mixed martial arts announcer Bruce Buffer. [22] Wright also entered in events at the 2024 World Series of Poker (WSOP). [23]

Public image and reception

Wright's sports commentary has received both praise and criticism from media outlets. Complex 's Aaron Mansfield wrote, "First Things First is actually [an] enjoyable, reasonable sports talk, and Wright is a big reason for that," and opined that "[Wright] knows how to build a convincing argument behind statistics." [7] Mansfield added: "The Syracuse grad has differentiated himself in sports media because of his persuasive nature, his defend-LeBron-to-the-death mentality, and his willingness to confront prevalent social issues such as race in America." [7]

Wright's willingness to discuss social and political issues within a broader sports-related context has also been noted and praised by media outlets. [4] [7] [24] Wright's opinions on the U.S. national anthem protests sparked by Colin Kaepernick's activism was positively received by German Lopez of Vox , which wrote "Nick Wright has given what is perhaps the best distillation of the topic I have seen on television." [24]

Wright's positive analysis of LeBron James' basketball play has also been noted by media outlets. [9] Mansfield commented, "Granted, yes, sometimes [Wright's] LeBron takes are a stretch." [7] Kyle Koster of The Big Lead wrote, "Part of [Wright's] shtick is not pretending he checks fandom at the door (see: his LeBron James love affair). That's what helps him connect with viewers who, by and large, are sports fans themselves, grappling with the same biases." [25]

Personal life

Wright is of partial Polish-Jewish descent through one of his grandfathers. He also has Irish and Italian ancestry and was raised Roman Catholic. [26] He and his wife have one child and his wife has two other children from other relationships. [27]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shannon Sharpe</span> American football player and sports analyst (born 1968)

Shannon Sharpe is an American former professional football tight end who played 14 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Denver Broncos. Regarded as one of the greatest tight ends of all time, he ranks third in tight end receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. He was also the first NFL tight end to amass over 10,000 receiving yards. He was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.

<i>The Herd with Colin Cowherd</i> US radio program

The Herd with Colin Cowherd is an American sports talk show hosted by Colin Cowherd. A simulcast, it airs as both a sports talk radio show and television broadcast on Fox Sports Radio and Fox Sports 1, respectively. The show features commentary on the day's sports news, perspective on other news stories, and interviews with celebrities, sports analysts and sports figures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colin Cowherd</span> American sports media personality

Colin Murray Cowherd is an American sports media personality. He began his broadcasting career as sports director of Las Vegas television station KVBC and as a sports anchor on several other stations before joining ESPN in 2003, where he hosted a radio show on the ESPN Radio network and also became one of the original hosts of ESPN's television program SportsNation, as well as Colin's New Football Show. Cowherd is currently the host of The Herd with Colin Cowherd on Fox Sports Radio and Fox Sports 1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ian Eagle</span> American sports announcer (born 1969)

Ian Eagle is an American sports announcer. He calls NBA, NFL, and college basketball games on CBS, TNT, and TBS, as well as Brooklyn Nets games on the YES Network and French Open tennis for Tennis Channel. Other announcing experiences include Army–Navy football games, boxing, and NCAA track and field for CBS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ric Bucher</span> American sports journalists (born 1961)

Richard Mathias Bucher is an NBA analyst for Fox Sports and an occasional host of FS1's "Speak" afternoon talk show. He also hosts a daily podcast, "On The Ball with Ric Bucher." Before joining Fox he was a SiriusXM radio host and senior writer with Bleacher Report. He has appeared on NBA TV as an analyst and on TNT as a sideline reporter for NBA telecasts. Prior to joining SXM, TNT and BR, Bucher worked as an NBA Insider for Comcast SportsNet Bay Area and co-hosted Bucher, Towny and Huff mornings on 95.7 The Game. Bucher's first national platform was as an NBA analyst for ESPN and ESPN.com beginning in 1998. He served as a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine and a columnist for ESPN.com. He joined FOX in 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fox Sports 1</span> American sports-oriented cable and satellite television channel

Fox Sports 1 (FS1) is an American pay television channel owned by the Fox Sports Media Group, a unit of Fox Corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joel Klatt</span> American college football commentator and analyst (born 1982)

Joel Klatt is an American college football color commentator and analyst for Fox Sports. Klatt played college football for the Colorado Buffaloes. He was the first three-year starter at quarterback for Colorado since Kordell Stewart. He also played minor-league baseball for two seasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Broussard</span> American sports analyst and commentator (born 1968)

Christopher Dana Broussard is an American sports analyst and commentator for Fox Sports 1 (FS1) and Fox Sports Radio. Best known for his coverage of the NBA, he is now a co-host on FS1's afternoon show First Things First, as well as co-host of The Odd Couple with Rob Parker on Fox Sports Radio. Previously, he worked for The New York Times, ESPN The Magazine and ESPN.com, and made appearances on ESPN's SportsCenter, NBA Countdown, First Take, and NBA Fastbreak as an analyst.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Wiggins</span> Canadian basketball player (born 1995)

Andrew Christian Wiggins is a Canadian professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was selected with the first overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers after one year of college basketball with the Kansas Jayhawks.

Joy Allison Taylor is an American media personality and television host for Fox Sports 1. She co-hosts the Fox Sports 1 show Speak with Keyshawn Johnson and Paul Pierce.

Speak is an American sports talk show starring Emmanuel Acho, LeSean McCoy, Joy Taylor, and James Jones. The series premiered on June 13, 2016, on Fox Sports 1. In September 2018, Marcellus Wiley replaced Colin Cowherd as Jason Whitlock's co-host. Also in 2018, the show added two sidekicks, Uncle Jimmy (Dodds) and Darnell Smith. On June 1, 2020, the show's long-term host and show-creator Jason Whitlock left Fox Sports. On June 10, former NFL linebacker Emmanuel Acho was named Wiley's new co-host. Wiley announced his departure in July 2022. The show debuted under its new name, "Speak," on September 6, 2022.

Undisputed was an American sports talk show program broadcast by Fox Sports 1 from September 6, 2016 to August 2, 2024. Episodes aired live Monday through Friday from 9:30 am EST until noon. The show was broadcast from the Fox Network Center in the Century City neighborhood and business district of Los Angeles, California.

Jeffrey Platt is an American sports commentator and professional poker player mostly known as being a member of the PokerGO break desk, and a sideline reporter for live tournaments such as the World Series of Poker, Poker Masters, and U.S. Poker Open. He is the host of several shows and podcasts for PokerGO and PokerNews, including No Gamble, No Future.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Volume</span> Sports media company

The Volume is a sports media company founded by Colin Cowherd. The network currently hosts podcasts and produces video content for YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and other platforms. It produces content to meet fan demand around sporting events rather than following a traditional schedule.

<i>First Things First</i> (talk show) Sports talk show broadcast by FS1

First Things First (FTF) is an American sports and entertainment talk show starring Nick Wright, Chris Broussard, and Kevin Wildes. Originally titled First Things First with Cris Carter and Nick Wright, the series premiered on Fox Sports 1 (FS1) on September 5, 2017. The show is also released as a podcast and radio simulcast.

Kevin Robert Wildes is an American sports television producer, personality, sports radio talk show host, and podcaster. Wildes currently serves as a co-host on Fox Sports 1's First Things First (FTF) alongside Nick Wright and Chris Broussard.

<i>Whats Wright? with Nick Wright</i> American sports podcast

What's Wright? with Nick Wright is an American sports podcast and YouTube series. Hosted by sportscaster Nick Wright and co-hosted by his son Damonza Byrd, the series premiered on March 15, 2022.

Sports podcasts are a subset of podcasts that cover topics related to sports and athletes. Content can include sports news, predictions and analysis of game results, debates and discussions between hosts, and interviews with sports figures.

Danny Parkins is an American sportswriter, sports radio talk show host, and podcaster.

References

  1. ↑ Wright, Nick [@getnickwright] (September 6, 2016). "@nicholas_moen born and raised in KC. Worked in Houston live in LA now. Always been a Royals fan" (Tweet). Retrieved December 29, 2020– via Twitter.
  2. 1 2 3 Levin, Matt (September 17, 2007). "Q & A with SU grad and 'Millionaire' contestant Nick Wright". The Daily Orange . Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  3. ↑ Bolt, Chris (February 26, 2014). "Former WAER Broadcasters Address Race, Gay Rights, Business Issues in Sports". WAER . Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Nick Wright". Fox Sports PressPass. Fox Sports. Archived from the original on January 12, 2018. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  5. ↑ "Nick Wright Determined to Make His Mark on Fox Sports 1". sportsradiopd.com (Interview). Interviewed by Jason Barrett. Barrett Sports Media. May 10, 2018. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  6. ↑ Palosaari, Ben (May 4, 2012). "Nick Wright tweets that he's leaving 610 Sports". The Pitch . Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Mansfield, Aaron (March 4, 2018). "25 Rising Stars ESPN Needs to Hire". Complex . Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  8. ↑ Barron, David (March 28, 2016). "Radio host Nick Wright leaving Houston for job with Fox Sports". Houston Chronicle . Retrieved September 26, 2022.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Kleps, Kevin (June 9, 2017). "FS1's Nick Wright says LeBron debate with Skip Bayless is 'genuine'". Crain's Cleveland Business. Crain Communications . Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  10. 1 2 3 McCarthy, Michael (December 22, 2016). "Cris Carter, Nick Wright can stake claim to FS1 morning show with successful tryout". Sporting News . Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  11. ↑ Withiam, Hannah (September 5, 2017). "This is Fox Sports' big answer to ESPN's new 'SportsCenter'". New York Post . Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  12. ↑ Draper, Kevin (August 30, 2017). "Something New Amid the Turbulence at FS1". The New York Times . Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  13. ↑ Koster, Kyle (August 30, 2018). "Here's Nick Wright's Sleep Schedule". The Big Lead . Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  14. ↑ Nesbitt, Andy (June 5, 2019). "FS1's Nick Wright gets slammed by NBA writers over false story on 2015 Finals MVP votes, apologizes" . Retrieved August 16, 2022.
  15. 1 2 Grathoff, Pete (June 17, 2022). "Fox Sports' Nick Wright's terrible take on Andrew Wiggins recalled after Warriors' win". The Kansas City Star . Retrieved August 16, 2022.
  16. ↑ Martin, Angelina (June 17, 2022). "Wiggs' priceless Steph answer on giving him no shot at Finals MVP". NBC Sports . Retrieved August 16, 2022.
  17. ↑ Goldsmith, Jill (March 2, 2022). "New Fox Audio Network Inks Advertising, Distribution Deal With Spotify's Megaphone" . Retrieved September 26, 2022.
  18. ↑ Grathoff, Pete (April 6, 2022). "Fox Sports' Nick Wright: I'm out as Chiefs fan if they move to Kansas — with a proviso". The Kansas City Star . Retrieved September 26, 2022.
  19. ↑ Nick Wright responds to Draymond + Kyrie-LeBron on Lakers? + Celtics letdown | Colin Cowherd Podcast. The Colin Cowherd Podcast. The Volume. June 20, 2022. Event occurs at 23:18–23:33. Retrieved November 14, 2023– via YouTube.
  20. ↑ Duckworth, Tim (March 30, 2021). "No Gamble, No Future Episode 11 on Today at 5 p.m. ET with Nick Wright". PokerGO Tour. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  21. ↑ Barnes, Jim (June 29, 2021). "Phil Hellmuth to face amateur on next 'High Stakes Duel'". Las Vegas Review-Journal . Retrieved June 30, 2021.
  22. ↑ Duckworth, Tim (June 29, 2021). "Nick Wright Set to Face Phil Hellmuth in High Stakes Duel III for $100K". PokerGO Tour . Retrieved June 30, 2021.
  23. ↑ Sofen, Jon (June 25, 2024). "Bracelet-Chasing Sports Talker Nick Wright Chooses the Patrick Mahomes of Poker". PokerNews . Retrieved July 6, 2024.
  24. 1 2 Lopez, German (September 28, 2017). "This video is the best 5 minutes you will see on the NFL protests. Seriously, watch it". Vox . Vox Media . Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  25. ↑ Koster, Kyle (March 27, 2018). "Embrace Debate: Are These Shows Worthless?". The Big Lead . Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  26. ↑ Nick reacts to Kyrie Irving's promotion of antisemitic film. What's Wright? with Nick Wright . October 31, 2022. Retrieved November 17, 2022– via YouTube. I said this on Twitter and I'll say it again here. I am just an Italian, Irish white guy who was raised Roman Catholic. However, my dear beloved grandfather, who passed before you were born, was a Polish Jew.
  27. ↑ Foley, Matt (November 3, 2019). "This Brash Talker Is Out to Conquer Sports Media". OZY. Archived from the original on January 31, 2022. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.