Joe Davis (sportscaster)
Joseph Daniel Davis (born December 6, 1987) is an American television sportscaster who serves as the play-by-play broadcast announcer for Los Angeles Dodgers telecasts on Spectrum SportsNet LA. He also calls college football, college basketball, MLB baseball and NFL for Fox Sports and NFL Network.
Joe Davis | |
|---|---|
| Born | Joseph Daniel Davis December 6, 1987 |
| Years active | 2006–present |
| Sports commentary career | |
| Team(s) |
|
| Genre(s) | Play-by-play |
| Sports | Baseball, American football, basketball |
| Employer | Fox Sports (2014–present) Spectrum SportsNet LA (2016–present) NFL Network (2020—present) |
Early years
Broadcasting career
Davis grew up in Potterville, Michigan and graduated from Beloit College in 2010 with a degree in communications and journalism. Davis started his professional career calling football, basketball, baseball and hockey for ESPN and was formerly the voice of the Montgomery Biscuits. From 2011 to 2012, Davis called college football, basketball, and baseball for Comcast Sports Southeast and served as a studio host for the Baylor ISP Network for the Baylor Bears and called NCAA Division III football and basketball for D3Sports.com. He is one of the very few broadcasters who has announced Division I sports along with Division III sports as well. For one season, Joe was the lead voice of the 2009 Illinois High School Volleyball State Championships and was the manager of broadcasting & media as well as calling games for the Schaumburg Flyers. His past work includes Beloit College basketball (men's and women's) and baseball as well as fill-in work for the Loyola Ramblers men's volleyball and women's basketball. He also called Sun Belt football and basketball for the Sun Belt Network.
Fox Sports, NFL Network and FS1
In July 2014 Davis was hired by Fox Sports, where he calls college football and basketball, plus Major League Baseball and select National Football League games for the network and FS1. Davis handles Division Series broadcasts on Fox/FS1 and filled in on Game 4 of the 2019 American League Championship Series while Joe Buck called Thursday Night Football the same evening.[1] Davis also filled in on Game 7 of the 2020 National League Championship Series while Joe Buck called NFL on Fox. Later that year, Davis replaced Mike Tirico on the NFL Network broadcast of a Saturday night game between the Carolina Panthers and Green Bay Packers after Tirico was dispatched to fill-in for Al Michaels on NBC Sunday Night Football.[2]
Los Angeles Dodgers
In November 2015, Davis was hired by SportsNet LA to serve as an alternate play-by-play commentator for the Los Angeles Dodgers during the 2016 season. He split the play-by-play role with Charley Steiner for games that were not called by Vin Scully, who would be retiring as the team's television broadcaster at the end of the season.[3][4] Davis subsequently became Scully's successor for the 2017 season, alongside Orel Hershiser on color. In interviews, Davis stated that he did not plan to entirely emulate Vin Scully's style, use his catchphrases, or be viewed as a "replacement" of him, arguing that one cannot "replace the greatest anyone of all time in anything". He did, however, state that he wanted to maintain Scully's focus upon storytelling as a reminder of the traits of Scully. In regard to his transition to the role, Davis explained that "hopefully, some have listened and at least learned to tolerate me. But for my comfort level, last year was very important, and having Orel in the booth has been the best part, and biggest reason, for this being an enjoyable experience so far, personally and professionally. I'm eternally grateful to him for how he has gone out of his way."[5][3][6][7]
Personal life
He currently resides in South Pasadena, California with his wife Libby, daughter Charlotte, and son Blake.
His brother, Sam A. Davis, is the cinematographer and co-producer of the film Period. End of Sentence., the winner of the Academy Award for Best Documentary (Short Subject) – 91st Academy Awards[8][9]
Career timeline
- 2017–present: MLB Postseason for FS1 play-by-play (Division Series and Championship Series (fill-in only))
- 2016–present: Los Angeles Dodgers on SportsNet LA play-by-play
- 2015–present: Fox NFL play-by-play (Select Weeks)
- 2014–present: Fox MLB play-by-play
- 2014–present: College football, basketball, and baseball on FS1 play-by-play
- 2012–2014: College football, basketball, baseball, and hockey on ESPN play-by-play
- 2011–2012: College football, basketball, and baseball on Comcast Sports Southeast play-by-play
- 2010–2012: Montgomery Biscuits play-by-play
- 2010–2011: Baylor ISP Network Studio Host
- 2007–2010: D3Sports.com football and basketball play-by-play
- 2009: Illinois State High School Volleyball State Championships play-by-play on IHSA TV
- 2009: Schaumburg Flyers manager of broadcasting & media and play-by-play
- 2009: Loyola Ramblers men's volleyball and women's volleyball fill-in play-by-play
- 2006–2009 Beloit College baseball and basketball (men's and women's) play-by-play
- 2020—present NFL Network Saturday Special play-by-play
References
- "Joe Buck pulls double duty on ALCS, NFL". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
- "Mike Tirico replacing Al Michaels on Browns-Giants due to COVID-19 protocol issues". USA Today. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
- "Joe Davis to call Dodgers games through at least 2017". True Blue LA (SBNation). Retrieved March 2, 2017.
- Stephen, Eric (November 11, 2015). "Dodgers hire Joe Davis to call 50 road games on TV in 2016". SB Nation. Retrieved December 3, 2015.
- "How Joe Davis deals with the idea of 'replacing' Vin Scully for Dodgers". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved April 9, 2017.
- Stephen, Eric (November 11, 2015). "Dodgers hire Joe Davis to call 50 road games on TV in 2016". SB Nation. Retrieved December 3, 2015.
- "Dodgers Announcer Joe Davis on Replacing Legend Vin Scully and L.A.'s World Series Prospects". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 9, 2017.
- "The list of nominees for the 91st Academy Awards|Entertainment|Alltechnotricks.com". Alltechnotricks.com. Retrieved January 24, 2019.