radio team

Football Announces 2018 Radio Broadcast Team

Notre Dame, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame, JMI Sports and Legends announced today the hiring of Paul Burmeister, Ryan Harris and the University’s own Jack Nolan to lead the radio talent roster for the 2018 football season. 

“We are thrilled to introduce the broadcast team that will be the voice for the next great chapter of Notre Dame Football,” said property president Theodore Loehrke. “In Paul, Ryan and Jack, we have an incredible collection of talent and experience, each with a unique appreciation for the history and tradition of the University of Notre Dame.”

Burmeister joins the Notre Dame radio team as play-by-play announcer after serving in a similar role with NBC Sports since 2014, including reporting duties for Football Night in America.  No stranger to Irish fans, Burmeister called play-by-play on NBC for the Notre Dame vs. Miami, Ohio game last September, as well as for the annual Blue-Gold Game on NBCSN the last three years. He has also called Ivy League football and Mountain West football for the family of NBC networks since 2011, and the US Army All American Bowl on NBC each January since 2012. Burmeister also provided play-by-play action for NBC’s Olympics coverage in 2016 and 2018. Prior to joining NBC, Burmeister spent a decade with the NFL Network handling host, anchor and play-by-play duties. He was a quarterback at the University of Iowa and, following his collegiate career, spent time with the Minnesota Vikings.

“I am equal parts honored and excited to have this fantastic opportunity,” said Burneister. “Thank you to the Notre Dame community and JMI Sports/Legends for trusting me to be part of their national radio broadcast team. Growing up in a college town and then playing quarterback in the Big Ten, I developed a lifelong love of college football, all its traditions, and how special it can make a fall Saturday feel.  I don’t know if there’s a place that combines all of that better than Notre Dame. I hope my respect for the Notre Dame tradition and enthusiasm for this challenge will help lead to insightful and enjoyable broadcasts.”

Harris, a four-time monogram winner and three-year starting offensive lineman for the Fighting Irish, returns to his alma mater as a color analyst after a 10-year NFL career, which culminated with a Super Bowl 50 title as a member of the Denver Broncos.

After graduating from Notre Dame in 2007, Harris began his NFL career with the Broncos. He later spent time with the Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs before returning to Denver as a left tackle in their Super Bowl championship season. Harris closed his NFL career in 2016 with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He currently hosts The Kreckman and Harris radio show on Denver’s Altitude Sports Radio AM 950 and previously worked with Fighting Irish Media on its football gameday coverage.

“I am ecstatic to join the Notre Dame football national broadcast team,” said Harris. “I look forward to bring a fun and insightful broadcast to the Irish faithful this season. Thank you to Notre Dame, Father Jenkins, Jack Swarbrick, Rob Kelly, Michael Bonner, Michael Bertsch and the many who have included me in the Notre Dame broadcasting opportunities the past year and a half.”

Rounding out the team is Jack Nolan, as field analyst, who currently serves as Talent & Affiliate Networks Program Director for Fighting Irish Media.  This will be Nolan’s 37th season with Notre Dame athletics and he has covered Notre Dame football and basketball on TV and radio since 1982. Nolan called the play-by-play of Notre Dame football games on South Bend’s NBC television affiliate WNDU from 1982 through 1990, earning three Indiana Associated Press Best Play-by-Play awards for football during this period. He also has announced Notre Dame men’s basketball games on radio and TV since 1982, making him one of the longest-tenured college basketball announcers in the country.  In 1990, he began hosting the “The Digger Phelps Show” (now “Inside Notre Dame Basketball”) and began hosting duties for “Inside Notre Dame Football” in 2006. In 2010, Nolan joined the then ISP Football Radio Network as pregame show host and has continued to play a role on the Notre Dame Football Radio Network. Nolan has been nominated for numerous Emmy Awards and won the Chicago/Midwest Emmy® for Best On-Camera Sports Talent in 2015. 

“I am very excited to join Paul and Ryan as a member of this year’s Notre Dame radio network broadcast crew,” said Nolan.  “I am confident that our combined experience covering Notre Dame and college football, plus Paul and Ryan’s outstanding football playing careers, should allow us to provide informative, insightful and entertaining coverage of Notre Dame football games all season long.”

“We are humbled by the volume and quality of the talent that expressed interest in becoming a part of the Notre Dame football radio team,” said Rob Kelly, senior associate athletics director for media and brand. “I believe this conveys two powerful truths. First, Notre Dame football radio broadcasts continue to have unparalleled reach and recognition, and second, the quality of the team we assembled in Paul, Ryan and Jack is of the highest caliber.”

About Notre Dame Athletics

The University of Notre Dame sponsors 26 varsity athletics programs (13 men’s, 13 women’s), dating back to 1887 when the Irish played their first football game. Notre Dame won its 30th and 31st national championships in 2018 when the Irish claimed the NCAA Fencing Championship and the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship following previous titles in football (11 consensus), fencing (three men, one women, five combined), women’s soccer (three), men’s tennis (two), plus one each in men’s soccer, women’s basketball, men’s golf and men’s cross country. Notre Dame remains an independent in football, but most other Irish sports in 2013-14 began competing in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Notre Dame student-athletes in 2017 recorded the highest NCAA Graduation Success Rate figure (98) among all Football Bowl Subdivision institutions.

About JMI Sports
JMI Sports is a full-service collegiate marketing firm providing the highest quality management of athletics multimedia rights. By breaking new ground in the creation of the Total Campus Marketing program, JMI Sports maximizes the economic potential of universities. JMI Sports is also a highly regarded project manager for the development of collegiate and professional sports facilities. JMI Sports adds the University of Notre Dame to an impressive list of signature partnerships, including Clemson University, the University of Kentucky, the University of Georgia (with IMG College) as well as the Ivy League, the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University. JMI Sports was founded in 2006 by Judson and technology entrepreneur John Moores, former owner of the San Diego Padres.

About Legends
Legends is a holistic solutions provider for brands in sports, music and entertainment. The Legends 360 approach leverages the company’s collective unparalleled experience in Global Planning, Global Sales and Partnerships and Hospitality across professional sports, collegiate, attractions, entertainment, international and conventions worldwide. We are the architects of premium sports and entertainment guest experiences. Already a partner with Notre Dame since 2013, Legends was an integral part of executing the Campus Crossroads Project, developing capital gift and annual donation pricing models, packaging and marketing strategy, while also executing sales campaigns for new premium seating inventory. More information available at www.legends.net.

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