John Ireland (sportscaster)

John Ireland
Born (1963-07-15) July 15, 1963
Santa Monica, CA
Sports commentary career
Team(s) Los Angeles Lakers
Genre(s) play-by-play
Sports commentator
Sports Los Angeles Lakers

John Ireland (born July 15, 1963), is an American sportscaster based in Southern California, who is currently the radio play-by-play announcer for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA).[1]

Early Life

Ireland's name at birth was John Ximeno Ireland, the middle name coming from his maternal grandmother. A practicing Catholic, he adopted "Xavier" as his confirmation name, in part because he thought it would be "cool" to be John X. X. Ireland. When launching his broadcast career, he added "Xerxes" for stage-name purposes, particularly while working as a low-circuit wrestling announcer. He is still billed, on occasion, as John X. X. X. Ireland, or John "Triple X" Ireland.

Radio career

Since 2011 to present, Ireland has been employed as the radio play by play announcer for the Los Angeles Lakers.[2][3] He also hosts (along with Steve Mason) a Monday-Friday sports talk show on KSPN-AM radio, from noon to 3 pm.[3]

Previously, Ireland hosted shows at XTRA-AM in San Diego, KLAC-AM in Los Angeles, and nationally on the Fox Sports Radio network. From 1997-2000, Mason and Ireland hosted a live TV/Radio simulcast on the Fox Sports West cable network.

Prior to being named the Lakers announcer, he did part-time play by play and sideline work for the Los Angeles Clippers, as well as UCLA football and basketball.

Television career

From 1995 through 2012, Ireland was employed as a sports anchor/reporter by KCBS/KCAL-TV, the Viacom-owned duopoly in Los Angeles. From 2002-2010, he worked as the sideline reporter for all Los Angeles Lakers broadcasts on KCAL-TV.[4]

Previously, he worked as a sportscaster at KTVE-TV in Monroe, Louisiana; KBMT-TV in Beaumont, Texas; and KUSI-TV in San Diego, California. In San Diego, he won two Emmy awards for best sportscast.[1]

Education

Ireland is a graduate of Corona del Mar High School, in Newport Beach, California, Class of 1981.[5]

He received a bachelor's degree in history from UCLA in 1985,[1] and was the sports director of the campus radio station, KLA-AM.[6] He is a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "John Ireland". CBS Los Angeles. Archived from the original on 2012-03-09.
  2. ↑ Medina, Mark (June 21, 2011). "Lakers name Bill Macdonald and John Ireland as team's play-by-play announcers for 2011-2012 season". LA Times. Archived from the original on Jun 11, 2018. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
  3. 1 2 Lev, Michael (December 12, 2013). "Lev: John Ireland's best call is channeling Chick". OC Register.
  4. ↑ Hoffarth, Tom (January 20, 2011). "MEDIA: L.A.'S BEST/WORST TV PERSONALITIES: Maggio brings what KCBS/KCAL is looking for". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
  5. ↑ Szabo, Matt (August 7, 2007). "IRELAND:Former Sea King no paper boy". Daily Pilot. Archived from the original on June 11, 2018.
  6. ↑ Lee, Jordan (February 11, 2015). "Q&A: Lakers radio host, UCLA alumnus discusses his beginnings in the industry". Daily Bruin. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
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