Len Berman
Encyclopedia
Len Berman is the former weekday evening sports anchor on WNBC-TV. Berman was with WNBC/NBC from 1982-2009. He was previously with WCBS-TV
from 1979–1982, and before that at WBZ-TV
in Boston from 1973–1978.
fan. He is also partial to Big East basketball, having graduated from Syracuse University and serving as an advisor to that school and to St. John's University. When Berman hosted "Sports Update" Sunday nights on WCBS-TV he used the dance tune "The Break" by Katmandu as the theme song.
, Al Roker
, and Brian Williams
, Berman announced that it was his last sportscast. He was given a cake with best wishes from his colleagues, including Chuck Scarborough and Sue Simmons.
While Berman's immediate future for television is unknown, sources say he might make periodic appearances on the Today Show. Currently, he is working on his latest project, Len Berman Sports, an online blog which recounts Len's top 5 most interesting sports stories of the day.
. When the segment begins, the world is torn in two and the sound of a rooster crowing is played. When the segment ends, the world goes back to its "pre-torn" State, with the same rooster sound, and announcer Don Pardo says "Tune in next time for 'Spanning the World'", If there Is a next time. I'm Don Pardo." In his last WNBC broadcast, Berman mentioned the segment would continue on The Today Show. Berman would occasionally do a version of the segment for WNBC
titled "Spanning the Week" which would review odd and interesting stories from the past week. A common catch phrase from the segment is "And nobody got hurt!" which would be said by Berman after a clip featuring some sort of accident which might have caused injury.
The NFL on NBC
From 1982
to part of the 1984
, Berman also hosted The NFL on NBC Pregame Show
, then known as NFL (insert year) until he was supplanted by Bob Costas
. During the early weeks of the 1988 NFL season
, Berman served as the host of what was, by this time, called NFL Live! while regular host Costas was hosting NBC's coverage of the 1988 Summer Olympics
in Seoul, South Korea.
on Live at Five
after Jim Rosenfield left for WCBS-TV
.
and has a vacation home in Palm Beach, Florida
.
WCBS-TV
WCBS-TV, channel 2, is the flagship station of the CBS television network, located in New York City. The station's studios are located within the CBS Broadcast Center and its transmitter is atop the Empire State Building, both in Midtown Manhattan....
from 1979–1982, and before that at WBZ-TV
WBZ-TV
WBZ-TV, virtual channel 4, is a CBS owned-and-operated television station, located in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. WBZ-TV's studios and office facilities, shared with sister station WSBK-TV , are located in the Allston-Brighton section of Boston, and its transmitter is located in Needham,...
in Boston from 1973–1978.
Early life
Despite having a very neutral viewpoint when reporting the sports in New York, he grew up an avid New York YankeesNew York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
fan. He is also partial to Big East basketball, having graduated from Syracuse University and serving as an advisor to that school and to St. John's University. When Berman hosted "Sports Update" Sunday nights on WCBS-TV he used the dance tune "The Break" by Katmandu as the theme song.
Career
At the end of WNBC's 11 p.m. newscast on Wednesday April 22, 2009, following taped messages of goodbye and good luck from Matt LauerMatt Lauer
Matthew Todd "Matt" Lauer . is an American television journalist best known as the host of NBC's The Today Show since 1997. He was previously a news anchor in New York and a local talk-show host in Boston, Philadelphia, Providence and Richmond...
, Al Roker
Al Roker
Albert Lincoln "Al" Roker, Jr. is an American television meteorologist as well as an actor and book author. He is best known as being the weather anchor on NBC's Today. On Monday, July 20, 2009, he began co-hosting his new morning show, Wake Up with Al, on The Weather Channel, which airs weekdays...
, and Brian Williams
Brian Williams
Brian Douglas Williams is the anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News, the evening news program of the NBC television network, a position he assumed in 2004...
, Berman announced that it was his last sportscast. He was given a cake with best wishes from his colleagues, including Chuck Scarborough and Sue Simmons.
While Berman's immediate future for television is unknown, sources say he might make periodic appearances on the Today Show. Currently, he is working on his latest project, Len Berman Sports, an online blog which recounts Len's top 5 most interesting sports stories of the day.
Spanning the World
One popular monthly feature Berman is responsible for is Spanning the World, which aired on WNBC's newscasts and The Today Show. Spanning is a reel of odd and interesting sports highlights from the past month, with a recorded introduction and closing by Don PardoDon Pardo
Dominick George "Don" Pardo is an American radio and television announcer. He is best known as the voice of the long-running late night sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live....
. When the segment begins, the world is torn in two and the sound of a rooster crowing is played. When the segment ends, the world goes back to its "pre-torn" State, with the same rooster sound, and announcer Don Pardo says "Tune in next time for 'Spanning the World'", If there Is a next time. I'm Don Pardo." In his last WNBC broadcast, Berman mentioned the segment would continue on The Today Show. Berman would occasionally do a version of the segment for WNBC
WNBC
WNBC, virtual channel 4 , is the flagship station of the NBC television network, located in New York City. WNBC's studios are co-located with NBC corporate headquarters at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in midtown Manhattan...
titled "Spanning the Week" which would review odd and interesting stories from the past week. A common catch phrase from the segment is "And nobody got hurt!" which would be said by Berman after a clip featuring some sort of accident which might have caused injury.
The NFL on NBCNFL on NBCNFL on NBC is the brand given to NBC Sports coverage of National Football League games until 1998, when NBC lost the NFL American Football Conference rights to CBS...
From 19821982 NFL season
The 1982 NFL season was the 63rd regular season of the National Football League. A 57-day long players' strike reduced the 1982 season from a 16-game schedule per team to an abbreviated nine game schedule...
to part of the 1984
1984 NFL season
The 1984 NFL season was the 65th regular season of the National Football League. The Colts relocated from Baltimore, Maryland to Indianapolis, Indiana....
, Berman also hosted The NFL on NBC Pregame Show
The NFL on NBC Pregame Show
The NBC television network's pregame/studio coverage for their National Football League coverage has had a rather inconsistent history in comparison to The NFL Today on CBS and Fox NFL Sunday on the Fox Broadcasting Company...
, then known as NFL (insert year) until he was supplanted by Bob Costas
Bob Costas
Robert Quinlan "Bob" Costas is an American sportscaster, on the air for the NBC network since the early 1980s.-Early life:...
. During the early weeks of the 1988 NFL season
1988 NFL season
The 1988 NFL season was the 69th regular season of the National Football League. The Cardinals relocated from St. Louis, Missouri to the Phoenix, Arizona area becoming the Phoenix Cardinals but remained in the NFC East division....
, Berman served as the host of what was, by this time, called NFL Live! while regular host Costas was hosting NBC's coverage of the 1988 Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
in Seoul, South Korea.
Live at Five
In 2005, he was one of a handful of rotating co-anchors with Sue SimmonsSue Simmons
Susan "Sue" Simmons has been the lead female news anchor at WNBC television in New York City since 1980.-Background:Simmons grew up in the New York City neighborhood of Harlem; her father was John Simmons, a renowned jazz bassist whose compatriots included Louis Armstrong, Art Tatum, John...
on Live at Five
Live at Five
Live at Five is a name used by several television stations in some countries to refer to their 5:00pm newscasts or talk shows.* The name was coined by WNBC-TV in New York City in 1980 for a lifestyle and celebrity news show...
after Jim Rosenfield left for WCBS-TV
WCBS-TV
WCBS-TV, channel 2, is the flagship station of the CBS television network, located in New York City. The station's studios are located within the CBS Broadcast Center and its transmitter is atop the Empire State Building, both in Midtown Manhattan....
.
Berman's Blog
Since August 2008, Len has kept a blog and daily newsletter at LenBermanSports.com, using the form to continue his type of humor and whimsical sports stories.Books written by Berman
Len has written four books: Spanning the World and three kids books, And Nobody Got Hurt! (Volume I and II), The Greatest Moments in Sports (New York Times Bestseller), and The 25 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time.Personal life
Len currently resides in Port Washington, New YorkPort Washington, New York
Port Washington is a hamlet and census-designated place in Nassau County, New York on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2010 Census, the community population was 15,846....
and has a vacation home in Palm Beach, Florida
Palm Beach, Florida
The Town of Palm Beach is an incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The Intracoastal Waterway separates it from the neighboring cities of West Palm Beach and Lake Worth...
.