Paul Sunderland
Encyclopedia
Paul Benedict Sunderland (born March 29, 1952) is an American
sportscaster
based in Los Angeles, California
.
Over his broadcast career, Sunderland has covered almost every major sport played in Southern California
. He has been a studio host for the local affiliate of Fox Sports Net
, was the analyst for professional beach volleyball
on both FSN and NBC
, and has called Olympic sports and the NBA for NBC.
However, his most famous assignment was calling the Los Angeles Lakers
telecasts on FSN. In January 2002, he took over as play-by-play announcer when Chick Hearn
took a leave of absence due to a heart procedure. Hearn had called 3,338 consecutive Laker games, including playoffs. Sunderland called 17 games until Hearn returned. When Hearn died in August 2002, Sunderland returned to the Lakers, this time for good, paired with Stu Lantz
. In the 2002-03 season
, the team retained the simulcast
s that began under Hearn's tenure. The following year, the Lakers split the broadcasts and Sunderland and Lantz called games only for television (FSN and KCAL-TV
). In the summer of 2005, Sunderland was released by the Lakers and replaced by Joel Meyers
.
Sunderland continued to do the Southern California Sports Report, but FSN West cancelled the show at the end of 2005. He continues to do freelance assignments, including a 20 game college basketball schedule, for the network. Sunderland served as the play-by-play announcer for NBC Sports
coverage of Indoor Volleyball at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Sunderland was a member of the 1984 United States Olympic volleyball
team that won the gold medal at the Los Angeles Olympics. Among his teammates were eventual broadcast partner Chris Marlowe
and Volleyball Legends Karch Kiraly
and Steve Timmons
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sportscaster
Sportscaster
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
based in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
.
Over his broadcast career, Sunderland has covered almost every major sport played in Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
. He has been a studio host for the local affiliate of Fox Sports Net
Fox Sports Net
The Fox Sports Regional Networks, or simply Fox Sports Net , are a collection of cable TV regional sports networks in the United States owned and operated by News Corporation.- Beginnings :...
, was the analyst for professional beach volleyball
Association of Volleyball Professionals
The Association of Volleyball Professionals, or AVP, is a beach volleyball tour which takes place throughout the United States. The summer tour starts in April and continues almost every weekend until the end of October....
on both FSN and NBC
NBC Sports
NBC Sports is the sports division of the NBC television network. Formerly "a service of NBC News," it broadcasts a diverse array of programs, including the Olympic Games, the NFL, the NHL, MLS, Notre Dame football, the PGA Tour, the Triple Crown, and the French Open, among others...
, and has called Olympic sports and the NBA for NBC.
However, his most famous assignment was calling the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
telecasts on FSN. In January 2002, he took over as play-by-play announcer when Chick Hearn
Chick Hearn
Francis Dayle "Chick" Hearn was an American sportscaster. Known primarily as the long-time play-by-play announcer for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association, the legendary Hearn is remembered for his rapid fire, staccato broadcasting style, inventing colorful phrases such...
took a leave of absence due to a heart procedure. Hearn had called 3,338 consecutive Laker games, including playoffs. Sunderland called 17 games until Hearn returned. When Hearn died in August 2002, Sunderland returned to the Lakers, this time for good, paired with Stu Lantz
Stu Lantz
Stuart Burrell Lantz is a retired American basketball player and the current television commentator for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association on Fox Sports West and KCAL...
. In the 2002-03 season
2002-03 NBA season
The 2002–03 NBA season was the 57th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the San Antonio Spurs beating the New Jersey Nets 4-2 in the 2003 NBA Finals.-Notable occurrences:...
, the team retained the simulcast
Simulcast
Simulcast, shorthand for "simultaneous broadcast", refers to programs or events broadcast across more than one medium, or more than one service on the same medium, at the same time. For example, Absolute Radio is simulcast on both AM and on satellite radio, and the BBC's Prom concerts are often...
s that began under Hearn's tenure. The following year, the Lakers split the broadcasts and Sunderland and Lantz called games only for television (FSN and KCAL-TV
KCAL-TV
KCAL-TV, channel 9, is an independent television station in Los Angeles, California, USA, owned by the CBS Corporation. KCAL-TV shares its studio facilities with KCBS-TV inside CBS Studio Center in the Studio City section of Los Angeles, and its transmitter is located atop Mount Wilson.-Digital...
). In the summer of 2005, Sunderland was released by the Lakers and replaced by Joel Meyers
Joel Meyers
Joel Meyers is an American sportscaster and former play-by-play announcer of the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association on Fox Sports West and KCAL. Meyers left the Lakers at the end of the 2010-2011 season when the team did not renew his contract.-Career:Meyers joined the Lakers...
.
Sunderland continued to do the Southern California Sports Report, but FSN West cancelled the show at the end of 2005. He continues to do freelance assignments, including a 20 game college basketball schedule, for the network. Sunderland served as the play-by-play announcer for NBC Sports
NBC Sports
NBC Sports is the sports division of the NBC television network. Formerly "a service of NBC News," it broadcasts a diverse array of programs, including the Olympic Games, the NFL, the NHL, MLS, Notre Dame football, the PGA Tour, the Triple Crown, and the French Open, among others...
coverage of Indoor Volleyball at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Sunderland was a member of the 1984 United States Olympic volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
team that won the gold medal at the Los Angeles Olympics. Among his teammates were eventual broadcast partner Chris Marlowe
Chris Marlowe
Christian "Chris" Marlowe is a former volleyball standout and current professional American sportscaster based in Denver, Colorado....
and Volleyball Legends Karch Kiraly
Karch Kiraly
Charles Frederick "Karch" Kiraly , is an American volleyball player who is the only person to have won Olympic gold medals in both the indoor and beach versions of the sport.-High school career:...
and Steve Timmons
Steve Timmons
Steve Dennis Timmons is a former volleyball player from the United States, who represented the USA at three consecutive Summer Olympics starting in 1984. In each tournament he won a medal: two gold and one bronze...
.