Al Michaels is one of the most well-known sportscasters in the sporting world. Michaels has been working in the industry for four decades. He has covered many sports and many special moments throughout his illustrious broadcasting career. Two notable moments during his career include the “Miracle on Ice” from the 1980 Olympic games and he famously called the earthquake-interrupted World Series game 3 during the 1989 World Series.
So, how much is Michaels worth?
Al Michaels net worth as of 2019: $20 million
Michaels has become one of the most iconic voices over his multiple decades’ service and he has been compensated well. Michaels worked nearly 30 years for ABC Sports from 1977-2006. After his time at ABC, Michaels moved on to NBC Sports where he currently works to this day.
Early Life
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Michaels was born on November 12, 1944, in Brooklyn, New York. After spending the first 14 years of his life in New York, Michaels and his family moved to Los Angeles, California. The move coincidentally coincided with the Dodgers leaving Brooklyn and heading to L.A. as well. This happened to be a fortunate set of developments as Michaels grew up a Dodgers fan.
Michaels attended Arizona State University in 1962. While at ASU Michaels was a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity. He majored in radio and television and minored in journalism. Michaels also wrote for the school paper, The State Press.
Michaels first sportscasting job came in 1964 working in the public relations department of the Los Angeles Lakers organization. He would eventually transition into the role of color commentary, but his stay with the Lakers would be short, however, as Michaels was fired after disapproval from play-by-play announcer Chuck Hearn.
1968-1976
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Following his departure from the Lakers, Michaels joined the Hawaii Islanders of the Pacific Coast League and as the play-by-play announcer of the University of Hawaii’s football and basketball teams. For his outstanding work, Hawaii named Michaels “SportsCaster of the Year” in 1969.
After being recognized for his sportscaster ability Michaels became the lead announcer of the Cincinnati Reds in 1971. Then in 1972, Michaels covered the World Series for NBC Sports and worked as the networks play-by-player announcer during the 1972 Winter Olympics for their ice hockey coverage.
Michaels got his first experience in the NFL when tragically Bill Enis died of a heart attack and Michaels filled his role during the NFL regular season finale between the Houston Oilers and Cincinnati Bengals.
In 1974, Michaels decided to head back to the west coast and cover the San Francisco Giants and UCLA basketball.
1977-2005
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Michaels signed on with ABC Sports in 1977 and thus started a nearly three-decades-long tenure with the company. His first job for ABC Sports was as a backup announcer on Monday Night Baseball which he quickly turned into a full-time position.
During his time with ABC Sports, Michaels covered MLB, college football, various Olympic events, ice hockey, college basketball, golf, horse racing, and boxing.
One of the most famous sports moments in American Olympic history the battle between the United States and the Soviet Union in hockey during the 1980 Olympic games dubbed the “Miracle on Ice” was called by Michaels. His famous, “Do you believe in miracles? YES!” line has become one of the most played reactions in sports history.
Michaels also was part of the broadcasting crew during game 3 of the 1989 World Series between the Oakland Athletics and the San Francisco Giants that was interrupted by an earthquake. Before the network feed cut out Michaels can be heard saying, “I’ll tell you what, we are having an earth –“.
Beginning in 1986 Michaels became the lead play-by-play announcer of ABC’s Monday Night Football, a position he held for 20 years. Just three years later after working the Monday Night Football telecast, Michaels called his first NFL Super Bowl between the New York Giants and Buffalo Bills.
During the 2003-2004 NBA season, Michaels replaced Brad Nessler as the lead broadcaster of the NBA. Michaels and Doc Rivers worked together through most of the season and covered all the playoff games.
Following the 2004 season, Michaels appearance commentating NBA games became sporadic, and he was eventually replaced.
2006-present
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Al Michaels would part ways with ABC Sports and ESPN and sign on with NBC Sports in 2006 joining John Madden on the networks Sunday Night Football broadcast. The switch to NBC involved various TV rights being traded in return for the services of Michaels.
During his time with NBC Sports Michaels called four Super Bowl Broadcasts (2009, 2012, 2015, 2018). Michaels is just the third person ever to do the play-by-play for NBC during the Super Bowl following Curt Gowdy and Dick Enberg.
During the 2010 Olympic games Michaels served as the Olympic daytime host it was his first time covering something other than the NFL since he started with NBC. He would go on to cover the 2012, 2014, and 2016 Olympic games in some capacity for NBC.
Michaels is a five-time Emmy Award winner, three-time national sportscaster of the year, and has been ranked a top 50 sportscaster by the American Sportscaster Association, among many other accolades.
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2019
Al Michael, who has been calling NFL games for over two decades, called the league recent ruling at the playoffs made-up.
