Jim Brinson was named host of “Fan TV” on August 5, 1996, less than a month before Empire Sports Network’s newest programming venture was scheduled for air. During that time and since the debut show on September 2, 1996, Brinson has been a part of the show’s development and growth.
Created to provide viewers with the latest news and information on both a regional and national level, “Fan TV” and Brinson were a fit from the beginning. Joining the regional sports network’s staff from Southland Communications in Charlotte, N.C. where he served as television sports director and talk show host, Brinson’s well-traveled past has been an asset in bringing a number of national names to “Fan TV.”
Among the stops at television stations across the country, Brinson’s resume includes stints in Philadelphia, Pa.; Pittsburgh, Pa.; Baltimore, Md.; and Dallas, Texas. He also has reached national audiences as a sports talk show host on the Sports Fan Radio Network, which provided programming to more than 200 stations nationally.
His play-by-play background is extensive, most recently working college basketball and college football productions for ABC Sports/Raycom, Prime, ESPN, the Mid-American Conference, as well as Empire Sports Network productions of Syracuse University and the ECAC Game of the Week. He also has called play-by-play for the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors and Washington Bullets; Major League Baseball’s Baltimore Orioles, Texas Rangers, San Francisco Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates; and the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys, Oakland Raiders and Pittsburgh Steelers. Brinson will also continue as the play-by-play voice of the Arena Football League’s Buffalo Destroyers this season.
The Eastern Washington University graduate previously spent time in Western New York handling a season of television play-by-play for the Buffalo Bisons during the 1988 campaign. He is a competitive tennis player and also enjoys basketball and skiing.
