Jim Watson is Five-time Emmy Award-winner. Watson’s signature is his versatility. There is virtually no sport he hasn’t called or covered. From Major League Baseball (MLB), to international beach volleyball (FIVB) to college football (NCAA) and three Olympic Games (IOC)—21 sports in all.
Currently, Watson is a play-by-play announcer for several Pac-12 sports. During this school year alone, Watson has worked more than 30 conference events, including the Pac-12 Championships for football, basketball, swimming and gymnastics. In the past, he has also called Pac-12 baseball, volleyball, track & field, cross-country, tennis, golf, softball and soccer. In addition, Watson was the original host of “Runnin’ with the Pac” for its first five seasons.
Last summer Watson worked his third Olympic Games for NBC Sports. Once again featuring his versatility, Jim did both Tae Kwon Do and Weightlifting his third and fourth different Olympic sports. In 2000, he was the play-by-play announcer for Beach Volleyball in Sydney, Australia and in 2004 moved to Indoor Volleyball for the Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.
Watson is also the pregame and postgame host/reporter for “Dodgers Live”, the play-by-play announcer for the (FIVB) Beach Volleyball World Tour and for five seasons, the play-by-play announcer for the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer, (MLS).
This spring Watson will call the World Championships for rowing. It will be the sixth World Championship sport on his resume, having previously worked the World Championships of Snowboard Cross, the World Championships of Beach Volleyball, the (team) Volleyball World Championships, as well as calling both the men’s and women’s competitions for the Water Polo World Championships. Watson was also at the mic for the World Wrestling Championships, (both Greco-Roman and Freestyle).
Watson has added his voice to football, basketball, baseball, beach volleyball, team volleyball, soccer, gymnastics, water polo, swimming, weightlifting, track & field, cross-country, wrestling, skiing, snowboarding, ice hockey, softball, golf, tennis, motocross and rowing.
Watson attended the University of Hawaii, (UH) and the University of Southern California, (USC). He graduated from USC in 1989 with a Bachelor of Arts in Sports Information, (SPIN). He is married and currently lives in Santa Monica, California.
Education
1989: University of Southern California, (USC)
B.A. (Sports Information)
Miscellaneous
1990-1992: NBC
The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson