One of the things I’ve always found fascinating about sports media is what it’s like to follow in their parent’s footsteps.
When your last name already means something, every opportunity comes with a question: Did you earn it or was it handed to you? Fair or not, that’s something second-generation broadcasters, writers, and producers have to deal with from the start. At the same time, growing up around the business provides experiences and opportunities that most people never have.
For this edition of the media group chat, I wanted to hear from a few second-generation sports media personalities about what it’s really like.
The panel includes
Colin Russo, afternoon co-host at ESPN West Palm and the son of sports radio personality Chris “Mad Dog” Russo.
Chip Caray, television play-by-play announcer for the St. Louis Cardinals and the son of Skip Caray and grandson of Harry Caray.
Owen Parker, digital content producer at WGR 550 and the son of longtime Buffalo sports radio host Chris “Bulldog” Parker.
Jeff Kurkjian, Morning Host, 92.5 XTU (Philadelphia's Country Station) Co-host, "Is This a Great Game, or What?" podcast and son of Tim Kurkjian MLB Analyst, ESPN
I asked them whether the “nepo baby” criticism is fair, if they feel pressure to live up to their family name, how they’ve worked to establish their own identities, and whether they’ll ever truly escape their parents’ shadows. Their answers were thoughtful, honest, and offered an interesting look into a side of sports media we don’t often hear about.
Being the son of a well-known media personality can open doors, but it also comes with expectations. Do you think it’s fair when people label second-generation broadcasters as “nepo babies,” or does that oversimplify the reality
Chip Caray: No, but it’s part of the deal. Our profession is no different than a family with generations of doctors, lawyers, hardware store owners, or family farmers. Our job just happens to be in the “entertainment biz”, so there’s a natural element of “he/she only got the job b/c of a family connection”. Ultimately, no matter the job, when the proverbial red light comes on, one can either do it or not. Nobody’s parent or grandparent is gonna save em or do it for them. And as a parent, I think it’s our job to help our kids get started in whatever they dream of doing. After that, it’s up to them.
Colin Russo: I wouldn’t have made an effort to enter the industry if the term “nepo baby” bothered me. It’s a fair term, it’s without question that I have been gifted opportunities in the past because of who I was related. I think the challenge of it all is to make sure that whenever you are given these opportunities, it’s up to me to make sure I step up to the plate. For what it’s worth, the expectation of even holding a candle to my father’s career is a blessing. I’m very fortunate to be where I am, at the age I am and I’m lucky enough to be able to attempt at being a young up-and-comer in sports media. To bring it back, the term is fair, it’s going to follow me and that’s just the reality. It’s my job to make sure I’m good enough to show people that it’s not just a blanket statement, but a rushed conclusion on my ability/career.
Jeff Kurkjian: I think it’s unfair in the sense that what people don’t really realize is that everybody is raised by their parents. So when you have parents with a particular set of skills—like my dad, who is a really good writer and a great storyteller—you naturally grow up around that. I grew up listening to him tell me stories about Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Ted Williams before I went to bed. I loved watching my dad on TV tell stories about the game he loves. I loved watching him ask the hard questions to baseball players on the field. And I grew up learning how to do that.
I remember leaving the movie theater at 8 or 9 years old with my dad after we had just watched the newest Disney movie, and he’d immediately ask me, “What was that movie about? Give it to me in 15 seconds.” I’d start with, “Um... well...” and he’d stop me. “Start over. You just wasted two or three seconds, and those words were unnecessary. Start over. Give it to me in 15 seconds.” He was teaching me how to communicate clearly and efficiently before I even knew what being in the media meant. For goodness’ sake, he’d been training me to be a media professional my entire life.
That’s why I always encourage people who look at the sons and daughters of media personalities as “nepo babies” to think about it a little differently. If your dad is an electrician, maybe you didn’t become an electrician, but you’re probably really good at DIY projects and working with your hands. How do you think that happened? It’s because your dad taught you. Maybe your mom was a fantastic chef, and she taught you how to cook. I’m a terrible cook because my mom was a lawyer, not a chef. But she taught me plenty of valuable lessons in other ways.
I learned so much from my dad, and I think people need to realize it’s not simply about being the son or daughter of a broadcaster. It’s about being the son or daughter of your parents. The skills, habits, and passions they pass down shape who you become. That’s what turns the sons and daughters of broadcasters into broadcasters.
Owen Parker: I think there are two sides to the nepo-baby label. There are obviously major advantages that come with being the son or daughter of someone in the business you want to get into, even more so in media. The relationships I had prior to getting in the business are a huge advantage for me, and I’ve certainly used that. There’s also just a more deeply rooted understanding of the business itself that comes with growing up in it.
As a person in that position you have to understand and acknowledge these advantages and know how to use them without abusing them or making it feel or look like you’re “cheating” in some way. The key is accepting that no matter how hard you work or how good you become, there will be people out there who point to your family as the sole reason for your success. So if you want to call me a nepo-baby, sure that’s fair. But to me, that tells me you’re probably not really listening to what I have to say.
When you told your father you wanted to get into sports media, what was his reaction?
Chip Caray: My Dad was very supportive. However he never pushed me, or cajoled me into the biz. I thought about law school…and had a maternal grandfather as a 50-plus year long dentist, so medical school was a VERY brief thought. Once I decided on my own that broadcasting was what I wanted to do, he, like any parent, supported and encouraged me. He just said be the best you can be at whatever YOU want to do.
Colin Russo: He was completely supportive. I was always the one to tag along amongst my siblings, I was the well rounded sports fan, I was interested in history, I asked questions, I like interviewing and I enjoy argumentative debate. It was a no brainer for me to go for it, I think he gets nervous about my career path and making sure it’s honest, which I agree with. Overall he’s done me a great service not only as a mentor but as someone who can give it to me straight. He’s no cheerleader, he only listens when it’s a big interview and he knows when to stay out of the way. I greatly appreciate that.
Owen Parker: When I first wrapped up my playing career and came back home, that was one of the first conversations we had. I still remember it clear as day, we were sitting on the front porch thinking about what my new life could look like. I said to him “I want to do what you do” and he laughed, paused for a second, and proceeded to explain all the ways this business can beat you down and be so brutal. I accepted his advice and went on to deliver pizza and build houses for a couple years. The desire to talk about and cover sports never left me though, and after I quit my job framing houses, he mentioned a job posting for a digital content producer at WGR. I knew this was it and I had to take my shot, so I did, and he supported me diving in.
Jeff Kurkjian: He was so excited. He loved that I wanted to follow in his footsteps, just like any father would. Since becoming a dad myself, I understand that even more. My daughter is going to be 3 soon, and if she came to me one day and said, “I want to audition for the school musical,” I’d be absolutely elated. I’d lose my mind. I’d be so excited for her.
That’s exactly how my dad was with me. He was ready to give advice and help in any way he could. The first thing he said was, “Okay, where are we going to college?” We started looking at schools with great broadcast journalism programs, and I was fortunate enough to get into the Newhouse School at Syracuse. Really, that education was what propelled me forward in this industry more than anything else.
How much did your parent actually help you break into the industry? Was it more about getting an opportunity, or was it the advice, mentorship, and network that proved most valuable?
Chip Caray: All 3. Dad understood the BS of the business (see question-answer #1 for example), the competitive nature of having one of 30 jobs in the world, the family sacrifice that comes with it, the personal toll mentally-physically-emotionally it takes to get to MLB level and stay there. His “network” opened doors for me to see for myself if this was my path. Once he (and I) figured out that I could do it, he introduced people to me who were willing to teach and mentor me on the way up. Bottom line…like it or not, our jobs are network marketing gigs. Who we meet along the way can (and usually will) change your career arc forever. In our biz, sometimes it really is who you know that gets you that all important first look.
Colin Russo: My first foot in the door was when I was in college. I was a sophomore at University of Wisconsin-Madison, and I was shocked to find out that there was an ESPN Madison affiliate right there locally. My dad was helpful in connecting me with Evan Cohen, who was a Wisconsin Grad himself and an overarching figure within Good Karma Brands, the parent company above ESPN Madison (and West Palm). And Evan connected me with the crew at ESPN Madison. I was lucky enough to apply and get a part time producer role a few months later and I grew within that role over the course of 2.5 years that started behind the scenes, eventually growing to occasional on-air opportunities. The network is the most important part. Without knowing people who can connect me with people, I would’ve been in a tougher spot. It’s a who you know business. I’d be stupid to assume that a ‘Colin Johnson’ would be awarded the same opportunity, but I would’ve been out the door as fast as I was in the door if I didn’t pull my weight.
Jeff Kurkjian: Well, advice, always. My dad lost three jobs in the span of about two years because the newspaper industry was folding. When everybody thinks about Tim Kurkjian and ESPN and this big personality, they don’t realize he was grinding for years. He was a beat reporter making around $20,000 a year, traveling like a ballplayer, never being home, always on the road. This was before kids, but that’s still a rough life. He taught me a lot about dealing with job loss, working with people in an office, and handling adversity. Those were incredibly important lessons for me.
My favorite story to tell is about when I got my first job out of college. I was working in Cleveland as a morning radio host for a pop music station. During my interview, my future boss—the program director—was giving me a tour of the building. We walked past the sports station, and their program director stopped me and said, “Jeff, it’s nice to meet you. I’m a big fan of your dad.” I thanked him, and he said, “He’s one of the best.”
A few moments later, we ran into one of the hosts from the sports station. He introduced himself and said, “Nice to meet you, Jeff. Big fan of your dad. We had him on last week. He’s a great guy.” Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed this puzzled look on my soon-to-be boss’s face. About two minutes later, we sat back down in his office, and he kind of exhaled before saying, “I’m so sorry... who is your dad?”
I had gone through multiple rounds of interviews without this man knowing who my father was. Granted, as you mentioned, these are different worlds—sports media versus pop radio—but a lot of people in broadcasting would recognize the son of a broadcaster. To get that far in the hiring process at 21 years old without him knowing my dad was in the business meant a lot to me.
Then he looked at me and said, “This all makes sense.”
I laughed and asked, “What do you mean?”
He said, “Well, I’ve been wondering why you’re such a polished broadcaster at only 21. I knew you went to Syracuse, and I knew you worked at a radio station there, but now it all makes sense. You’ve been training for this job your whole life.”
And there it was.
Owen Parker: To tell you the truth, I don’t think he did anything to try to get me in the door other than tell me to apply. I think he’s conscious of this nepotism thing, and wanted to try to avoid pushing me along anywhere because of it. The biggest things he provided for me were things he did without ever thinking it would help me in this world. Introducing me to people like Jeremy White and Mike Schopp as a kid, and allowing me to form relationships with these people who I hold in such high regard was huge. The #1 thing was how he raised me. He and my mother taught me to be curious and always try to learn, which has helped me improve day after day. They raised me to commit myself to what I’m doing, and believe in myself. I believe that’s my biggest advantage.
Have you ever felt pressure to separate yourself from your parent’s style or reputation? Was establishing your own identity something you consciously worked on?
Chip Caray: Yes. Imagine being 24, sharing the same legal name as TWO of your relatives who work (famously) on national cable TV doing baseball, all while getting started and making the early mistakes that young people do! That was me. The only real advice I got from Dad and Harry was simple: Be yourself and tell the truth. The world didn’t need a cheap cooy of Harry or Skip Caray. The world can see right thru someone borrowing somebody else’s shtick. And there’s a ton of that out there. A fabulously talented musician, Steven Wilson wrote a book entitled “Limited Edition of One.” That’s what we all are. So, that’s what I try to be.
Colin Russo: Establishing my own identity is something I actively work on. It’s important to rely on authenticity, which happens to be eerily similar to my father’s cadences and mannerisms at points. But I also think it’s important to avoid the copycat, I don’t listen to him much at all, or any sports radio for that matter, subconscious influence is real in this business. And at my age where creating style is paramount, I don’t want to be like anybody else. It’s important for me at my age to try anything and see what I’m comfortable with / good at.
Jeff Kurkjian: No. I think ignoring my lineage would actually be an insult to my father and all the hard work he put into his career. And I don’t mean that because I find the question disrespectful—I don’t. I understand why people ask it. I just feel like, why would I ignore where I came from? A lot of people in radio change their names when they go on the air, but why would I do that? I’m incredibly proud of who I come from. I have a broadcasting background because of my family, and that’s something I’ll always embrace. What’s really cool is the connection people feel because of it. I can’t tell you how many people have said to me, “I grew up watching your dad on *Baseball Tonight*, and now I listen to you on the radio every single day in Philadelphia.” That’s one of the coolest compliments I could ever receive because it makes people feel like they’re a small part of our family’s story.
That’s a big reason why we started this podcast—to help people make that connection between two broadcasters and share that experience together.
Owen Parker: I wouldn’t say I’ve ever felt pressure to separate myself, maybe because I know I have so much of him in me that I’ll never be able to get rid of. I’m proud of that part of me, my dad is a truly great broadcaster, and if I could be like him it would be all I’d ever want. Of course I don’t want people saying that I’m a carbon copy or “junior bulldog”. I want to be my own person and broadcaster, but I think if I stay true to myself and what I believe in, that will happen naturally. I think early on I was very conscious of moments where I sounded like him, but as time has passed I realized that’s not such a bad thing. He’s great, and I’m trying to get there too.
Do you think people judge your work differently because of your last name? Have you ever felt like you had to work harder to prove you belonged?
Chip Caray: Sure. There’s a natural sense of protecting a family’s legacy in our line of work. I think (and hope) that each of us understands the path paved by our predecessors, appreciates their impact, and wants to follow new routes by doing it our way the best way we can. And for me at least that’s the legacy. Try to do it right, try to have fun (it ain’t Sunday church), support your teammates, remember always it’s the fans we work for, and lastly, do it your way. It’s a personality driven business. We stand on the shoulders of giants. It’s our job to leave our gigs in a better place for the next guy.
Colin Russo: The company I work with has done a great job at separating. ESPN Madison especially was a born and raised Midwesterner environment who didn’t grow up on Mike and the Mad Dog. It was easy to assimilate and not feel like there’s a cloud over you. By the time I got to ESPN West Palm, I was far more confident in my ability and while there’s a ton of NYC influence, you feel the fandom but not in any sort of negative sense. It is abundantly clear within Good Karma Brands that I’m not awarded any shortcuts, nor do I expect/want any. I feel burdened with living up to the name, what a privilege.
Jeff Kurkjian: I think people have always judged me because of my last name, but in a lot of ways, it’s given me an extra push. I’m not just representing myself—I’m representing my dad and everything he accomplished in his career. I don’t want to let him down. If I do a bad segment or a bad interview, I don’t feel like it’s only a reflection on me. In my mind, it’s also a reflection on my dad. I don’t shy away from that responsibility. In fact, I embrace it.
One of the biggest advantages I’ve had is learning not just from my dad’s successes, but from the mistakes he’s shared with me. He’s always been honest about the parts of the business he didn’t know as well. He understood the broadcasting side inside and out, but he told me he wished he had spent more time learning the sales side, the business side, and all the other departments that make a media company work. He said he wished he’d learned more about those areas so he could have been an even better teammate.
So I took that advice to heart. I made it a point to teach myself those parts of the business. I’d spend time with our sales department, ask questions, and learn how everything fit together. That’s important because being a good teammate means understanding what everyone else does and finding ways to do your job that makes their job easier.
Owen Parker: It is undeniable that what I do is seen through a different lens than it would be without my father being who he is. I’m sure there are people that were always going to love what I have to say because they love what my dad has to say, but there is also a group that I will never be able to reach because they have the opposite reaction to him. I think it’s generally more of the first group than the second, and that’s another one of those advantages I know I have. I just try to remove that side of it as much as I can to keep myself accountable to become the broadcaster I want to be. If I rest on knowing there will always be a section of fans for me, I’ll never get any better and that’s the last thing I want. I definitely do feel a desire to work harder and be the best I can be, but I don’t think it’s necessarily to prove any of those people wrong, but more to make my dad and the people who like me because of him proud.
If someone without family connections asked you today how to break into sports media, what advice would you give them? Has the industry become harder or easier for outsiders compared to when your parent started?
Chip Caray: The same way I’d advise anybody looking for their life’s passion: Get involved in that profession in any way you can. As I said before, meet people, learn, make connections and mistakes. Acquire knowledge by experience and osmosis. Listen. Try. Fail. Say yes often. Work the extra shift. Do more than the job requires. Be trustworthy. Be an excellent teammate. Play the long game. Be consistent. Remember, the “other guys” have bad days too. Share credit. Understand that a job is an opportunity, not a sentence!
If you’re talented, someone will discover you..no matter your last name.
In some ways the biz is easier b/c there are so many more broadcast outlets televising sports (or any content for that matter). There are just so many more opportunities to get started. However, the rise of poisonous social media has made it much more difficult for young people to “grow into the job” than ever. The instant “feedback” is a mixed blessing…and one has to be very strong and confident to take that stuff for what it is…just one persons (often uninformed) opinion! Don’t listen to it!
Colin Russo- If you want to be lucky enough to have early opportunities, it is instrumental to get early reps. I went to a big sports school, mostly all of them have student ran or professional media affiliates that do coverage on teams within the area. Get involved there. You’ll do the grunt work early, but it you know what you want to do, make it clear and be confident in your ability. You don’t need to be in front of a live mic to get reps, sports talk is everywhere. Confidence opens up just as many doors as competence can, and you can teach competence a whole lot easier, own your opinion and ability.
I’m in no position to give some monumental advice, but I think the industry is a constant revolving door, so opportunities are possible in every direction, it’s possible for a Kevin Burkhardt story just as much as it’s possible for a Joe Buck follow-in-the-footsteps story. Just about every single broadcaster started small, you’ll be doing a radio or a local tv hit for 9 listeners one day or another, make sure those 9 people like it.
Jeff Kurkjian: I would say the biggest piece of advice is to set yourself apart from everybody else. I mentor a lot of students, and the number one thing I ask them when they say, “Hey, I’m thinking about starting a podcast,” or, “Maybe I’ll start a YouTube show,” is, “How long have you been thinking about doing that?”
They usually pause for a second and say, “Six months... maybe a year.”
My answer is always the same: “Today. You have to start today.”
There’s never been an easier time to get your voice out there. A lot of people see that as a negative. They say, “Anybody can have a podcast. Anybody can have a YouTube show.” And that’s true. But it also means that if you want to stand out, you’d better have one, and you’d better be doing something different. You have to create something unique and compelling that gives people a reason to watch, listen, or come back.
So my advice is simple: do the thing you’ve been waiting to do. Stop waiting and just start.
Owen Parker: I’d probably give them the same warning my dad did when I told him. It is a brutal business to try and break into and it’s not one you’re gonna make a good living in for a while, if ever. When you truly understand the patience and dedication it requires, that’s when you can chase it. In many ways it’s never been easier to just start up your own thing and try and build an audience. The access to podcasting equipment and platforms has opened this world up to whoever wants to give it a shot. I think it’s great, but it also does mean that there is an endless sea of content out there that you have to rise above in order to get anywhere. That challenge is far greater than many people realize when they first start, and that’s why I think you see so many folks get into this business, bang their head on the ceiling, and then fade away. It’s a cruel world out there, and not just in the comment section.
Bonus: What’s one misconception people have about being a second-generation broadcaster or journalist that you’d like to correct?
Chip Caray: The biggest misconception for me personally is that I was somehow born with a silver microphone tucked into my crib by Harry and my Dad. Both he and my Dad were divorced and frankly, I didn’t spend much time with Harry at all until my mid-20s. I grew up in STL, while my Dad was building his career and life back in ATL, and didn’t really fully reconnect with him until my college years. So yes, the Caray name opened eyes and doors. And I’m eternally grateful , and make no apologies for that. However, the perception that we sat around a Thanksgiving table and plotted a baseball broadcasting generational
Plan never ever happened! But, as both have been gone awhile, and I’m in my early 60’s, I sure as heck would love to talk to em both one more time to see what they think of the amazing blessing “the family business” has given all of us.
Colin Russo: A misconception, at least in my case, is that having a father broadcaster can be a pain in the ass. He’s so much better than me and I’m pretty sure he thinks I stink, which is funny, but that’s why the chase is fun. When I’m getting a 1962 Lakers lecture and I’m getting quizzed on why they lost Game 7 to the Celtics on a Sunday at 9am, it’s a good reminder that I got a lot of work to do. We have a great relationship about it, but if you think he’s lost that competitive edge that has given him 45 years in the business, you’re sadly mistaken. He wants me to succeed, but boy can this wait until after lunch. Frank Selvy missed the shot at the end of regulation, by the way. Cost the Lakers a championship. Up 3-2 in the series too.
Jeff Kurkjian: I see comments on social media, especially on our podcast pages, where people will say, “Oh, another nepo baby,” or something along those lines. What they don’t realize—at least in my situation—is that I edit the entire show, produce the whole show, run all of our social media, handle the business side, the finances, the taxes—everything. I run our small business.
Sure, there are probably some situations where people get opportunities because of their last name, but I think the biggest misconception is that we don’t work just as hard as everyone else. We absolutely do.
Noah Eagle is a great example. He’s a friend of mine, the son of Ian Eagle, and they’re both outstanding broadcasters. Noah is much younger than me, and he’s already had tremendous success in play-by-play. People can sit there and say, “Well, they probably never would’ve called him if he wasn’t Ian Eagle’s son.” Maybe that’s true. Maybe his last name helped get someone to notice him. But have you actually listened to him call a game? Have you seen how much preparation he puts in? Have you seen the work ethic it takes to become that good?
In my opinion, there’s actually more pressure on someone like Noah because he’s not just representing himself—he’s representing his father, too. As I said before, the last thing any of us wants to do is disappoint our mom or dad. We want to make them proud.
So I think the biggest misconception is that people assume everything is handed to us and that we don’t have to work for it. My dad gave me a piece of advice I’ll never forget. He said, “I might be able to get your foot in the door, but you’ve got to walk through it yourself.”
That’s the difference people don’t always understand. Sure, maybe being the son or daughter of a broadcaster gets you an extra look or opens a door. But that advantage disappears really quickly if you’re not good at your job. If you don’t show up on time, if you don’t work hard, if you don’t produce results, you’re not going to last. In fact, if the people who hired you know your parents, they’re probably going to call them and say, “Hey, your kid isn’t getting it done.”
Getting your foot in the door is only a tiny part of building a successful career. Staying in the room is entirely up to you.
Owen Parker: It might not exactly be a misconception, but we don’t ever really talk about work. We will have conversations about sports and about life, but rarely do we ever talk about WGR itself or the business as a whole. However it is just as loud and passionate and stupid as you may think in our living room when there’s a Sabres or Bills game on, that I can confirm.
Thanks again to the panel. If you would like to support Joe from Queens, the best way is to subscribe to the Substack for your chance to win a ticket to the Bills-Jets game in New Jersey. You can also support the site by making a donation or pledging on substack or purchasing a Homage shirt through my affiliate link. Every subscription, donation, and purchase helps me continue creating more interviews and Buffalo sports