Dave O Brien

David O’Brien, fondly known as “OB,” was born in Quincy, Massachusetts, on August 3, 1963. He spent his formative years in Marshfield, Massachusetts, and later New Hampshire. His academic journey led him to Syracuse University, where he earned a broadcasting degree from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications in 1986. O’Brien began his broadcasting career in 1987 in Atlanta, Georgia. From 1990 to 1991, he provided play-by-play commentary for MLB’s Atlanta Braves and covered college football and basketball for Georgia and Miami teams. His early work was recognized with the Georgia Associated Press’ “Best Sports Play-by-Play” accolade in both 1988 and 1991. From 1993 through 2001, O’Brien was the voice for the Florida Marlins, notably covering their first World Series victory in 1997. He also sporadically called National Football League games for the Atlanta Falcons. Building on his baseball commentary experience, he recorded play-by-play for the “High Heat Major League Baseball” video game series for its 2002, 2003, and 2004 installments, collaborating with color commentator Chuck Valenches. Further extending his baseball coverage, O’Brien provided international commentary for the World Series from 2004 to 2009. From 2003 to 2005, he served as the television voice of the New York Mets on WPIX-TV.

O’Brien’s career with ESPN spanned from 2002 to 2017, where he covered a diverse range of sports including MLB, NBA, college basketball, and soccer. He was heavily involved with Major League Soccer’s “MLS Primetime Thursday” and United States men’s national soccer team telecasts. Despite his extensive ESPN commitments, O’Brien was denied permission to join the Chicago Cubs’ broadcast team in 2005. A notable career turning point was his role as the primary broadcast team for the 2006 FIFA World Cup on ESPN and ABC Sports, alongside Marcelo Balboa, despite limited prior soccer commentary experience. This assignment, driven by The Walt Disney Company’s broadcast strategy, aimed to engage a broader American audience, although it drew criticism from English-speaking soccer fans for perceived mispronunciations and lack of tactical insight.

In 2007, O’Brien joined the Boston Red Sox Radio Network, working alongside Joe Castiglione. By 2011, he became the primary play-by-play announcer for the Red Sox radio broadcasts. A significant shift occurred on August 25, 2015, when he was named the primary play-by-play announcer for Red Sox telecasts on NESN, starting in 2016, succeeding Don Orsillo. O’Brien returned to ESPN in 2019 to call college football games for the inaugural season of the ACC Network, partnering with Tim Hasselbeck. Throughout his career, O’Brien has been recognized for his impactful calls, including Mark McGwire’s 59th home run in 1998, earning him the Achievements in Radio (A.I.R.) award for Best Play-by-Play, and key moments in baseball history involving Barry Bonds and David Ortiz.