When Mike Monaco arrived on Notre Dame’s campus as a freshman in August of 2011, he knew he wanted to work in sports. He had a clear role model for the path he wanted to follow — but it was not Bob Costas or Al Michaels or any of the famous sports broadcasters he grew up listening to, nor the ones that he’s worked alongside of in his time on the mic.
“I went to Notre Dame thinking that I wanted to be a baseball general manager — [I] wanted to be the next Theo Epstein,” Monaco said. Epstein is an MLB executive and former president of the Chicago Cubs.
“Because of that, [I] went to Notre Dame intending to major in econ and started taking a bunch of courses on that track. But it was kind of freshman, sophomore year where I figured out that media/journalism was more my interest,” said Monaco, now in his fifth year as a play-by-play announcer for ESPN.
Monaco’s talent for announcing didn’t come overnight. As a student, Monaco gained experience broadcasting numerous sports for WVFI and Fighting Irish Media, taking advantage of every opportunity, from mock football broadcasts to calling fencing meets and everything in between.
“I would go solo and broadcast Notre Dame baseball games or Notre Dame hockey games or Notre Dame women’s basketball games on WVFI. At the time, as I’m sure it is now, everyone was wanting to do the football games and to a similar extent, men’s basketball, but the other sports not so much,” Monaco said. “So I was very fortunate that both SIDs [sports information directors] in the athletic department and people with WVFI sort of let me ... get experience that way.”
Broadcasting wasn’t the only path Monaco explored as a student. He joined The Observer almost immediately after arriving and stayed until the day he left, eventually serving as Sports Editor. Although it he ended up pursuing other paths professionally, Monaco said that his experience as a writer helped up become a better broadcaster, in addition to several professors and faculty members who improved his skills.
"My advisor was the now late Karen [Croake] Heisler, who was just amazing to me, and we lost her way too soon. But so many, so many students had a special relationship with her, and I count myself among those very lucky to be able to say [that]. Gary Sieber in JED [Journalism, Ethics and Democracy], taught me a ton ... and then Chris Becker. I would be hard-pressed to name a better teacher or professor that I've had anywhere in my education than Chris Becker,” Monaco said.
In an industry where most have to pay their dues for years and years, Monaco has risen quickly. At just 30 years old — although he jokingly referred to himself as an old man — Monaco has already broadcast the Little League World Series, the College World Series and the Stanley Cup Playoffs, among other high profile games and events. One of the most surreal, though, came when he stepped into a booth not too far from his hometown of Cohasset, Massachusetts.
“The first [game] that comes to mind ... was the first time I ever did Red Sox games, which was in September of 2019 for NESN, doing their TV broadcasts,” Monaco said. “I filled in on two games at the end of that year, Red Sox vs. Orioles, and I got to work in a three-man booth with the late Jerry Remy and the Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley. That was the first, like, ‘I cannot believe I am sitting at Fenway Park between these two guys and talking about the team that I grew up rooting for’ [moment].”
This is one of the busiest times of the year for Monaco. He still fills in on Red Sox broadcasts on occasion, who have just started their season, and the Stanley Cup Playoffs and College World Series are fast approaching. The travel that comes with the job, especially working for a network as opposed to just a single team, can be demanding. The schedule isn’t for everyone. But the tradeoff is well worth it, Monaco said.
“I think the best part of it is you get to just be a sports fan,” he said. “As cliché as it sounds, [you] get to do something that does not feel like work and get to be a very tiny part of these amazing sports events. And then along with that, I love the team aspect of it and the camaraderie that you build with your teammates, whether that’s your on-air broadcast partners or production people behind the scenes. [I've] made incredible, lifelong friends from that.”
Monaco has worked with some of the best in the business, from Remy and Eckersley with the Red Sox to Olympic gold medalist AJ Mleczko to former Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III. When announcing, he maintains a mix of professionalism and composure, amplifying the excitement of big moments while making viewers feel like they’re part of a conversation between him and his partner.
Despite all Monaco’s already accomplished, there are still things yet to be checked off on his professional bucket list. Calling March Madness is one, although Monaco admitted recency bias may be influencing this goal. But given the success he’s had less than a decade after graduating, there’s no doubt that whatever the moment, Monaco can make the right call.
Editor’s Note: Monaco is a former writer and Sports Editor for The Observer.
