Glenn Ordway | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1951-01-16)January 16, 1951 (age 75) |
| Alma mater | American Academy of Dramatic Arts |
| Occupations | Radio host, sports broadcaster |
| Years active | 1972–2021 |
| Known for | Boston sports radio, Boston Celtics broadcasts |
| Notable work | The Big Show on WEEI |
| Children | 5 |
Glenn Ordway (born January 16, 1951) is an American formersports radio and television personality based in theBoston area. He also spent over a decade as a radiosports commentator forBoston Celtics games.
Ordway began his radio career in 1972 atWMLO, a small station inBeverly, Massachusetts.[1] He then went toWMEX/WITS in Boston in 1975, where at times he filled in for Steve Fredericks; he subsequently became sports director as well as working onBoston Bruins broadcasts. In 1981, Ordway gained prominence atWRKO in Boston where he hosted a popular, award-winning call-in show,Sportscall.
Ordway spent 13 years as a member of theBoston Celtics' radio broadcast team. After seven years as the number-two announcer alongside longtime Celtics play-by-play manJohnny Most, Ordway took over as the Celtics' primary announcer in 1989, a post he held until 1996. During this period, he appeared as himself in an episode of the long-running Boston-based sitcomCheers.
In 1987, the Celtics moved their radio programming toWEEI (then 590AM), where Ordway became executive sports director, and later program manager. The broadcasts moved to 850 AM in 1994 under the sameWEEI call letters. In 1996, Ordway was promoted toprogram director, and beganThe Big Show.
Ordway also hosted a program duringNew England Patriots season calledNew England Tailgate, discussing the team with former playersFred Smerlas andSteve DeOssie. He also appeared on theHBO sports documentariesThe Curse of the Bambino andThe Reverse of the Curse of the Bambino.
In December 2006, the Patriots revokedseason tickets purchased by Smerlas. Smerlas had been in a partnership with Ordway in a company hostingtailgate parties at Patriot games, charging customers more than the face value of game tickets. The Patriots determined that the service violated its policy prohibiting season ticket holders from reselling their tickets above face value. Both Ordway and Smerlas denied that money was made on the resale of tickets.[2]
Ordway announced on his December 11, 2008, show that he would be going on vacation for the rest of the month as his contract withEntercom Communications (owner of WEEI) was set to expire on December 31, and that he was not sure if he would be returning to the air after his vacation. Ordway's contract negotiations may have been affected by Entercom financial problems—the company risked being delisted by theNew York Stock Exchange because its stock price had dipped below a dollar.[3]
In January 2009, it was announced that Ordway and Entercom had an agreement on a five-year contract that would pay Ordway $1 million per year.[4]
In September 2011, it was reported that Ordway's salary had been cut in half due to lower ratings, per his contract.[5] That month, WEEI began to simulcast its sports radio programming onFM, with the FM station adoptingWEEI-FM call letters on September 21.
On February 12, 2013, Ordway was let go from WEEI. He was replaced on the afternoon show byMike Salk, a Boston native previously doing sports radio in Seattle.
In November 2013, Ordway was announced as the host forThe Big Weekend Show with Glenn Ordway to air onSirius XM's Mad Dog Sports Radio; at that time, he also hinted at a possible 2014 return to Boston.[6]
On March 17, 2014, Ordward launchedThe Big Show Unfiltered on SportstalkBoston.com. Ordway broadcast on ESPN New Hampshire Radio Nashua/Manchester from June 2014 until May 2015.
In September 2015, Ordway returned to WEEI, joiningLou Merloni (a formerBoston Red Sox player) andChristian Fauria (a former New England Patriots player) for the station's mid-day program (commonly known asOMF per the first letters of their last names); the show moved to the afternoondrive time in July 2018.[7] Ordway remained with the show until his retirement.[7]
In June 2021, Ordway announced he would retire from WEEI-FM in August, but would continue to host Patriots postgame shows and would work on special projects with the station.[8]
Ordway grew up inLynn, Massachusetts, and graduated fromLynn Classical High School in 1968.[9] After attendingBoston University for a year, he graduated in 1972 from theAmerican Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City.[9] Intending to be an actor, he had a walk-on role in the 1970 movieThe Out-of-Towners and appeared in at least oneoff-Broadway play.[1] He later took a broadcasting course atNew York University.[9]
On March 3, 2008, Ordway called intoThe Big Show to explain that his wife had just given birth to a baby girl and both mother and daughter had suffered severe complications during delivery.[10]
Ordway has two children with his wife, Sarah. He also has three children from a previous marriage.[11]