Damon Bruce | |
|---|---|
 Damon Bruce at theSan Jose State football homecoming pre-game event in 2012. | |
| Born | Damon Matthew Bruce (1975-03-25)25 March 1975 (age 49) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Indiana University Bloomington |
| Career | |
| Show | Damon, Ratto, and Kolsky Show |
| Station | KGMZ |
| Time slot | Weekdays, 2:00 - 6:00 p.m.PST |
| Style | Sports radio host |
| Country | United States |
Damon Matthew Bruce (born March 25, 1975)[1] is an Americansports radio host who hosted theDamon and Ratto (withRay Ratto) onKGMZ-FM "95.7 the Game" inSan Francisco, California. The Duo was replaced in a station shuffle in March 2023.
AnIndiana University Bloomington graduate, Bruce began his radio career in the late 1990s as a producer withKNBR in San Francisco. He later hostedSports Overnight America and became a reporter for theESPN Radio andSporting News Radio networks. After stints inColumbus, Ohio andFort Wayne, Indiana, Bruce re-joined KNBR 680 in 2005 to hostSportsphone 680. From 2010 to 2014, Bruce hosted an afternoon talk show on KNBR's sister station KTCT "KNBR 1050" and joinedCBS Sports Radio in 2013. Bruce also hosted pre-game and post-game shows for KNBR coverage ofSan Francisco 49ers andSan Francisco Giants games. At the end of March 2014, he joined 95.7 the Game as the weekday late afternoon host.[2]
Bruce was born inChicago,Illinois and grew up inSchenectady, New York.[3] He attendedLinton High School and graduated fromNotre Dame-Bishop Gibbons High School of Schenectady in 1993. After attendingIona College for a year, Bruce transferred toIndiana University Bloomington and graduated with a degree inbroadcasting in 1997.[4][5][6][7]
Bruce was a producer withKNBR 680 ofSan Francisco before leaving in 2000 to be a host onSports Overnight America. Bruce later became an anchor-reporter forESPN Radio andESPN International.[8][9] Later, he was a fill-in host onFox Sports Radio andSporting News Radio.[9] Until December 2004, Bruce co-hosted afternoon drive-time showThe Big Show withKirk Herbstreit onColumbus, Ohio sports station1460 the Fan.[10][11] In March 2005, Bruce became morning announcer at news/talk stationWOWO ofFort Wayne, Indiana before rejoining KNBR as host of evening showSportsphone 680 in October 2005.[8][12][13]
| Genre | Sports |
|---|---|
| Running time | 4 hours (3 to 7 p.m.PT) |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Language(s) | English |
| Home station | KNBR October 2005 - Feb 2010KTCT (March 1, 2010–March 10, 2014) KGMZ (March 31, 2014 - March 9, 2023) |
| Hosted by | Damon Bruce |
| Recording studio | San Francisco, California |
| Original release | March 1, 2010 |
| Opening theme | "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine" byThe Killers[14] |
| Website | www |
| Podcast | media |
After leavingSportsPhone 680, Bruce began hosting the noon-3 p.m.The Damon Bruce Show on sister stationKTCT "KNBR 1050" on March 1, 2010.[15] For a few weeks in 2011, Bruce returned to KNBR 680 to co-host the 9 a.m. to noon show withGary Radnich.[16] after a month Bruce returned to his show on 1050 and former SportsPhone680 host Larry Krueger began co-hosting with Gary. On the Damon Bruce show, Bruce comments on Bay Area and national sports and interviews journalists, athletes, and coaches.
During theSan Francisco Giants's championship season in2012, the team revoked Bruce's press credentials for the postseason. The Giants were unhappy that Bruce had tweeted revealing photos he had taken of women in T-shirts wet from champagne during a clubhouse celebration after they clinched their division.[17][18]
In November 2013, Bruce delivered an eight-minute rant accusing the increased prevalence of women in sports journalism and discussion for, among other things, fostering public criticism of accused Miami Dolphins football playerRichie Incognito, who wasaccused of bullying teammateJonathan Martin.[19] Beginning by acknowledging his words would be seen as misogynist, but that he was "so right," Bruce stated that "there are very few, a small handful, of women who are any good at this at all," and proclaimed "you see, I'm willing to share my sandbox as long as you're willing to remember: You're in my box." His comments generated a storm of media controversy and public outcry, culminating in his temporary suspension from KNBR 1050's "The Damon Bruce Show," and being stripped of his job broadcasting duringSan Francisco 49ers pre-game shows.[20]
Bruce's last show on KTCT was on March 10, 2014. The following day, competing stationKGMZ "95.7 the Game" announced that Bruce would become the 3-7 p.m. host effective March 31.[21][22]
On March 9, 2023, Bruce was let go byKGMZ "95.7 the Game" in an apparent cost-cutting move by Audacy.[23]
Bruce joined theCBS Sports Radio network in 2013 as host of a weekly baseball talk show that premiered on April 20,Eye on Baseball. The show aired on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon (Eastern).[24] Following from noon to 2 p.m. was a national version ofThe Damon Bruce Show. These shows ended in August 2013, and in January 2014, Bruce returned to CBS Sports Radio in the Saturday 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. (Eastern) time slot. Bruce left CBS Sports Radio after leaving KTCT, a CBS Sports Radio affiliate.
Damon is the halftime host of2K Sports' video gameNBA 2K11,NBA 2K12,NBA 2K13 andNBA 2K14.[citation needed]
Bruce is also the play-by-play voice for the video game,The Bigs, released in June 2007 by2K Sports.[25][26]
The Bigs 2 was released on July 7, 2009. Bruce returns as theplay-by-play announcer.[27]
Speaking of WOWO, Damon Bruce, one of its daytime announcers, left last week to take a job as host of a radio sports talk show in the San Francisco area.