Gary Bender — Behind the Mic: A Legendary Voice in Sports Broadcasting

Gary Bender — legendary sportscaster, former voice of the Phoenix Suns and voice behind countless iconic NFL, NBA, MLB and NCAA games — joins us on th Identity Sports Podcast to reflect on his storied career, faith, and what it truly means to call the game.In this episode, Gary shares: • 📺 His early days broadcasting games from a tractor on his family’s farm in Ulysses, Kansas • 🏀 His time at CBS Sports calling March Madness—including the legendary 1982-84 Final Fours and a front-row seat to Michael Jordan’s first championship shot • 🏟️ Transition to ABC Sports, TNT, and eventually 18 years as the voice of the Phoenix Suns — along with behind-the-scenes stories from decades in professional sports broadcasting • 🎙️ His philosophy on broadcasting: preparation, respect for the athlete, the power of storytelling — and being “blessed” to do what he loved every day Plus, check out his new book "Beyond the Call" available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Call-Gary-Bender/dp/B0FLWTF2TDFollow our socials to stay connected:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/identitysports_official/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/identitysportsofficial/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@identitysportsSubscribe ➤ Never miss an episode — hit that subscribe button & turn on notifications!#GaryBender #SportsBroadcasting #PhoenixSuns #NBA #NFL #CBSSports #MarchMadness #BehindTheMic #Podcast