Rowdy Gaines has announced via Instagram that he will retire from commentating after the 2028 LA Olympics. Gaines has been the commentator for NBC since the 1996 Atlanta Games.
“I’m still here! Don’t forget to watch Open Water swimming starting on 8/8-8/9 with the amazing Mary Carillo on @peacock ! And yes, @la28games will be my last, so please continue to support swimming with Worlds, NCAA, Nationals, and so so so much more! Cause after 2028, I’m riding off into the sunset of full time grandparent!”
Gaines has covered every Olympic Games for NBC since 1996. In addition to working at the Olympics, he also commentates on the NCAA Championships, US Olympic Trials, and World Championships.
Gaines swam collegiately with Auburn University and won back to back NCAA titles in both the 100 and 200 freestyles in 1980 and 1981. He graduated with a degree in communications in 1981. He was originally seen as a gold medal contender for the 1980 Olympics in Moscow but the US boycotted those Games so he was unable to earn gold then.
Four years later, he went on to represent the US at the 1984 LA Olympics, winning gold in the men’s 100 free, men’s 4×100 free relay, and men’s 4×100 medley relay. His career will come to a close in a full circle moment, with the Games also being in LA for his last Olympics.
He currently is 65 years old so by 2028, he will be 69 years old. He and his wife Judy have four daughters and three granddaughters.
If you’ve been around the tv producers before a meet, you begin to understand why Rowdy announces the way he does. The PA announcers USA Swimming uses that you hear on the webcast in prelims just call the races with some nice help from the data team. It’s really enjoyable to listen to. NBC wants Rowdy to tell a story. It’s where he gets over scripted and as a result sometimes misses what is happening when the actual race goes off script. When you really understand that, you think about the job he does differently. Even if you don’t like it, you understand it better.
There are few people in the sport who promote the sport as passionately as… Read more »
” It’s where he gets over scripted and as a result sometimes misses what is happening when the actual race goes off script “.
Yes too sad he missed the final of Milak-Marchand in the 200 fly in the Paris olympics.
Get Gold Medal Mel in there
His coverage from 2010 Pan Pacs with swim network was great. Listen to him cover the Men’s 4×100 Free
Petition to get NBC to hire Livestream Andy as Rowdy’s replacement?
Charles Barkely is available….
Let’s get Cotton and Pepper from Dodgeball and televise swimming on ESPN the Ocho!
This has to be the absolute pinnacle of his career…..
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-a_EeLOxUT/?igsh=ajJyaXUxazE5ZmVn
Sockwell!!!!!
Rowdy’s enthusiasm will absolutely be missed, but I hope that whoever gets the job next will let the race dictate the commentary, rather than a pre-determined narrative. Too many instances where Rowdy has already decided that 2 swimmers are the ones that matter, and when another swimmer is in the mix, they aren’t even talked about until the race is over and Rowdy yells about how nobody could’ve seen that coming.