Net Worth Ranker
What Is John Sterling’s Net Worth?
John Sterling, a well-known American sportscaster, has accumulated a net worth of approximately $2 million. This figure reflects his long and successful career, primarily as the radio play-by-play announcer for the New York Yankees. His financial standing is a testament to his dedication and enduring presence in the sports broadcasting world.
John Sterling’s Salary Details
During his tenure with the New York Yankees, John Sterling’s annual salary was $500,000. This substantial income reflects his integral role as the voice of the Yankees for over three decades. His compensation aligns with his popularity and the value he brought to the team’s broadcasting operations.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Born John Sloss in New York City on July 4, 1938, John Sterling’s journey to becoming a legendary sportscaster began in his childhood on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. While specific details about his early life earnings or family wealth remain private, his initial pursuit of higher education included brief stints at Moravian College in Pennsylvania, Boston University in Massachusetts, and Columbia University in New York. However, Sterling’s passion for radio led him to leave school and start his career at a local radio station in Wellsville, New York. The exact figures from his early roles are not publicly available, but these initial steps laid the foundation for his future success.
Career Trajectory
Sterling’s career took off with his first major sportscasting job in Baltimore, where he served as the play-by-play announcer for the NBA’s Baltimore Bullets during the 1970-71 season. Following this, he became a talk show host on New York station WMCA, also announcing Morgan State University football games. In New York, he voiced multiple teams, including the WHA’s Raiders, the NHL’s Islanders, the WFL’s Stars, and the ABA/NBA’s Jets. Furthermore, he had a brief stint with the Yankees as a pregame host on WMCA and WINS. Specific income figures from these early roles are not publicly documented. In the early 1980s, Sterling moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where he hosted a sports call-in program on WSB and covered Braves and Hawks games for Turner Sports. Specific contract values or annual earnings during his time in Atlanta are not publicly available, but the experience was crucial in shaping his broadcasting style.
The Iconic Yankees Years
John Sterling’s return to New York in 1989 to broadcast Yankees games on WABC marked a pivotal moment in his career. He became the iconic voice of the team, calling 5,060 consecutive Yankees games until taking four days off in the summer of 2019 during his birthday. Over the years, Sterling partnered with several sportscasters, including Suzyn Waldman, Jay Johnstone, Michael Kay, Charley Steiner, and Joe Angel. In 2013, he moved to WFAN to continue covering the team. While the exact terms of his contracts with WABC and WFAN are not fully disclosed, his $500,000 annual salary during his Yankees tenure indicates his substantial value to the broadcasting team. In addition to announcing live Yankees games, Sterling also hosts the Emmy Award-winning YES Network series “Yankeeography,” chronicling the lives and careers of Yankees players, coaches, and personnel. The specific financial compensation for hosting “Yankeeography” is not publicly known, but it adds to his overall income. He also had a nightly commentary feature on WCBS called “Sterling on Sports,” further contributing to his earnings. His role in emceeing several of the team’s pregame ceremonies and partnering with Michael Kay to emcee major off-field Yankees events, including the 2000 ticker-tape parade celebrating the team’s World Series win, also enhanced his profile and likely contributed to his income, though specific figures are not available.
Announcing Style and Additional Activities
John Sterling is known for his unorthodox announcing style, which has both captivated and divided listeners. His distinctive personality and unique characterization of plays have made him a memorable figure in sports broadcasting. Sterling’s catchphrases, such as “It is high, it is far, it is gone!” for home runs and “Ballgame over! Yankees win! Theeeeeee Yankees win!” for Yankees victories, have become iconic. Beyond baseball, Sterling announced the Kitten Bowl on the Hallmark Channel from 2013 to 2017. The exact financial compensation for his role in the Kitten Bowl is not publicly available, but it added to his diverse broadcasting portfolio. In late 2018, he returned to NBA announcing to call a game between the Brooklyn Nets and the Atlanta Hawks on the YES Network. Any specific one-time earnings from this event are not documented.
Personal Life
John Sterling was married to Jennifer from 1996 until their divorce in 2008. Together, they had four children, including triplets. A resident of Edgewater, New Jersey, Sterling was among the hundreds of people displaced in early 2015 when a fire destroyed the Avalon at Edgewater complex. Specific financial losses incurred due to the fire are not publicly detailed. In 2021, he was stranded in his car a mile from his home by flooding from Hurricane Ida and was rescued by fellow Edgewater resident and Yankees broadcaster Rickie Ricardo. Any specific costs or financial impacts associated with this event are not publicly available. These personal events, while significant, do not directly impact the publicly known figures of John Sterling’s net worth or annual income.
