Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame 2022: Ross Greenburg, Architect of the HBO Sports Storytelling Dynasty

Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame 2022: Ross Greenburg, Architect of the HBO Sports Storytelling Dynasty By Jason Dachman, Chief Editor

Friday, December 9, 2022 - 8:54 am

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Leading up to the 2022 Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame ceremony on Dec. 13 at the New York Hilton, SVG is profiling the nine inductees in this year's class. For more information, CLICK HERE.

The iconic HBO Sports brand is built on superior storytelling. With compelling historical documentaries, groundbreaking behind-the-scenes docuseries, first-rate broadcast journalism, and the biggest fights in boxing, HBO Sports - echoing the network's slogan - has made a name for itself based on one philosophy: It's not sports. It's HBO Sports. And perhaps no one has played a larger role in creating that culture of excellence than Ross Greenburg.

Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer and on-air talent Bob Costas sums it up: The depth and quality of the programming Ross Greenburg created and oversaw at HBO Sports remains the gold standard.

During a 33-year career at HBO, Greenburg redefined and reinvigorated the genre of sports documentaries, while also maintaining HBO Sports' status as boxing's preeminent destination for high-profile fights. During his time at HBO Sports - where he served as VP and executive producer (1985-90), SVP and EP (1990-2000), and president (2000-11) - he helped create HBO's sprawling library of unforgettable sports documentaries, the trailblazing NFL Hard Knocks and the 24/7 all-access docuseries, hard-hitting broadcast-journalism shows like Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel and On the Record With Bob Costas, and beloved feature films 61 and Miracle (released on HBO and in theaters, respectively).

Since departing HBO in 2011, he has continued to solidify that storytelling legacy through the production of dozens of award-winning sports documentaries at his production company, Ross Greenburg Productions (RGP). Among his 100 major television-sports honors, Greenburg has earned eight Peabodys, 56 Sports Emmys, one Primetime Emmy, 21 Cable ACE awards, 12 Cine Golden Eagle awards, and five Video Tape Production Association Monitor awards.

I always respected Ross's judgment, the team approach he fostered throughout our department, and the empathy he had for his entire staff, says former HBO Sports SVP/Executive Producer Rick Bernstein, who worked alongside Greenburg for more than 30 years. I don't believe there has ever been a department at HBO that was as close and collaborative as the men and women at HBO Sports, which is reflective of Ross, one of the most genuine and innovative executives in sports television.

Die-Hard Sports Fan - With a Sentimental Streak Greenburg grew up in Scarsdale, NY, constantly playing sports and watching as many games on television as he could. He attended Jets games with his father (at 13, Greenburg was on hand for Joe Namath's legendary performance in Super Bowl III) and played football through high school. Meanwhile, his mother instilled a unique sense of humanity in him.

Ross Greenburg's first sports production was as a PA for ABC Sports at the 1974 U.S. Open, colloquially known as The Massacre at Winged Foot'

I think that's why I'm a crier to this day, he says. I feel a deep sense of connection to people in an emotional way, and that came from my mom, who was just an amazing human being. I was the type of kid who would hear Jim McKay delivering his flowery monologues [during] those Olympics [broadcasts] and start getting tears in my eyes. Even then, I knew that I had a special appreciation for the drama of sports.

His start in the business came courtesy of childhood friend and classmate Kyle Gifford, son of former NFL star and Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer Frank Gifford. After Kyle and Ross graduated from high school, the ABC announcer got them gigs as production assistants at the 1974 U.S. Open at Winged Foot Golf Club (Greenburg's childhood home looked out at the 15th hole).

It was like Disneyland for me, he recounts. That's when I caught the bug.

Growing Up at ABC Sports He attended Brown University but never strayed far from sports production, working as an assistant writer for the sports news director at WPRI-TV Providence. Following his junior year, he and Kyle spent the summer traversing the Northeast working as PAs on a variety of ABC Sports productions - including Monday Night Baseball, preseason Monday Night Football, and Wide World of Sports - and golf tournaments for CBS Sports.

I got to see so many of the greats in action: Chuck Howard, Chet Forte, Dennis Lewin, and that great group of legendary production executives, says Greenburg. That summer is when I knew for sure that I wanted to do this as a career.

Before starting his illustrious career at HBO Sports, Ross Greenburg broke into the business as a PA with ABC Sports

Graduating with a degree in political science in 1977, Greenburg became a full-time freelancer for ABC Sports. After working baseball and golf throughout the summer and college football in the fall, he found himself running graphics for the 1977 World Series, which included Reggie Jackson's legendary three-home-run Game 6.

I was having the time of my life, Greenburg recalls. But, when the time came for [ABC to make hires], I didn't get the staff job I was hoping for. So I went to the library searching for a source book on television networks with sports, which, at the time, was just ABC, CBS, and NBC; after that you were out of luck. But I found this cable source book, and in it was a network called Home Box Office.

Catching On at a Fledgling HBO Greenburg had known of HBO, which carried Knicks and Rangers games from Madison Square Garden beginning in the early '70s, but it was still

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