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Eric Collins

Eric Collins is an sportscaster renowned for his energetic play-by-play announcing style, serving as the television voice of the NBA's Charlotte Hornets since 2015. Born in , , Collins developed his broadcasting career across multiple sports, beginning with at a CBS affiliate in , where he covered city council meetings, arsons, homicides, and severe weather events. He later transitioned to sports, working as a sideline reporter for the during Michael Jordan's second championships and as an in-game reporter for the . Collins expanded his portfolio with stints at the for five years, and football coverage on the , and freelance work with Fox Sports 1. Upon joining the Hornets, he replaced longtime broadcaster and quickly gained acclaim for his high-energy calls, particularly during the rookie season of , which amplified his national profile. Paired with analyst , Collins has become known for quirky catchphrases like "Hum Diddly Dee!" and emphatic exclamations such as "!", which have inspired fan merchandise and viral moments. His distinctive, authentic approach—eschewing imitation of other announcers to preserve his unique voice—has earned widespread praise, including being named a co-winner of the 2023 North Carolina Sportscaster of the Year award by the National Sports Media Association. In 2025, Collins and Curry expanded their reach by joining Amazon Prime Video's NBA broadcast team for select national games, while continuing their Hornets duties on FanDuel Sports Network Southeast. Players like P.J. Washington have lauded him as one of the league's top announcers for his passion in highlighting team momentum and exciting plays.

Early life and education

Early life

Eric Collins was born on June 16, 1969, in , . Grew up in the city, where his mother, a fervent supporter of local professional teams, helped develop his early fascination with sports. His mother's extensive knowledge of the , Indians, and led to regular conversations about games and players, fostering his particular enthusiasm for and as a young fan. In his high school years during the 1980s, Collins relocated to in pursuit of greater opportunities. This move marked a pivotal shift, as he discovered his passion for while calling a high school game for the first time. The experience highlighted his natural affinity for play-by-play narration, blending his love for the sport with an emerging talent for energetic commentary. As a teenager aspiring to enter broadcasting in the , Collins navigated significant hurdles, including a scarcity of in the field where opportunities for people of color remained limited. Despite these obstacles, his determination and early exposure to sports media laid the groundwork for his future pursuits. This period in transitioned into his formal at .

Education

Eric Collins graduated from in , with a in 1991. During his time there, he gained early exposure to sports through playing , which sparked his interest in the field. He then enrolled in Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, earning a in in 1992. The program offered hands-on training in radio production, sports reporting, and storytelling across platforms, building foundational skills in live announcing and narrative delivery that directly prepared him for professional broadcasting roles. This rigorous curriculum, emphasizing practical experiences in professional-grade facilities, honed his ability to engage audiences dynamically, a hallmark of his later career.

Broadcasting career

Early career

After graduating from in 1991, Eric Collins began his broadcasting career as a general assignment news reporter at a CBS affiliate in , around 1996, covering city council meetings, arsons, homicides, and weather events, before transitioning to sports announcing. He launched his sports play-by-play skills in with entry-level roles. His first professional assignment came shortly after entering sports, calling a high school game, which ignited his passion for live sports announcing. This initial experience emphasized the immediacy and energy required in local broadcasts, setting the foundation for his versatile approach. Collins quickly expanded into calling high school and college games across various sports, including basketball and football, to build practical expertise and maintain steady work in a competitive market. These grassroots opportunities allowed him to develop his distinctive style while navigating the demands of live commentary under tight production constraints. To sustain his career, he also entered minor professional sports announcing, notably serving as the play-by-play voice for the Schaumburg Flyers of the independent Northern League in the late 1990s, an expansion team that represented one of the lowest tiers of organized baseball. He later handled broadcasts for the Rochester Red Wings in Triple-A baseball, further sharpening his ability to capture game narratives in resource-limited environments. As a announcer in the early , Collins faced significant barriers to breaking into major markets, including systemic biases that limited access to high-profile auditions and roles typically reserved for more established voices. He endured repeated rejections and had to demonstrate exceptional versatility—covering , , , and at every level—to secure consistent opportunities and network effectively. Collins has reflected that this period required relentless persistence, as he lacked the same pathways available to many peers, yet his multifaceted work ethic enabled him to earn a living year-round while positioning himself for future advancement.

Chicago period

Eric Collins joined the broadcast team in 1997 as a sideline reporter, a role he held until 2002, providing in-game updates during the team's appearances and the final years of Jordan's tenure. This position allowed him to travel with the team and contribute to broadcasts amid the high-stakes atmosphere of Chicago's dynasty, including coverage of playoff runs that solidified his experience in professional sports media. Parallel to his Bulls work, Collins expanded into as a sideline and in-game reporter for the starting in the late , gradually transitioning to play-by-play duties. He provided occasional fill-in radio play-by-play duties for the team in 2004 and 2008. This work highlighted Collins' growing versatility, as he adapted his energetic delivery to baseball's pace while filling in for TV broadcasts during key games. Over roughly two decades in , from the mid-1990s to 2015, Collins built a robust portfolio with these flagship franchises, marking key milestones such as his contributions to Bulls postseason coverage. His time in the city refined his broadcasting approach through exposure to championship-caliber events, fostering a style that blended rapid narration with enthusiastic highlights, particularly evident in high-pressure moments like Bulls playoff sideline reports.

Charlotte Hornets role

In August 2015, Eric Collins was hired by Fox Sports Southeast (now FanDuel Sports Network Southeast) as the television play-by-play for the Hornets, succeeding longtime broadcaster , who shifted to radio duties. His extensive prior experience calling games positioned him as a strong candidate for the role. Collins debuted during the 2015–16 season, when the Hornets achieved a 48–34 record and secured their first playoff berth since 2010, advancing to the Eastern Conference First Round before a seven-game loss to the . He continued covering the team's rebuild, notably during LaMelo Ball's standout 2020–21 campaign, where Ball averaged 15.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 6.1 assists en route to NBA Rookie of the Year honors and a near-playoff push that ended with a 44–28 record amid the shortened season. Throughout his tenure, Collins has partnered primarily with analyst , a Hornets legend and father of , providing color commentary since the 2016–17 season; earlier broadcasts featured as an analyst. Key highlights include calling Ball's dramatic plays during the 2021–22 season, where the Hornets finished 43–39 and pushed for a play-in spot, and navigating the team's young core through injury challenges in subsequent years, such as the 2022–23 campaign led by Ball's performance before his season-ending ankle fracture. By the 2024–25 season, Collins marked his 10th year with the Hornets, continuing to broadcast amid the franchise's ongoing development around and emerging talents like , as the team aimed to end a playoff drought dating back to 2016. The Hornets finished the 2024–25 season with a 19–63 record and did not qualify for the .

Additional broadcasting work

Collins has pursued a diverse range of broadcasting assignments beyond his primary NBA duties, including play-by-play commentary for , his first game, professional , , and national NBA coverage. From 2009 through 2013, Collins served as the part-time television play-by-play voice for the , handling games broadcast outside and . Since the 2010s, Collins has served as a announcer for networks such as the and , covering games from major conferences including the Big Ten and Big 12. In 2010, he joined the to handle play-by-play for football and basketball contests, building on prior experience in the sport. With and FS1, he has continued this work into the 2020s, calling notable matchups such as Arizona at Houston in the Big 12 and Duke at Northwestern. In 2025, Collins achieved a long-held professional goal with his debut on , broadcasting the ' home game against the on October 5 alongside analyst . He described the opportunity as a "" item after 23 years in , noting its personal significance given the local matchup near his base. Collins entered professional softball broadcasting in 2020 as the play-by-play voice for Athletes Unlimited , partnering with analyst for the league's inaugural season and subsequent campaigns. He has called hundreds of softball games at professional, collegiate, and international levels, contributing to the sport's growing visibility through remote production and multi-territory distribution. As of 2025, Collins expanded into national NBA broadcasting by joining Amazon Prime Video's coverage team ahead of the 2025-26 season, where he provides play-by-play alongside announcers like Ian Eagle and Kevin Harlan. This role complements his Hornets position, allowing him to handle select high-profile games while prioritizing local broadcasts.

Broadcasting style and impact

Style characteristics

Eric Collins is renowned for his high-energy and excitable , characterized by animated calls that infuse games with enthusiasm and spontaneity. His delivery often features distinctive phrases such as "Hum diddly dee!" to celebrate explosive dunks or emphatic exclamations like "Oh my goodness!" during pivotal moments, creating a vibrant atmosphere that engages viewers. This approach sustains intensity throughout broadcasts, treating every possession as a potential highlight and avoiding subdued narration to maintain audience excitement. A key element of Collins' originality stems from his deliberate avoidance of listening to other announcers since 1999, a practice he maintains by watching games on mute to prevent unintentional mimicry and foster a uniquely personal voice. This self-imposed isolation has allowed him to develop a quirky, unfiltered style that stands apart from conventional play-by-play norms, emphasizing authenticity over imitation. Collins' emphasis on storytelling and historical context in his calls draws from his academic background as a history major at Northwestern University's , where he double-majored alongside journalism. This foundation informs his narrative-driven commentary, weaving player backgrounds, team legacies, and game implications into broadcasts to provide deeper context beyond mere action description. His history-informed perspective enables vivid portrayals of athletes, such as highlighting LaMelo Ball's flair in ways that connect personal stories to on-court drama. In adapting his style from earlier radio work to television, particularly with the Charlotte Hornets since 2015, Collins prioritizes visual cues and audience engagement, leveraging the medium's imagery to complement his vocal energy while ensuring calls remain accessible and immersive for home viewers. This shift allows him to synchronize exclamations with on-screen action, enhancing the overall viewing experience without relying solely on as in radio.

Reception and notable moments

Eric Collins' broadcasting has earned widespread fan acclaim for its high-energy delivery, particularly in capturing the excitement of Charlotte Hornets games. Supporters have highlighted his calls through viral compilations, such as a 13-minute YouTube video from December 2024 assembling his most iconic moments, which describes him as a "national treasure" and has garnered over 70,000 views. This enthusiasm extends to social media clips of his reactions to standout plays, amplifying his popularity among NBA audiences. As one of Black play-by-play announcers in the NBA, Collins has been recognized for breaking barriers in a field with limited . A 2020 Andscape article profiled him as the league's only primary Black TV play-by-play voice at the time, where he shared the isolation of being the sole non-former player of color in broadcast meetings, stating, “It’s uncomfortable to me… you notice when you’re the only guy of color that is not a former player who is holding a microphone.” He emphasized the value of his perspective, noting, “I’ve always believed that being different was good,” and called for greater hiring to reflect the league's 75% Black player demographic. This recognition underscores his impact on increasing visibility for underrepresented voices in sports media. Among his notable calls, Collins' enthusiasm peaked during LaMelo Ball's 2020-21 rookie season, which he described as career-defining, with vivid reactions to Ball's creative plays like half-court lobs and unconventional shots that went viral on platforms such as and . In the 2022 playoffs against the , his animated narration of key Hornets moments, including clutch scoring runs, contributed to fan compilations celebrating the team's energy. In 2025, Collins joined Video's NBA broadcast team for select games, where his energetic style has been praised for bringing individuality to national coverage. Collins has received professional accolades, including being named a finalist for and co-winning the 2023 North Carolina Sportscaster of the Year award from the National Sports Media Association.

Personal life

Family

Eric Collins is married to his wife, whose name is not publicly disclosed, and together they have two daughters. As of 2021, his daughters were ages 15 and 12. In 2009, while living in , Collins and his wife were raising two small daughters. When Collins joined the Hornets as play-by-play announcer in 2015, his family relocated from , where they had deep roots and initially resisted the move—Collins later recalled bringing them "kicking and screaming." However, the family quickly adapted to life in , with Collins noting in 2025 that they now prefer it to for its amenities, milder weather, and less traffic, stating no one would consider returning. The family has settled in .

Residence and interests

Eric Collins relocated to , in 2015 upon joining the Charlotte Hornets as their play-by-play announcer, and he has resided there continuously since that time. As of 2025, Collins remains based in the city, where he has expressed no intention of leaving despite expanding his national broadcasting opportunities. A native of , , Collins maintains strong ties to his hometown through his fandom of local sports teams, including the , Cavaliers, and Guardians. His loyalty to the Browns, in particular, was evident during his first broadcast in 2025, where he openly identified as a dedicated supporter while calling a game. This passion for Cleveland athletics persists even as he professionally covers teams in the . In his , Collins prioritizes originality in his craft by avoiding exposure to other sports broadcasts, a practice he has followed since 1999 by never turning on the audio of televised games. He also values family-oriented activities, balancing his demanding schedule with quality time at home in .

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