Getty Philadelphia 76ers owner Josh Harris speaks at the unveiling of a sculpture honoring Sixers legend Charles Barkley in 2019.
September 23, 2021 officially marks the day that the Philadelphia 76ers‘ broadcast team made what could be considered a historic addition. Per an announcement from NBC Sports Philadelphia, Kate Scott has been named the Sixers’ new play-by-play announcer.
The veteran broadcaster replaces the outgoing Marc Zumoff, who retired from calling games earlier this year after 27 years and over 2,100 games as the voice of pro hoops in Philly.
“I will pass the baton on to the next television voice of the Philadelphia 76ers, doing so with peace of mind and a heart that couldn’t be more full,” Zumoff wrote in June.
Scott is just the second female to land a gig as a full-time, play-by-play announcer for a major men’s professional sports team. Earlier this month, the Milwaukee Bucks made Lisa Byington the first woman to assume such a role.
Scott on Her Dream Job
In the official release, Scott made it clear that her new post with the Sixers isn’t just another job to her. It’s one of the defining moments of her 13-plus years in sports media. She also namechecked a Philly icon as a source of inspiration during her childhood.
“Being the voice of the 76ers is a dream come true,” she said. “As a kid playing hoops alone in my driveway, I actually used to imagine I was Allen Iverson; the clock would wind down in my head, people would scream, ‘You’re too small! You don’t belong!’ But I’d fade away, hit the shot, and the crowd in my mind would go wild.”
Scott continued:
“To now get the opportunity to be the voice of that team is incredible, and I look forward to earning the respect and trust of the phenomenal city of Philadelphia, and 76ers fans everywhere, one call and one game at a time.”
Sixers President of Business Operations Chris Heck was similarly excited about Scott’s hiring. “Kate’s energy, passion and tremendous knowledge of the game of basketball made her the ideal candidate to usher in a new era of 76ers basketball on NBC Sports Philadelphia,” he said.
“We’re thrilled that she’ll call our city home and look forward to the lasting connections and memories she’ll make with the best fans in sports. Kate and Alaa [Abdelnaby] are a dynamic broadcast pairing that 76ers fans will enjoy watching on the call this season and beyond.”
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Scott’s Sixers turn isn’t the first time the Berkely grad has made history. Really, it’s just the latest in a series of groundbreaking moves that she has made throughout her career.
As noted on her official website, Scott was also the first woman to call men’s basketball at the Olympics, the first to call a Golden State Warriors game and the first to call an NFL game on the radio. She was also the play-by-play announcer for the first-ever all-female NHL broadcast in the US.
In addition to the aforementioned exploits, Scott also called Copa América and Gold Cup soccer matches for Fox Sports and spent five years with the Pac-12 Network, calling football, basketball, soccer, volleyball and softball. She acted as a reporter, anchor and hosted the features show Our Stories, as well.
Before her time on the Pac, Scott spent six years as the first full-time female voice on KNBR 680 AM in the Bay Area.
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Sixers Make Groundbreaking Addition to Broadcast Team