Jon Champion
Jon Champion (born 23 May 1965 in Harrogate, England) is a TV and radio sports commentator.
Jon Champion began his career as a commentator and reporter for BBC Radio York, moving to BBC Radio Leeds in 1988 and then on to BBC Radio 2 network sport. In the early 90's he joined BBC Radio Five Live as a part of their football commentary team working alongside the likes of Mike Ingham and Alan Green, and fronting his own radio programme, Champion Sport.
In 1995, while the BBC's John Motson was taking a sabbatical, Champion made his commentary debut on television for Match of the Day, commentating on Coventry v Nottingham Forest in the Premiership. The following year, he made the switch permanently, and became an important part of the BBC's football team. As well as regularly covering the Premiership and FA Cup for the network, Champion also commentated on the World Cup in 1998 - where, among other things, he was trusted as the BBC's commentator for Argentina v England - and Euro 2000.
In 2001, the TV rights for Premiership highlights changed hands moving to ITV, and Champion made the swtich too. In his first season on ITV, Champion was the live match commentator at the League Cup Final (Blackburn v Tottenham), and has covered every League Cup Final for ITV since. He has also commentated on many matches across the Premiership, Football League, and UEFA Champions League. In addition, he was part of the ITV team for the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan, and Euro 2004, where he again had the privilege of commentating on one of England's matches at the tournement. Champion is still with ITV now, and was recently in Germany as part of ITV's World Cup 2006 team. On 19th October 2006 Champion could be heard on five commentating with John Barnes at the UEFA Cup tie (Beşiktaş vs Tottenham Hotspur).
Although underrated by some, Champion is arguably one of the best football commentators on television at the present time. Eloquent and with a distinctive commentating voice, Champion also sticks to the great commentary tradition of impartiality, and avoids some of the excesses of his contemporaries.
Amusing Quotes
A regular figure in Private Eye's Colemanballs, below are a few memorable lines :
- "A full-blooded encounter for a number of reasons, many of them illegitimate."
- "They seem to be in total, if not complete control"
- "Victor Hernandez, like an orchestral conductor directing his troops..."
- "Two late goals, both in the last twenty minutes..."
- "There’s 30 minutes gone and we’re in the first quarter of the game."