Bob Socci
Bob Socci

98.5 The Sports Hub announced today that Bob Socci  (pronounced SO-See) will be the new radio voice of the New England Patriots, replacing the legendary Gil Santos.

Socci has been the radio voice of Navy football for the last 16 years and also was the lead voice

CBS Sports Network’s Patriot League college basketball telecasts.

The Navy and CBS connections surely could not have hurt Socci’s chances.

The news was first reported by Chad Finn of the Boston Globe.

Somewhere, Gary Tanguay and Jon Meterparel weep bitterly…

BOB SOCCI NAMED PLAY-BY-PLAY ANNOUNCER FOR THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS ON 98.5 THE SPORTS HUB

AND THE PATRIOTS RADIO NETWORK

Socci joins color commentator Scott Zolak in the booth for

98.5 The Sports Hub, the official flagship station of the three-time

Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots

Boston, MA – April 24, 2013 –  Veteran sportscaster and play-by-play broadcaster Bob Socci has been named the radio play-by-play announcer for the New England Patriots on 98.5 The Sports Hub (WBZ-FM), the official flagship radio station of the three-time Super Bowl champion New England Patriots.  Socci will join color commentator Scott Zolak in the booth to provide in-depth analysis of every Patriots game.  Socci replaces the renowned Gil Santos, who retired after the 2012 season after 36 seasons of calling Patriots games.  Socci’s appointment is effective immediately, according to an announcement made earlier today by Mike Thomas, Vice President of Programming for CBS RADIO Boston.

“Bob has more than 16 years of play-by-play experience,” said Thomas. “We were impressed with his extensive work and expertise calling various football and baseball games and he’s a local guy with great knowledge of the Patriots.  No doubt, Bob has big shoes to fill, but we are excited about this new era of play-by-play with Bob and Scott.”

“This is the thrill of a lifetime to get the opportunity from 98.5 The Sports Hub and the Patriots organization to continue the tradition established by the legendary Gil Santos to be the play-by-play announcer for the New England Patriots,” said Socci about his new role.  “I look forward to teaming up with Scott in the booth and building on The Sports Hub’s great success.”

For the past 16 years, Socci has called radio play-by-play for the U.S. Naval Academy football team. He is also the lead announcer for CBS Sports Network’s coverage of Patriot League college basketball.  Socci resides in Milton, MA with his wife, Monique Tello, and two children, Gio and Maria.

In addition to being the official flagship station for the New England Patriots, 98.5 The Sports Hub is also the official flagship station of the Boston Bruins and the New England Revolution.

Boston’s 98.5 The Sports Hub is owned by CBS RADIO, a division of CBS Corporation.  CBS RADIO, one of the largest major-market radio operators in the United States, operates 126 radio stations, the majority of which are in the top 50 markets, including Boston’s WBMX-FM (MIX 104.1), WBZ-AM (NewsRadio 1030), WBZ-FM (98.5 The Sports Hub), WODS-FM (103.3 AMP Radio) and WZLX-FM (Classic Rock 100.7).

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Here is an interview with Socci talking about working the Patriot League telecasts for CBS Sports Network.

You can learn more about Socci at his personal website, and follow him on Twitter @BobSocci

Bob Socci Named Patriots Radio Play-By-Play Announcer On 98.5 The Sports Hub – CBSBoston.

Published by Bruce Allen

Automattician.

27 thoughts on “Navy Football Voice Bob Socci Is The New #Patriots Voice”

  1. Bob Socci has a Youtube account with a bit on there, along with his blog, but if you want to hear what his calls are like, here’s one from his work with Navy:

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  3. Very happy that it isn’t Tanguay or Meterparel. The former doesn’t have any big-time play-by-play experience and is among the worse at throwing stuff against the wall and seeing what sticks. And I don’t find him to be overly likable. Meterparel has a decent set of pipes, but he is best suited to calling a slower sport like baseball.

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    1. You like Meterparel’s voice? I thought it was one of the worst in Boston. Only nasally John Rish’s was worse (though I liked what he had to say).

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  4. Good Hire.

    Really wish a change would happen with the pre&post radio program. It’s bar none, the worst in the league. Without Zolak contributing, it’s braindead sports radio with a disc jockey and in-over-his head, wannabe “expert”…cough. It’s simply a shockingly bad product considering it represents the premier franchise in professional sports.

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    1. Agree completely, especially the post-game. When the Pats first went to FM, it was fantastic. Just the host (it might have even been Oedipus on WBCN) and Pete Brock talking about the game. No yelling. No made up opinions. And best of all, no callers. Today, it’s no different than any other program on 98.5

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      1. It was Brock and Tim Fox. Then they had to go ruin it and inflict Tanguay and Gresch on us.

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        1. The current hosts are pathetic, and the local “guests” provide more of the same inane drivel they spew on their weekly spots. Breer and his minny-me Gasper don’t bring breaking news on actives or injury, instead, cross-over to “analyst” where neither is qualified to contribute.

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        2. Maybe they changed, but I think Bill Abbatte was the first host, at least. I liked him quite a bit. As the others have said, no pretensions at all.

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      2. Agree. I listen to the visiting teams pre/postgame product. Insight and analysis is non-existent without somebody who’s been in the fire.

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      3. Jon,
        I think it was Bill Abbate on WBCN. I always liked him because he seemed like a regular guy who liked football & the Pats. Just talked the game & no dramatic BS.

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  5. Somewhere, instead of saying “YAAAAAAAAA”, Tanguay is saying “NOOOOOOO”, and Meter is balled up in a fetal position saying, “Take a Bow!”

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    1. I’m waiting for Tanguay to say in one of those SportsTonight previews they show on CSNNE at 4:30 or so,

      “I’ve got something special for you guys at 6:30..”

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  6. I’ve never heard of him, but he sounds great in that Youtube clip that Bruce provided. Very glad it’s not one of the local guys.

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  7. If they picked Meter, Zolak would have spent half the broadcast giving him noogies. Way too big of a nerd.
    Bill Abbate used to do the pre-game on BCN, and that was so much better than the current Ted Baxter/Fat Loudmouth combo.

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  8. The best part is that it wasn’t one of the ‘entitled’ sports media hacks from this region. I’m sure they’ll all give Socci the cold shoulder, in a ‘You’re-Not-One-of-US’ way.

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  9. great choice. was really hoping they wouldn’t screw this up and they didn’t. Tanguay is brutal.

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  11. Add me to the list that considers the pre and post game on 98.5 to be unlistenable. Is this the domain of Jonathan Kraft? If so it’s been a terrible decision to put on Tanguay and Gresh. Abbate, Brock, and Fox were great to listen to. Amazing actually. I found myself longing for Pete Sheppard doing post games on WEEI so I wouldn’t have to listen to Tanguay and Gresh. Sadly WEEI had Butch Sterns who is worse than Tanguay, which is nearly impossible. Sterns, Tanguay, and Gresh think they’re the show. They’re not. Who likes that crap?

    Also Zolak stinks doing color. He’s in over his head.

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    1. I agree with everything you said, but for Zolak, who I think has been good. As for Tanguay, I’ll TAKE this trade-off versus the NASTY rumors that he was gonna be the PBP.

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      1. Flynn would be a massive upgrade compared to Gresh. Selfishly, I’d like Zolak back on pre and post as I happen to think that with this team, BB and 12, he’s more tuned it then anybody in the market. The whole thing is a shame. I really like the pre-game buildup to an NFL game with inactives&injuries playing such a fascinating role, only to be ruined by two guys who belong doing HS games on the South Shore.

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      2. I agree, Cory. I think Zo’s done a good job overall as color man. He’s one of the more honest and informative guys out there. Some former athletes *cough* shannonsharpe *cough* are wild and talk in circles. Others, like Joe Montana, are too relaxed or unwilling to criticize anyone. Zolak’s closer to Sharpe than to Montana, but he doesn’t carry on too much and I learn things from him.

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  13. So i hear the name Bob Socci and it’s a name i’ve never heard of and i
    immediately think that the Patriots cheaped out again and got this guy instead
    of McDonough. And that’s probably the case but this new guy…just listened to a
    bunch of his calls and I have to say that he sounds excellent and he should do
    very well.

    And thank the lord that it’s not Tanguay or Meter.

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  14. Have to agree with everyone else that it’s a good hire for the Pats simply because of who it wasn’t. I will be interested in hearing whether Socci and Zolak can develop a good chemistry on air, particularly with Socci being more polished and deliberate contrasting with Zolak’s off-the-cuff style.
    Speaking of play-by-play announcers, Mike Lynch had Sean Grande on his Sunday night sports show and broke the news that Grande will be filling in for Dave O’Brien on selected Red Sox games once the Celtics season is over. While Lynch made it out to be a big deal, methinks this is simply another money-saving move by Entercom, finding someone in house to help fill the hole caused by Jon Rish’s departure. No doubt Entercom and the Sox would rather have someone like Grande who can spell Joe Castiglione for a few innings when O’Brien is out, as opposed to Lou Merloni working color for nine innings with Joe (apparently John Ryder will be strictly doing pre and postgame).

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