Stephen Gutierrez EDINBURG – Now taking over as Premier Broadcast Talent for UTRGV Athletics, Bryan Smith will serve as the voice for four athletic programs at the university.
Smith took over his former broadcast partner of eleven years and play-by-play announcer, Jonah Goldberg, after his recent departure.
He worked together with Goldberg on soccer and volleyball broadcasts but has also served as a regular color commentator for basketball and backup announcer for baseball.
The broadcaster said his new role will not change his broadcast approach, but rather just how much he needs to know.
“As a play-by-play person, you have to know what’s happening for both teams,” he said. “Calling what’s happening, having an understanding of what each team is trying to do, what makes them successful, what they may struggle with. As the color analyst, I kind of had the joy of just being able to watch what was happening and comment on what I saw and what I thought that meant for their success.”
In addition to his experience at UTRGV, Smith also performed these roles for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers and the RGV FC Toros.
However, he said that working alongside Goldberg helped him learn a lot more.
“Working with Jonah taught me a lot about professionalism,” Smith said. “But, also how to tell the story of these student athletes.”
Now, Smith gets to share those stories on the air from the lead seat, something he said is a dream come true for him.
“If you had told me even 30 years ago when I was coming out of high school, it’s been that long,” he said. “That I’d have had the opportunity to broadcast Division I athletics. I would have thought you were crazy.”
Smith said that it’s more than just calling the games, it’s about showcasing the student athletes and the Valley to the masses.
“These student athletes represent UTRGV, but they represent the entire Rio Grande Valley,” he said. “And being able to, on a national scale like ESPN+, tell the story of the Valley to people logging in across the US, across the world is just a fantastic opportunity that I don’t take for granted.”
As the broadcaster enters his new role, he said he hopes that his broadcasts will help give Vaqueros and Valley residents another reason to take pride in what’s happening inside the university’s sports.
“If you can’t make it in person, log on, watch the broadcast,” he said. “Be a part of it because this institution, these teams belong to you.”
