Perhaps the most respected voice in the world of sports broadcasting, Jim Rome is one of the leading opinion-makers of his generation. Best known for his aggressive, informed, rapid-fire dialogue, Jim has established himself as the top choice of athletes and fans when it is time to know what is going on beyond the scoreboard.
In January, 2013, Rome brought his signature voice to CBS Sports Radio and officially became the cornerstone for the new national sports radio network. The Jim Rome Show is syndicated via CBS Sports Radio to over 244 radio stations each weekday and boasts millions of listeners to the longest running, stand-alone syndicated sports talk radio program on the air today.
In addition to his daily radio program, Jim signed a multi-year deal with CBS to contribute to multiple CBS Corporation platforms. Jim Rome on Showtime is a sports and entertainment series airing on Showtime, adding to the premium networks’ ever-growing sports programming lineup. Rome also contributes to CBS sports overall coverage of the NFL, NCAA basketball and US Open Tennis Championship, as well as other select sporting events. He most recently hosted Rome, a half-hour show on the network.
In addition to his extensive sports broadcasting career, Rome has made cameo appearances alongside Al Pacino and Matthew McConaughey in Two For The Money, with Adam Sandler in The Longest Yard and opposite Michael Jordan in Space Jam; appeared in Blink 182’s music video; appeared on HBO’s “Arliss;” and released a CD, Welcome to the Jungle, which features memorable sound bites from frequent callers and the hip music regularly used on his radio show.
Rome previously served as host of the popular program The Last Word with Jim Rome, broadcast nightly on Fox Sports Net, for five years. Prior to The Last Word with Jim Rome, Jim spent a two-year stint hosting ESPN2’s Talk2, a nightly one-hour interview show. His show on ESPN, Rome Is Burning, signed off in January of 2012 after airing for 6 years. Rome began his radio career at KTMS, Santa Barbara as the “$5 dollar-an-hour” traffic reporter and covered UC Santa Barbara’s sports. He left KTMS for San Diego’s all-sports station, XTRA Sports 690. It was during a temporary stint on a late-night show for the station that Rome debuted his “smack” (Jungle Glossary term meaning sports talk in a gloating, uninhibited or unbridled manner). The style yielded high ratings, and, by acclimation of his listeners, The Jungle was born. In 1996, to further keep up with demand, Premiere Radio Networks acquired exclusive syndication rights and the program continues to pick-up affiliates throughout the country.
Rome graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1987, with a degree in Communications. He currently resides in California.
