Jim Rome’s Massive Net Worth Makes Him the Richest Sports Personality in the World
Don’t go into radio, they said. There’s no money in it, they said. Well, whoever said that definitely wasn’t Jim Rome. The legendary sports radio personality has been talking into a microphone since the 1980s. After more than 30 years in the industry, Rome has perfected his craft. He’s brazen and loud, but he’s also incredibly smart. Rome’s unique style earned him the title of richest sportscaster in the world in 2020.
Jim Rome got his start in radio as a college student in the 1980s
From the minute Jim Rome stepped onto his college campus, he knew what he wanted to do with his life. Rome got his radio career started at the University of California Santa Barbara. He worked at college radio station KCSB-FM while attending UCSB.
After graduating in 1987, Rome stayed in the Santa Barbara area to begin his professional career. Rome started his professional career at KTMS in Santa Barbara before moving to San Diego to start his own show.
Rome’s first hit show was called “The Jungle” on XTRA Sports 690. The show became nationally syndicated in 1996, and it eventually came to be called “The Jim Rome Show.”
In 1997, Rome moved into television. He hosted “The Last Word with Jim Rome” on Fox Sports for five years. Rome then took a brief hiatus from TV before returning to host “Jim Rome is Burning” on ESPN in 2005. Rome has since focused solely on his self-titled show on CBS.
His signature smack talk made him one of the most recognizable voices in sports media today.
Rome still hosts his own show on CBS sports radio and CBSSN
Rome has hosted a variety of television and radio shows in his professional career, but he’s settled down with CBS Sports Radio running “The Jim Rome Show.” His voice reaches over 200 radio stations every weekday, and his show also runs on television on CBS Sports Network.
“The Jim Rome Show” runs every weekday from 12 p.m.-3 p.m. ET. Rome hosts the show by himself in a TV studio, and it airs on both radio and television. He talks about current sports news and interviews famous sports figures every day.
Rome is extremely opinionated and confrontational. He always says what he truly believes, so the one thing you know you’re getting from Rome is candidness. However, his honesty and relentlessness have got him into trouble on the air before.
In 1994, Rome was tackled live on ESPN2 by Saints’ quarterback Jim Everett. Rome hosted a show called “Talk2” at the time. He wouldn’t stop calling the QB “Chris” Everett as a joke, and Everett snapped on air. It was one of the more embarrassing moments in Rome’s broadcasting career, but it sure generated a ton of buzz.
Jim Rome has built a staggering net worth
Whatever your opinion of Jim Rome is, you can’t argue with his lasting success on the airwaves. Rome has been one of the most famous and respected names in sports commentating for decades, and his net worth shows it.
Rome’s current net worth, according to WealthyPersons, is a staggering $90 million. He makes a whopping $30 million per year in his contract with CBS. As of April 2020, Rome is by far the richest sports commentator in the world.
Rome is living proof sports commentating can be a lucrative career path if you find your voice and just be yourself.
