That voice. Casual sports fans and fanatics know the workaholic Dave Johnson from his more than two decades of calling the radio play-by-play for the National Basketball Association’s Washington Wizards and television play-by-play for Major League Soccer’s D.C. United. But fewer know that he’s an Annapolis resident and Anne Arundel County native.
This past fall proved to be an interesting time for Johnson, an Edward Murrow and Emmy Award winner. The United finally opened its much-anticipated Audi Field, in Southwest D.C., and the team made an unexpected playoff appearance; but then the Wizards got off to an unexpectedly tough start to this 2018–19 season, as he again presides—via social media—as the Grand Poobah of the Radio Party. This is in addition to his day job as sports director at WTOP radio, his main employer since 1995. You read that right. How many other non-government types have had the same job since 1995?
That’s not all there is to the ubiquitous Johnson, who brings wit and humor to the booth. He is also an anchor on WRC-TV4’s sportscasts and blogs via Monumental Sports Network. His extensive resume also includes broadcasting FIFA World Cup matches on XM Radio and filling in on Washington Nationals radio broadcasts.
His followers wonder where he’ll pop up next. Rebecca Schulte, former president of Comcast Sports Net (now NBC Sports Washington), knows Johnson’s work ethic and enthusiasm is what draws fans. “Dave is one of the most versatile, hard-working people I’ve ever known,” she says. “I don’t know how he finds the time to do everything, especially at such a high level. He’s really a great asset to all of the outlets he represents, and there are many, and has done a great job engaging fans and making it fun.”
“Dave is one of the most versatile, hard-working people I’ve ever known, I don’t know how he finds the time to do everything, especially at such a high level. He’s really a great asset to all of outlets he represents, and there are many, and has done a great job engaging fans and making it fun.”—Glenn Consor
The Foundation
It’s not surprising that Johnson has been successful since he selected his vocation early in life. The Arundel High graduate enrolled in communication at Towson University, and joined its student station as a deejay. He then worked overnights at Baltimore’s old WBKZ (Z96), spinning the soothing sounds of Dean Martin and Johnny Mathis.
The next spring, Z96 was sold to legendary Baltimore station WFBR―and the station manager hired Johnson for overnights. It was around that time Paul Mann, who had been the program director at Z96, took the same position at Annapolis’ WNAV.
Johnson’s first big break in sports broadcasting came a year later, when he met Bob Bartel, the sports director at WCAO. Johnson helped produce “Unitas & Friends,” at Colts legend Johnny Unitas’ Baltimore restaurant, The Golden Arm, for Bartel, his mentor. The station also broadcasted United States Football League’s Baltimore Stars games, on which Johnson worked.
Looking back, the Z96 and WCAO gigs were probably why Johnson never left the area. “I was once up for a job in Denver, but WNAV had an opening to broadcast the pre- and post-game reports for football and lacrosse, and to do afternoons,” he says. “[And] when the WTOP opening came up in 1989, I’d been in the market for seven years.”
Party Time
Since then, Johnson’s career has remained consistent in an industry that’s noted for turbulence. In recent years, social media has led to the Wizard’s Radio Party, during which Johnson and analyst Glenn Consor lighten the mood by reading and writing tweets during broadcasts.
“It’s funny how it happened,” Johnson says. “Somebody, not Glenn or myself, coined the name ‘Radio Party.’ By end of 2013–14 playoffs, it had become part of the broadcast. It grew organically and it’s been a never-ending blast.”
Consor agreed. “Everyone likes to hear their name on the radio when we read their tweets. And people tweet out things we say, then contact each other.”
A pivotal moment, Johnson says, occurred during a late 2014 exhibition game with the Philadelphia 76ers. “We got more than two million impressions on Twitter for a hashtag,” Johnson explains. “This happened as blogging faded to a degree, and Twitter and other social media became more prominent. It’s continued to gain speed and we are getting people from all over the country, including from many beaches.”
Working Together
Consor, who’s in his 11th season with Johnson, knows why they mesh so well. “Dave is very prepared, and we share the same passion,” he says. “We genuinely like each other, and the chemistry was there from the first game. We have different personalities, but we connect.”
As for what people don’t know about the open and gregarious Johnson, Consor gave us a glimpse. “While he’s a workaholic who doesn’t pass up many jobs, he’s still a family guy,” he says, mentioning his wife, Diane, a professional soccer consultant; and their hockey- and soccer-loving son, Pierce, an Archbishop Spalding graduate.
“Honestly,” Consor says. “I don’t think there’s much that the public doesn’t know about Dave. Many people you see on TV/Radio are not as they appear to be, but Dave is. He’s transparent that way.”
Santo Quaranta, who served as an analyst on United telecasts from 2014 to 2016, agrees. He says the chemistry between him and Johnson was there from the start. “Our presentation was cohesive,” Quaranta says. “I was calling the game with my friend, which was important because I didn’t have any experience. Dave took me under his wing and made sure that I was comfortable.”
A Special Place
The 2018–19 Wizards season began with Johnson, again, hoping that he might realize another dream. And what would that be? “Calling the NBA Finals,” he elaborates. “The Wizards have been such a big part of my life.”
When asked to reflect on his career and life, the perpetually-in-motion Johnson spoke about staying local. “Diane and I talked about moving to D.C., but we just love this area so much, and I don’t have to do the nine-to-five thing,” says Johnson, who lives just outside Epping Forest, a community on the Severn River. “So, I put up with the extra drive. We also have a WaveRunner, and I feel like I’m on vacation when I’m home.”
And when he’s home, he and his family know that, “We’re in a special place,” Johnson says.
“I’ve never stopped appreciating that.”
