Chris Berman Net Worth

What Is Chris Berman's Net Worth and Salary?

Chris Berman is an American sportscaster who has a net worth of $40 million. Chris Berman is best known for his decades-long tenure at ESPN, where he became one of the most recognizable voices in sports broadcasting. He joined the network in 1979, just a month after it launched, and quickly became a cornerstone of its programming. Berman gained national prominence as the host of "NFL Countdown" and "NFL Primetime," where his distinctive catchphrases—like "He… could… go… all… the… way!"—and larger-than-life personality helped shape the tone of ESPN's NFL coverage.

In addition to football, Berman covered Major League Baseball extensively, anchoring ESPN's "Baseball Tonight" and calling the Home Run Derby for over 30 years. He also served as a play-by-play announcer for the MLB All-Star Game and hosted the U.S. Open golf tournament coverage. Known affectionately as "Boomer," Berman was instrumental in turning ESPN into a powerhouse, thanks in part to his blend of humor, pop culture references, and deep sports knowledge.

Over his career, he has earned multiple Sports Emmy Awards and was honored with the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association's National Sportscaster of the Year award. Though he stepped back from full-time duties in 2017, Berman remains a key part of ESPN's NFL coverage and a beloved figure in sports media.

Contracts & Salary

On May 12, 2025, Berman signed an extension with ESPN that will keep him with the network through at least 2029, which would mark his 50th anniversary with the company. This deal is especially historic, as it positions him to be ESPN's first-ever 50-year employee. Prior to this extension, Chris was earning a salary of $8 million per year. It's generally believed that he signed a deal that will keep his salary roughly the same.

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Early Life

Christopher James Berman was born on May 10, 1955, in Greenwich, Connecticut. Chris was raised in an affluent Jewish household, and his father was a corporate executive vice president. Chris' mother, Peggy, worked as a reporter for "Time" magazine, which may have inspired him to get into the entertainment/journalism world. Although Berman was born in Greenwich, he was raised primarily in Irvington, New York. After graduating from high school, Chris attended Brown University in 1977. During his college years, Berman had his first taste of journalism when he became the sports director of the school's radio station. He eventually graduated from Brown with a degree in history.

Career

Chris Berman began his television career as a weekend sports anchor at NBC affiliate WVIT in Hartford, Connecticut. On October 1, 1979—just weeks after ESPN launched—he joined the fledgling network as one of its first full-time on-air personalities. Working alongside other early pioneers like Bob Ley, Berman helped shape the voice and personality of ESPN in its infancy. He remains the last original on-air hire still with the company and the longest-tenured broadcaster in ESPN history.

Over the decades, Berman became one of the most recognizable figures in sports media, known for hosting "Sunday NFL Countdown," "Monday Night Countdown," and the iconic "NFL PrimeTime." His booming voice, colorful catchphrases, and comedic nicknames helped turn ESPN's NFL coverage into appointment viewing. He also anchored Super Bowl pregame shows for ABC in 2000, 2003, and 2006, and handled baseball coverage for nearly 40 years, including hosting the Home Run Derby from 1986 to 2016.

In 2010, he signed a multi-year extension with ESPN, continuing his role across football, baseball, and golf. That contract expired in 2016, after which Berman shifted into a scaled-back role—stepping away from full-time hosting but continuing as a contributor to "NFL PrimeTime," which was revived on ESPN+ in 2019.

By the mid-2010s, Berman had become a more polarizing figure. While millions still appreciated his enthusiastic style, others criticized his shtick as outdated, particularly during coverage of quieter sports like golf. Despite this, ESPN retained him in a legacy capacity, and his presence remains cherished by long-time viewers.

In May 2025, Berman signed a new contract extension that will keep him at ESPN through at least 2029—making him the first employee to reach the 50-year milestone. As part of the deal, Berman will play a visible role in ESPN's coverage of Super Bowl LXI in 2027, the first Super Bowl broadcast in network history. Now in his seventies, Berman continues to contribute to postseason editions of "NFL PrimeTime" and remains a beloved figure whose voice has defined generations of sports fans.

Appearances in Film and Television

Outside of sportscasting, Chris Berman has appeared in several films and television series. He played himself in two Adam Sandler films: "The Waterboy" and "The Longest Yard." In addition, he has appeared in films such as "Necessary Roughness," "The Program," "Little Big League," "Eddie," "Kingpin," and "Grown Ups 2." Berman has also appeared in commercials for Nutrisystem weight loss products.

Relationships

In 1983, Chris married his wife, Katherine Alexinski. They had two children together. In 2017, Kathy passed away after a car crash.

In 2018, it was revealed that Chris Berman's wife had a blood alcohol level that was three times the legal limit at the time of her fatal crash. Research into the crash revealed that Katherine had been speeding at the time of the crash and that she failed to apply the brakes before rear-ending another driver. The collision killed both drivers. Katherine died from blunt force trauma and drowning, as her vehicle fell into a body of water after the crash.

Further investigation determined that Katherine had traces of oxycodone and antidepressants in her system. The other driver had just visited his wife's grave when he was struck by Berman's Lexus. Because the two drivers both passed away, state police closed the investigation without filing any charges. The collision was officially ruled an accident.

Real Estate

In 1988, Chris paid $418,000 for an undeveloped three-acre plot of land in Chesire, Connecticut. A year later, he built a multi-structure compound on the property.

Controversies

In 2015, ESPN settled a sexual harassment claim involving Chris Berman. The claim was made by Sue Baumann, a makeup artist who claimed she had received inappropriate comments from Berman both inside the makeup room and through text messages. ESPN's legal team decided to settle rather than take the matter through the court system, and they claimed that the harassment claims had "no merit." Although the exact sum of the settlement was never revealed, many assumed that it was a significant figure.

In 2018, Berman was shrouded in controversy once again after a 2016 incident came to light. Chris allegedly left a "racially disparaging voicemail" for Jemele Hill, a well-known American sports journalist. He also allegedly threatened her. Although Hill complained to senior ESPN executives, no action was reportedly taken to address the issue. Again, ESPN's legal team announced that the claims were "without merit," and Hill herself claimed that Berman had never made any racially disparaging comments to her.

The lawsuit was actually filed by Adrienne Lawrence, a woman who had been previously fired from her position at ESPN. Over the years, a number of critics have criticized Berman for inappropriate behavior or comments to women, although nothing concrete has ever been revealed as a result of these allegations.

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