Draft:Rich Burk

Rich Burk is a North American sports broadcaster working in the United States since 1994. He attended Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon, where he graduated in 1988. Burk's experience includes broadcasting for national television networks including Pac-12 Network, ESPN, NBC, Fox Sports and ROOT Sports. In addition to his work on network television, Burk has called radio and TV play-by-play for professional baseball teams in Portland, Oregon since 1995.

Radio
After graduating from Pacific University in 1988 with a Bachelor's degree in communications, Rich Burk worked for Peter Jacobsen Productions for four years. In 1994, he began his broadcasting career with the Bend Rockies. Burk moved to Portland with the team, where they both remained until 2000. The Triple-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres relocated to Portland in 2001, and Burk became the play-by-play announcer. He would remain as the radio and TV broadcaster for the Portland Beavers until 2010, when the team relocated. In 2013, the Low-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks moved to Hillsboro, Oregon. He became the voice of the Hillsboro Hops, cementing himself as the voice of summer in Portland. As of 2024, Rich Burk remains as the radio and TV broadcaster for the Hillsboro Hops with his partner, Matt Richert.

Television
In 2008, Rich Burk began freelance work for Fox Sports Net Northwest, known today as ROOT Sports. He called D-1 collegiate basketball, football and baseball games for the network. In 2012 he began freelancing full-time for Pac-12 Network. In his career with Pac-12 Network he called basketball, baseball, football, volleyball, swimming & diving, gymnastics, soccer, wrestling, softball and tennis, totalling more than 500 events.

Other freelance work of Rich Burk includes TV play-by-play for NBC, ESPN and FS1. In 2016, he called four sports for the Summer Olympics held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Burk was the lead play-by-play announcer for NBC's 4k coverage of men's and women's swimming. Additionally he called events covering men's and women's basketball, race walking, and shooting during the Olympics. From 2016 to 2021, Rich Burk called the NCAA swimming & diving national championships on ESPN.

In 2023, Rich Burk filled in to call play-by-play for the Portland Trail Blazers, marking his second experience in a major-four sports role, as he also filled in to call Montreal Expos and Toronto Blue Jays games in 2004.

Personal Life and Baseball Career
Rich Burk was born in Pamona, California, and raised in Dana Point. He played junior college baseball at Mira Costa Community College in Oceanside, California, and Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon. Burk and his family live in Hillsboro, Oregon.