Started By
Message
Rick Karle is leaving WBRC-FOX 6
Posted on 10/31/18 at 2:12 am
Posted on 10/31/18 at 2:12 am
He posted a retirement announcement on his Twitter page. While he says he plans on getting another job in the future, it doesn't sound like it will involve sportscasting in the state of Alabama. He's been at WBRC since 1989 so it's truly the end of an era. The man has been on TV for almost as long as I have been alive. I can't think of a day growing up in northern Alabama where I wasn't watching his segment on the evening news.
I'm truly going to miss him. Hopefully he won't remain a stranger to the world of sports for too long.
I'm truly going to miss him. Hopefully he won't remain a stranger to the world of sports for too long.
4
Posted on 10/31/18 at 6:18 am to RollTide1987
I wonder if he already has something lined up, like on the SEC Network.
Posted on 10/31/18 at 7:00 am to East Coast Band
i bet he wants to spend more time with the family etc. So I doubt he gets in TV or radio with the SECN which would involve a lot of weekend type work.
He could go work for a large company as a PR man.
He could go work for a large company as a PR man.
Posted on 10/31/18 at 7:05 am to mrbroker
quote:
i bet he wants to spend more time with the family
I don't think this is the case. His son is a junior at Vanderbilt and he has a daughter starting college next fall I believe. If his kids were really young or he had grandkids, I could see it.
Sometimes, you just want a change of scenery. I could see radio time in his future.
He was great for HS football and HS sports in general. A real classy guy.
Posted on 10/31/18 at 7:06 am to mrbroker
I thought I hurt when we lost Herb Wenches. But this is unbearable.
Posted on 10/31/18 at 11:25 am to mrbroker
quote:
i bet he wants to spend more time with the family etc.
Nope. WBRC is eliminating his position as Sports Director.
Posted on 10/31/18 at 11:31 am to Evolved Simian
That's too bad. Always seemed like a pretty good guy. I watched him for many years growing up in Birmingham.
Posted on 10/31/18 at 12:01 pm to UAgrad93
quote:
He was great for HS football and HS sports in general. A real classy guy.
This
Posted on 10/31/18 at 12:28 pm to RollTide1987
I wonder if it was by choice or not. We’re starting to see a lot of those Bham sports fixtures leave the business. Raita, Scarbinsky, Karle, etc. Even Jim Dunaway decided to leave TV and go radio full time.
I really like Karle but in this day and age, sports anchor for local news is kind of a relic and I doubt Fox 6 didn’t want to continue to pay him the same salary. That’s just speculation on my part. He probably doesn’t really bring any additional eyeballs to the broadcast and they could plug in some 25 year old for half the price.
Hope he lands somewhere good because unlike Raita or Scarbinsky, Karle seemed to always have a positive attitude about the Teams he covered.
I really like Karle but in this day and age, sports anchor for local news is kind of a relic and I doubt Fox 6 didn’t want to continue to pay him the same salary. That’s just speculation on my part. He probably doesn’t really bring any additional eyeballs to the broadcast and they could plug in some 25 year old for half the price.
Hope he lands somewhere good because unlike Raita or Scarbinsky, Karle seemed to always have a positive attitude about the Teams he covered.
Posted on 10/31/18 at 3:16 pm to RollTide1987
Maybe now we won't always get Carolina Panther games on Fox 6.
Posted on 10/31/18 at 3:23 pm to FairhopeTider
quote:
I wonder if it was by choice or not. We’re starting to see a lot of those Bham sports fixtures leave the business. Raita, Scarbinsky, Karle, etc. Even Jim Dunaway decided to leave TV and go radio full time.
I had the same thought. CBS, ABC and Fox in Bham all losing their very long tenured sports directors in the span of 2 years.
Posted on 10/31/18 at 3:31 pm to FairhopeTider
quote:
wonder if it was by choice or not. We’re starting to see a lot of those Bham sports fixtures leave the business. Raita, Scarbinsky, Karle, etc. Even Jim Dunaway decided to leave TV and go radio full time.
Raita - not choice
Scarbinsky - not choice
Karle - contract not renewed
Dunaway - by choice
Posted on 10/31/18 at 4:13 pm to FairhopeTider
quote:
I wonder if it was by choice or not.
They eliminated the Sports Director position.
Posted on 10/31/18 at 4:36 pm to RollTide1987
The fact that he's leaving bothers me more than it should 
Posted on 10/31/18 at 6:22 pm to UAgrad93
quote:
He was great for HS football and HS sports in general. A real classy guy.
It took me moving to realize how spoiled I was in Birmingham with the Friday Night Blitz and Sideline. Both were amazing at covering games in a time before there were forums or social media.
Page 1 of 1
Latest Alabama News
Back to top
Follow SECRant for SEC Football News