Staley Da Bear
Well-known member
- Mar 16, 2019
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Tim Sinclair tries to be a fan with a microphone. This season, he will attempt it on the biggest platform of his career.
The Bears announced this morning that Sinclair will take over as the PA Announcer at Soldier Field. Sinclair takes over from Jim Riebandt, who retired last season after 37 years on the job.
"I've been a fan since I was a kid and watched the Bears win the 1985 Super Bowl," said Sinclair. "Now I get to be a fan with a microphone. Taking that seat at Soldier Field is an honor and a privilege, and I can't wait to get started."
Sinclair brings more than a decade of experience to his new role. Since beginning his career announcing baseball games at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, Sinclair has gone on to work crowds for the Chicago Fire and the Indiana Pacers. With experience in several sports, Sinclair can speak to some of the challenges his new job entails.
"Football is very talk-heavy," said Sinclair. "You're giving offense and defense information every single play, and that never stops for three-and-a-half hours. Whereas soccer, there's almost nothing to do in games other than goals and cards and things like that."
Sinclair's work with the Pacers has exposed him to his first challenge working for the Bears: announcing games to an empty stadium.
The NBA's bubble experience has challenged Sinclair's priors, as his announcements are now directed to empty seats. While he describes the bubble environment as something like summer camp, he admits it's odd to speak to digital fans over pre-recorded cheering.
Sinclair's goal has been to establish a sense of normalcy for the players. Even though every game is being played far from home, he still strives to give the Pacers a slight home-court advantage in the games he calls.
"Tim is an experienced professional who is extremely passionate about the Bears and will bring great energy to the stadium on game days," said Bears director of events & entertainment Tanesha Wade. "We look forward to working with Tim to kick off a new era at Soldier Field through this unique season and are excited to showcase his talents for our dedicated fans when they can safely return."
In addition to his work as a PA Announcer, Sinclair co-hosts a daily lifestyle television show for WCIA3 in Champaign and leads tech-based startup RINGR.
Sinclair is excited to put his personality on display at Soldier Field.
"A PA guy's job is, to me, to reflect what the crowd is or should be feeling," said Sinclair. "I hope that I can be a fan with a microphone—not only give the information, but do so in a fun, entertaining way."