In this episode, Claudine Wong and Alex Lobban sit down with longtime sports broadcaster and the voice of the San Jose Earthquakes, Ted Ramey, for an insightful conversation about his deep roots in Bay Area soccer, the intricate art of calling a match, and the generational shifts shaping American soccer culture.
Having literally grown up around the game as the son of legendary Quakes NASL broadcaster Hal Ramey, Ted attended the historic first-ever MLS match in 1996 at Spartan Stadium as a 13-year-old fan. Decades later, he provides the soundtrack to Quakes history from the broadcast booth.
The conversation explores how Ted prepares for broadcasts, the unique challenges of calling soccer compared to other American sports, the critical role of multi-generational fandom, youth soccer culture, burnout, pay-to-play barriers, and where Major League Soccer and the U.S. Men's National Team fit into the global landscape.
🎙 Guest
Ted Ramey is a seasoned Bay Area sports broadcaster, talk show host, and the long-tenured radio play-by-play voice of the San Jose Earthquakes.
Soccer runs in the family: his father, Hal Ramey, called games for the Earthquakes during the North American Soccer League (NASL) era in the 1970s and early 1980s, later returning for the launch of MLS with the San Jose Clash. Ted grew up immersed in the press boxes, locker rooms, and stands of Spartan Stadium, witnessing firsthand the evolution of professional soccer in Northern California.
In addition to his Earthquakes duties, Ted has hosted daily sports talk radio shows in the Bay Area, covered the San Jose Sharks, and reported across all major Northern California sports. Over his 13+ years in the booth alongside color analyst Joe Cannon, Ted has become a trusted, passionate narrator of the modern soccer era in Silicon Valley.
⏱ Episode Highlights

 [00:00:00] Welcome & IntroductionClaudine and Alex introduce Ted Ramey, highlighting his unique lineage as a second-generation Earthquakes broadcaster whose connection to the franchise spans both the NASL and MLS eras.

 [00:01:10] Spartan Stadium, April 6, 1996 Ted recalls attending MLS’s inaugural match at Spartan Stadium as a 13-year-old, watching Eric Wynalda score the league's historic first goal, and seeing how the Silicon Valley community rallied around the sport.

 [00:02:40] Stories From the NASL Era Growing up listening to his father's road stories about Pelé, George Best, and the founding era of American soccer, and how the 1994 World Cup revitalized Bay Area soccer fandom.

 [00:04:45] The Diversity of the Early Quakes Crowd Ted reflects on realizing as a young teen that soccer matches were a unique melting pot representing cultures and communities across the Bay Area unlike any other local sport.

 [00:05:40] From Sprinter to Broadcaster Ted talks about his own athletic journey—from running track as a competitive sprinter to re

Offside in the Bay: To the Pitch and Beyond -  Ted Ramey, Voice of the Quakes

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Offside in the Bay: To the Pitch and Beyond - Ted Ramey, Voice of the Quakes

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