There are two essential parts to every sports broadcast in 2025: the visual, which allows us to watch our team on the field, and the audio, more importantly, the commentary provided by the broadcaster.
Scott MacLeod, who has earned the title “Voice of the Bobcats,” has been a crucial part of GCSU athletics since 1978.
“I started broadcasting in Kalamazoo, Michigan, while I was still going to college at Western Michigan University,” MacLeod said. “I moved down here to Milledgeville in 1977 and began broadcasting tape-delayed football because it was a daytime-only radio station.”
Producers of Bobcats athletics recognize the seamless flow of MacLeod’s broadcasting, as if he’s comfortably engaging in conversation with the viewer during the game; however, MacLeod has a much more humble approach toward his broadcast beginnings.
“It was in September when we came down here,” MacLeod said. “That was my first-ever play-by-play experience. I was awful. I mean, terrible. It was no fun. I’m glad I had a couple of good people to help guide me through it and get me started.”
There’s always an adjustment period for many announcers. To come in from Michigan, all the way to Milledgeville, and become an announcer for multiple sports, while still being humble about his performance, is still a difficult task to accomplish within your first few years of moving.
“Then that following spring in 1978 was when I first started doing baseball,” MacLeod said. “We were able to do those games live. I was broadcasting from right behind the backstop at Kurtz Field. After about a year, maybe two, it was before the bleachers were there—it was just a hill, and Coach Kurtz put a platform for me to broadcast from. Probably to keep me away from making so much noise and distracting everybody.”
In the previous season, MacLeod made a call on an impressive half-court shot made by James Nichols III. The call was simple, but effective for the shocking event, stating, “Etter—baseball Pass. Half-court shot. He got it!” Broadcasters, at least those inducted into the Hall of Fame, such as MacLeod, manage the balance between speaking in depth about a subject and keeping it simple. MacLeod has mastered the balance.
“Shantayana Keys is going into the Hall of Fame,” MacLeod said. “Great person, excellent athlete. I remember her getting the record for most points. That was it, Pembroke, up in the crow’s nest, watching her. It had a bird’s-eye view, seeing her hit that free throw and break the record.”
Being the “Voice of the Bobcats” for so long has given MacLeod numerous opportunities to witness the development of Georgia College & State University around him. Seeing many different GCSU Hall of Fame players and future potential Hall of Fame-level athletes.
“I’ve said it before, and I’ll keep saying it,” MacLeod said. “I’m blessed to be able to broadcast the Bobcats. I really do believe this is one of the things I was put on the Earth for. I don’t know why, but I was allowed to do it, to continue to allow me to do it, and I guess I’ll keep doing it.”