Steve Martin Bio
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Steve Martin's dedicated work on the local airwaves over the Hornets' first 15 seasons has firmly entrenched him as one of the most recognizable voices in the Southeast and as the cornerstone of the team's broadcasting network. As the team's vice president of broadcast operations, Martin oversees all of the Hornets' broadcast properties while taking on TV play-by-play responsibilities for all Hornets contests on Cox Communications.
The 35+ year sports broadcasting veteran spent the first two years of the team's existence as its radio play-by-play announcer. Over those two years as the "Voice of the Charlotte Hornets," he became well-known for his lively description of NBA action and his exciting calls of last second victories, including the first in the franchise's history. He moved to the television side exclusively for seasons three and four before reassuming radio duties prior to the '92-93 season.
Martin, who was selected as the NSSA Sportscaster of the Year in North Carolina for the third time in 1997 (1984, 1989), is also the play-by-play man for Jefferson-Pilot ACC college basketball and football broadcasts. Martin, 50, partially credits the realization of his ambition of obtaining a professional sports broadcasting position to his stability in the market. He spent four years broadcasting in his native Millinocket, Maine, starting at the age of 15, and the next 11 in Bangor, Maine, where he garnered the state's NSSA Sportscaster of the Year honors in 1980, before going south to WBT in Charlotte 21 years ago. He remained at WBT for seven years before joining the Hornets in a full time capacity.
Martin resides in New Orleans. He is married to wife Debbie and they have two daughters, Kate (17) and Cori (14).
