For decades, we’ve chanted ‘That’s another Bronco — 1ST DOWN!’ with him. He’s retiring?
When Bob Rosenthal informs people that he’s retiring, worry crosses their faces — if they’re BSU fans.
As public address announcer for Boise State football since 1985, his unmistakable voice has become an integral part of the game experience. Rosenthal leads stratospheric, stadium-shaking chants of, “That’s another Bronco — FIRST DOWN!”
But don’t punt yet, BSU fans. Football isn’t the man’s full-time job, folks. “That’s just six or seven game days,” Rosenthal explains with a laugh.
He’ll still be in that P.A. booth announcing games long after he says goodbye to an accomplished radio career.
“It’s fun,” he says. “I love being up there.”
Rosenthal, 67, loves radio, too. So when he retires at the end of July from an accomplished career as a broadcast executive, it won’t be easy. For one thing, his co-workers might not let him go. Rosenthal currently is the vice-president and general manager of Lotus-owned stations 94.9 The River, 100.3 The X, 107.1 K-Hits and J-105.
Tim Johnstone, program director at The River, says he’s fortunate to have worked with Rosenthal for 20 years.
“He is one of those people that you hope to get as a boss,” Johnstone says. “He is thoughtful, encouraging and patient. And he has always led by example. He has fostered a work environment here that has encouraged creativity and personal growth.”
Rosenthal knows what he’ll miss the most. “It’s working with people,” he says, “on a day-to-day basis. I really do enjoy it. I’ve always been a people person. And what a fun business. Broadcasting is such a fun business.”
Rosenthal has been a mainstay on the Boise broadcast scene for 42 years. He came to Boise in August 1978 as Boise State’s sports information director and provided color commentary for Boise State football and basketball games on KBOI-AM. Before that, he spent two years with Missoula’s NBC affiliate as sports director and two years with the University of Montana as sports information director, according to a press release.
Rosenthal joined the KBOI radio sales team in January 1981 and continued his on-air game-day role until 1984, when he was named general sales manager for KBOI and KQFC-FM. In 1985, he transitioned from radio commentary to the stadium P.A. booth at BSU.
Did Rosenthal invent that famous Bronco first-down war cry? “I’d like to say I did, but, no, I didn’t,” he says with a chuckle.
As Rosenthal recalls, a marketing person suggested it to him in the early or mid-1990s after witnessing a similar tradition at a road game. (Update: Rosenthal now says he is “100-percent sure” the idea came after an Arkansas road game in 2000.) “I was a little reluctant,” Rosenthal remembers, telling people,“I don’t want to do something contrived or whatever. Let me see what I can do with it.”
Radio executive
Rosenthal was promoted to general manager of the Pacific Northwest Broadcast stations, including KBOI and KQFC, in 1996, and remained with the station group through the acquisition by Citadel until September 1999, when he joined Journal Broadcast Group as vice-president and general manager.
He added management of KIVI-TV and KSAW-TV in Twin Falls to his responsibilities in 2005. Journal acquired KNIN-TV in 2009, and he also managed it. After 10 years with Journal, he moved back to Citadel Communications, which soon sold to Cumulus. In February 2016, he returned to the Journal group of stations (KRVB, KTHI, KJOT and KQXR), which had sold to the E.W. Scripps Company in 2014. He has been the group’s manager since then and through the group acquisition by Lotus Communications in December 2018.
He is a past Chairman of the Idaho Ad Federation, Idaho Broadcasters Association, Boise Ad Federation and Boise Area Radio Broadcasters Association. In 2002, he received Idaho’s Silver Medal representing excellence in the advertising industry. Last year, he was named a Boise Icon by the Idaho Business Review.
“More than anything,” Rosenthal said in a press release, “I have appreciated and benefited from all the opportunities I have been afforded and hope I have shown my appreciation with positive and meaningful mentoring and coaching with the hundreds of people I’ve worked with these many years.”
But Rosenthal knows what people outside the media industry know him for. He was reminded of it recently when he posted about his coming retirement on social media — and football fans piped up.
“I have almost 500 comments, responses, on my Facebook page,” he says. “And so many people said, ‘Glad you’re coming back. Won’t be the same if you’re not there.’
“Makes me feel good,” Rosenthal says. “I appreciate that.”
This story was originally published June 30, 2020 at 4:00 AM.