“And that’s that,” Bob Costas retires after 42 seasons amid CRITICISMS by fans on calling games

Fans thank broadcaster Bob Costas for retiring from MLB as a play-by-play announcer after ALDS criticisms went viral.

“And that’s that,” Bob Costas retires after 42 seasons amid CRITICISMS by fans on calling games

Bob Costas [Image Credit: Front Office Sports]

Legendary broadcaster Bob Costas retired from MLB after 42 seasons of baseball play-by-play. His retirement news came suddenly right after the World Series. Costas called his last game during the ALDS between the New York Yankees and the Kansas City Royals.

It was reported that his retirement was in the works for a year, although the 72-year-old would have completed his contract with TBS after this season. Unfortunately, his way of commenting got heavy criticism from fans who found it uninteresting to hear.

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Although Costas himself has not revealed the exact reasons for his retirement, MLB reported that he’ll discuss it during the interview on Monday at 6 pm ET. While he called for many sports, Major League Baseball became synonymous with his name.

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An era came to an end with his retirement from the sport. According to Costas, he already made the decision to quit after 2024 a year ago, and it coincidentally collided with the end of his contract. 

Among the many sports he has called, Major League Baseball was his favorite. Unfortunately, the current MLB crowd did not like the way he was delivering. Many noted how he was not up to par with the current trend, while some complained about his historic way of storytelling.

After leaving NBC in 2019, his friend Jeff Zucker recruited him for CNN and TBS. He’ll still be active behind the scenes in the baseball world.

MLB world reacts to Bob Costas’ retirement news

During his career, Bob Costas called three World Series and 10 League Championships for 42 seasons. However, his style of speaking did not fit everyone, especially in 2024. 

Bob Costas
Bob Costas [Image Credit: NY Times]

Following his retirement news, fans on X poured out to comment on the situation. One X user noted, “And that’s that,” while another penned, “We may have lost the World Series, but WE WON THE LONG GAME!!!!!” While many others even thanked him for quitting.

While he has officially retired as a play-by-play announcer, Costas will still be helping out the MLB Network during key moments. He’ll also be announcing the Baseball Hall of Fame list.