Bob Neumeier

Robert E. Neumeier (November 3, 1950 – October 23, 2021) was an American sportscaster for several Boston-area media outlets.

He also appeared on NBC Sports, specializing in Thoroughbred racing.

Neumeier was born on November 3, 1950, and grew up in Weymouth, Massachusetts, where he graduated from Weymouth High School in Massachusetts in 1968.

After graduating from Syracuse University, Neumeier taught history for a short while at Weymouth High School, worked in the sports department of the Boston Globe, and did public relations work for the New England Whalers of the World Hockey Association (who later became the NHL's Hartford Whalers).

Neumeier's first job in broadcasting began in 1975 on WTIC in Hartford, Connecticut, where he called play-by-play of the Whalers, working with Bill Rasmussen and Larry Pleau; among their calls was the famous "Brawl at the Mall" in April 1975 during a playoff series with the Minnesota Fighting Saints.

In 1979, Neumeier left the Whalers to become the sports anchor at WFSB in Hartford.

In 1981, Bob Lobel replaced Roger Twibell as the principal sports anchor at WBZ-TV in Boston and recommended Neumeier for the position of weekend sports anchor.

After only six months, Neumeier was replaced by Jerry Azar and reassigned to a reporting role.

In 1989, WBZ promoted Neumeier to weekend sports anchor following the departure of Don Shane.

From 1989 to 2000, Neumeier reported and handicapped on ESPN’s coverage of Thoroughbred racing.

He was the play-by-play announcer for the 1990 Frozen Four, which was broadcast on WFXT.

In 1990, Neumeier defeated around 350 of the world’s best handicappers to win the Caesars Palace World Series of Handicapping.

That October, NBC hired him to serve as a roving reporter for its coverage of the Breeders’ Cup.

For the 1991 Breeders’ Cup he was promoted to lead reporter, conducting interviews in the winner’s circle.

In 1991 he was a reported for NBC’s coverage of the American Cup gymnastics event.

In 1992, Neumeier was moved to the handicapper’s role.

He was part of the network’s team at the 1992 Summer Olympics, covering equestrian events.

Neumeier also co-hosted the Patriots Game Day Pre-Game Show with Tim Fox on WBZ radio from 1993 to 1995.

In 1994 he was a reporter for some of the NHL on ABC's late-season and playoff games.

In 1995, Neumeier became the play-by-play commentator for the Boston Bruins on WBZ Radio.

He was succeeded as weekend sports anchor by Steve Burton, but remained with the station.

He resigned as Bruins announcer after the 1999-2000 season and left WBZ-TV when his contract expired that summer.

By 2000, Neumeier had tired of traveling with the Bruins and saw WBZ-TV, where Bob Lobel was entrenched as the lead sports anchor, as a dead-end.

In 2001 he became a member of the broadcast team for the Triple Crown after NBC gained the rights to the races.

In February 2002, Neumeier replaced Eddie Andelman as Dale Arnold’s co-host on WEEI’s midday show.

Neumeier joined WEEI at a time where the station, which was also home to Dennis and Callahan and The Big Show, experienced an explosion in popularity.

During the 2004 Summer Olympics, he was a reporter during track and field events.

In 2005, Neumeier left Dale & Neumy, which was the highest-rated show in its time slot, after he and Entercom failed to come to terms on a contract.

After leaving WEEI, Neumeier spent most of his time in Miami.

In 2006, he signed a three year deal with NBC Sports, which saw him report on Football Night in America and host the network’s NHL coverage as well continue his horse racing and Olympic duties.

During a May 1, 2009 telecast from Churchill Downs, Bob Neumeier collapsed, off the air and was taken to Audubon Hospital in Louisville.

He missed the Kentucky Derby, but returned later that month for the Preakness Stakes.

NBC did not renew his contract in 2009, but Neumeier remained a part of its horse racing coverage through 2016.

After leaving WBZ, Neumeier freelanced as a college hockey announcer for FSN New England, a panelist on WSBK-TV’s "5th Quarter" Patriots postgame show, and as a Sunday morning co-host on WEEI during the baseball season.

In 2009 he married a woman who worked in Boston, which resulted in him returning to New England.

Neumeier was hospitalized after suffering a stroke on October 29, 2014.

He was unable to attend the 2014 Breeders' Cup or the 2015 Kentucky Derby, but did appear on the Derby broadcast in a pre-recorded segment.

The stroke affected his balance and coordination, but not his motor skills or speech.

He returned for NBC’s coverage of the 2015 Preakness Stakes.

Neumeier's work on NBC’s horse racing coverage led to other opportunities at the network.