Being born on December 8, 1953, Roy Firestone will be 72 years old in 2025. Firestone, an American sports commentator, journalist and television host, was born in Miami Beach, Florida. He was first known as the original host of ESPN “Up Close” and later “Up Close Primetime.” He won seven Emmy Awards and seven CableACE Awards for his captivating interviews and sports acumen. As of 2025, Roy Firestone net worth of $1.5 million, which he earned through broadcasting, hosting, writing, and live corporate performances.
Roy was formerly married to Midori Kawamura and is the father of two sons. Firestone gave his interviewee’s a platform to speak on pertinent and sometimes controversial issues which helped him build a public profile. Outside of sports journalism, he continues to serve as a keynote speaker, performer, and media personality.
Quick Bio
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Roy Firestone |
| Date of Birth | December 8, 1953 |
| Place of Birth | Miami Beach, Florida, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | University of Miami |
| Early Career | Sports anchor/reporter at WTVJ (Miami); later sports anchor at KNXT/KCBS-TV (Los Angeles) 1977–1985 |
| Notable Roles | Host of ESPN’s SportsLook / Up Close (1980–1994), Host of HDNet’s Face to Face with Roy Firestone, AOL’s Time Out with Roy Firestone |
| Career Highlights | Seven-time Emmy Award winner, seven-time CableACE Award winner, hosted over 5,000 interviews including athletes, musicians, actors, and political figures, color commentator for ESPN’s Sunday Night Football inaugural season (1987) |
| Other Work | Appeared on Late Show with David Letterman, Larry King Live, voice role in Daffy Duck’s Quackbusters (1988), appeared in Jerry Maguire (1996), performed as a humorist, impressionist, and keynote speaker |
| Family | Divorced; previously married to Midori Kawamura (1987–2005); has two sons |
| Net Worth (2025 est.) | Approximately $1.5 million |
| Current Residence | Los Angeles, California |
Roy Firestone Net Worth in 2025
Roy Firestone’s net worth is estimated to be roughly $1.5 million in 2025. This wealth has been accumulated over a long career as a sports commentator, journalist, and television host, including serving as a host on ESPN’s “SportsLook” (later “Up Close”), as a sports anchor at WTVJ and KCBS-TV, color commentator for Sunday Night Football, and host of HDNet’s “Face to Face with Roy Firestone” and AOL’s “Time Out with Roy Firestone.” He has also earned money through voice over work and guest appearance and corporate speaking engagements.
| Year | Estimated Net Worth | Notes/Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1980s-1990s | Not publicly detailed | Rose to prominence hosting ESPN’s SportsLook/Up Close, earning several Emmy and CableACE Awards. |
| Early 2000s | Not publicly detailed | Continued media career with TV appearances, voice roles, and hosting gigs. |
| 2023 | Approx. $1.5 million | Reported net worth around this time, reflecting earnings from long broadcasting career, voice acting, TV guest spots, and corporate speaking. |
| 2025 (est.) | Approx. $1.5 million | Consistent estimate based on cumulative career including sports commentary, interviews, writing, and media appearances. |
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Business Ventures and Income Sources
- Worked as an ESPN sports commentator and journalist for several decades hosting shows like SportsLook/ Up Close.”
- Hosted HDNet’s “Face to Face with Roy Firestone” and AOL’s “Time Out with Roy Firestone.”
- Authored “Up Close with Roy Firestone” and “Don’t Make Me Cry, Roy,” both achieving bestseller status.
- Received noteworthy income from keynote and live events as a corporate speaker and entertainer specializing in singing, celebrity impersonations, and storytelling.
- Voice roles in animated movies and guest parts in different television shows and movies.
- Remains a media personality with an ongoing presence on ESPN’s Up Close Classic and other outlets.
- Estimated net worth of $1.5 million by 2025 from writing, television appearances, and corporate speaking services. Income from television appearances and other media guest spots, and writing are directly linked to these figures.
- There are no public records of extensive non-media related work for Roy Firestone, indicating that these records are not publicly available.
Real State Ownership and Properties
There is no publicly accessible information suggesting Roy Firestone holds significant personal real estate investments or is engaged in notable real estate activities. Most available information on Roy Firestone centers on his profession as a sports commentator, television host, author, and public speaker, and not his real estate business or property investments.
Some search results mention properties attributed to individuals named Roy Firestone in different contexts, like an architect from Akron. These have no relation to the sports commentator and journalist Roy Firestone born in 1953.
Therefore, concerning Roy Firestone (the sports journalist and television personality), no substantiated information regarding his real estate investments or extensive property assets exists in the public domain. His estimated net worth and income appear to stem mainly from his career in media, speaking engagements, and associated activities, rather than from real estate investments or holdings.
Personal Life
Personal Life
- December 8, 1953, Miami Beach, Florida
- Passionate Orioles fan; worked as a batboy during spring training as a teen.
- Divorced; previously married to Midori Kawamura from 1987 to 2005.
- Los Angeles, California is his current place of residence.
- Publicly known for keeping his family life private.
Family and Children
- Bernard and Regina Firestone.
- Two sons from his marriage.
- Little known publicly as to the specifics of theirnames, or the details of their children.
Siblings
- No details or specific information is publicly known about Roy Firestone’s siblings.
Career Journey
- Early Career (1973-1977): He began his career in sports journalism as a reporter and anchor for WTVJ in Miami, Florida, and also worked for WPLG-TV in Miami during this period.
- Los Angeles Sports Anchor (1977-1985): He relocated to Los Angeles, where he worked as a sports anchor for KNXT/KCBS-TV. This contributed significantly to his regional reputation in sports media.
- ESPN and National Fame (1980-1994): In 1980, he joined ESPN as the host of their interview program SportsLook, which underwent two name changes to Up Close and Up Close Primetime. He established a reputation for his interviews and expert knowledge in sports. In 1987, he served as the inaugural color commentator for ESPN’s Sunday Night Football.
- Expanded media roles (1990s – 2000s): Increased media roles – with ESPN, Roy hosted HD’s Face to Face with Roy Firestone and also AOL’s Time Out with Roy Firestone. He also performed in major TV talk shows like Late Show with David Letterman, Larry King Live, and did voice roles in animations like Daffy Duck’s Quackbusters (1988).
- Live performances and corporate speaking: Developed a career as a corporate and private event humorist, impressionist, and keynote speaker with clients like Anheuser Busch, Nike, and Toyota. He mixes story telling, multimedia, and celebrity impressions which makes him a in demand speaker and entertainer.
- Recent activities: He still appears as a guest sports commentator on Good Day L.A, and remains to actively pursue other media and public speaking activities. He hosted Public Television’s LA Tonight, where he also featured interviews with some music and sports legends.
Physical Measurements
- Height: 5 feet 9 inches (176 cm)
- Weight: 168 pounds (76 kg)
Struggles with Mental Health, Addiction & Homelessness
Mental Health:
- As much as Roy Firestone talks about emotional and mental challenges in his interviews and writings, there is no documented evidence of his personal mental health challenges.
- Through his storytelling and speaking engagements, he has championed and raised concern for issues pertaining to mental health and developmental disabilities.
Addiction:
- No known credible sources substantiate that Roy Firestone has ever experienced addiction issues.
Homelessness:
- Roy Firestone is not known to have been homeless at any time in his life. And there are no known claims or supporting documents to prove otherwise.
Public message:
- Through Firestone’s works, he portrays themes of resilience and overcoming hardship which, for the most part. Are drawn from the life stories of the people he has interviewed as opposed to his own life experiences.
Current Status
Even in Magazines and Documentaries, Firestone Roy is still considered an active and a highly praised figure in sports journalism and sports media. Firestone is still regarded as a staple in showpieces as a guest to the program “Good Day L.A”. There is a significant reduction in Firestone’s televison presence, however. He still maintains a captivated following in and out of Hollywood through his stories. Sense of humor, and through his impressions of renowned celebrities.
He still maintains a Los Angeles residency and his net worth is valued in the figure of above a 1.5 million dollars which is attributed to his long and strenuous career in broadcasting, writing, performing in prescheduled corporate gigs and attending media and public speaking events. Firestone is a recognized name as in 1991 he was a recruited member to the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, and has seven Emmy awards to his name.
Roy Firestone was a cherished figure in Sports for the Los Angeles region and he strove to tell the story imbibing humor and humor. Currently as of 2025, he still maintains a presence in public events, interviews, and through the media. Roy Firestone still has an ongoing career which allows him to live out an active life and a undisturbed private life which allows him to still be left alone in his residentia of Los Angeles.
Public Perception & Media Coverage
Public Perception
- He has been praised for building rapport and has conducted more than 5,000 interviews with major guests, which includes athletes, entertainers, and other public figures.
- He has been recognized for possessing humor and telling stories which make his sports speeches more interesting than the normal sports speeches of other commentators.
- He consider a season sports journalist who has active in the media for decades and has worked with ESPN and other sporting broadcasters.
Media Coverage and Presence
- He has been in the media for a longtime, best known for ESPN’s SportsLook (later Up Close), which gave him a national audience in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
- He is well known for his appearances on major talk shows like Late Show with David Letterman, Larry King Live, and has had guest appearances in movies and TV like Jerry Maguire and Everybody Loves Raymond.
- Media coverage, as well as his public relations team, highlight his active participation as a public speaker, telecommuting to virtual events, and attending events in person, thus signifying a shift from mainstream television to a more diversified media role.
Reputation in the Sports and Speaker Community
- Respected and celebrated throughout the sports community for his interviews with sports legends and celebrity figures for their unique and respectful nature.
- Noted for his humor-laden keynote addresses which connect deeply with audiences, often galvanizing them to action well beyond the sphere of sports.
- A media personality, a performer, and a speaker with the unique ability to make audiences laugh and, at the same time, deeply move them, and hence, magnetic and accessible.
FAQs
Is Roy Firestone married?
There are no confirmed details about his marriage or personal relationships that are accessible to the public.
Roy Firestone height?
His height is around 5 feet 10 inches.
Roy Firestone Jerry Maguire role?
It Jerry Maguire role is an iconic cameo which he participated in.
Roy Firestone net worth in 2025?
His net worth is project to approximately 1.5 million dollars.
Conclusion
Roy Firestone recognize for his multi-decade career in American sports journalism and entertainment. He began his career in broadcasting as a sports commentator and TV host and attended industry events, which over the years, led to an accumulation of wealth amounting to 1.5 million dollars. That amount of net worth further reinforces the idea that he was successful in his career. Roy has left and will continue to have, a great amount of influence due to the, in part, his very unique and memorable style of interviewing.
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