About Bruce McAvaney

Now in the twilight of a long career in sports broadcasting, Bruce McAveney is one of the most recognisable voices in the AFL, primarily through his long partnership with Dennis Cometti in the Channel Seven commentary box. Not limited to Aussie Rules though, “Macca” has been a perennial figure across Seven Network’s sports coverage, including leading roles as both a presenter and commentator in horse racing, tennis, and Olympic and Commonwealth Games. 

Born in 1953, McAveney had his first taste in the sports media industry in 1976 after meeting Adelaide race caller Kevin Hiller at Kilmore Racecourse in country Victoria. Hiller offered McAveney a position working with him on Adelaide radio station 5DN, where he would call horse races and then host his first sports show. McAveney hasn’t looked back since, going on to have an illustrious career in the media.

After moving to television in 1978, McAveney got his first big break in 1980, hosting the Adelaide telecast for the Moscow Olympics. Remarkably, McAveney has worked on every summer Olympic games since, becoming a notable voice in the world's biggest sporting event, especially in his calling of events on the track. McAveney has also been an integral part of Channel Seven’s horse racing and tennis coverage in the past. At the Australian Open, McAveney partnered with Jim Courier to commentate many classic men’s matches in the past decade. McAveney’s face is also identifiable with Channel Seven’s Melbourne Cup coverage, where he is always encouraged by expert panelists to give his tip for the race that stops the nation. But it is AFL where Macca’s voice has had most prominence, in both the calling of games and the hosting of Brownlow Medal night.

In all of his sports commentary, McAveney’s signature is his capacity to spew out revealing statistics that have many of us scratching our heads wondering where he got them from. Exceedingly garrulous, McAveney’s commentary toes the line between being entertaining and informative. Many will be hoping he continues his AFL commentary for many years to come.