Friday, May 4, 2007

AT&T Park , San Francisco , Ca.

Femmefan.com was granted an exclusive interview with Renel Brooks-Moon, the Public Address Announcer for the San Francisco Giants.

Needless to say I was excited to have the opportunity to speak with a woman who is "setting the standard" for women who aspire for a career in sports broadcasting.
Renel, as she is known in the San Francisco Bay Area is a local girl.

She was born and raised in Oakland California , graduated from Woodside High School and Mills College .
Renel's broadcasting career with KCBS and KFRC led to an on-air personality gig on 106 KMEL as part of the "Morning Zoo".
Renel's sports broadcasting journey began as host of "Sports In The Classroom", a weekly high school sports education show, and host of "A's Inside Pitch", a weekly magazine series during the Oakland A's 1995 Season. 
In 2000, Renel was honored to be chosen by the San Francisco Giants as the Public Address Announcer for SBC Park (now named AT&T Park ). 
Seated in one of the best seats in the house, Renel spends every home game surrounded by 40,000 baseball fans. Renel's work in the booth has been recognized by the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame as the first female announcer of a championship game in any professional sport. Her scorecard from Game 3 of the 2002 World Series can be viewed in the Hall at Cooperstown !

I planned to ask Renel about wearing the mantle of "pioneer" and I also wanted to speak with her about local sports and ask her how she became a sports fan.
Renel was a bit tentative when I arrived. I was a few minutes late and she was busy preparing for the game and focused on her PA responsibilities. But as we spoke, in between announcements, calls and on-going action on the field, I felt her warm to the topics and relax as she shared some of her feelings and experiences with me.

I soon discovered that Renel's passion has a contagious quality. She and I really got on a roll when we discussed our respective love for our football teams, "my" 49ers and "her" Raiders! That same energy and enthusiasm are readily apparent to those who listen to her on morning radio show on 98.1 KISS FM and Giants fans at AT&T Park .
I was very fortunate to be able to spend a little time learning about Renel's passion for sports and for life.

Ivette:
Renel, you have broken into a field dominated by men.
Do you think the barriers for what were "off Limits" careers for women are falling?
Do you think luck and timing or skill and persistence have played a role in your success?

Renel:
Yes. All of the above.
As Oprah says, it's preparation and opportunity coming together.
Everything happens when it's supposed to, if you're prepared.
I believe that everything happens for a reason. And you have to do your work and be prepared for it.
I am definitely in the right place and the right field at the right time.

Ivette:
At this point Renel got a call in the booth and had to handle the coordination of the music for the broadcast. I overheard her discussing the music, "old Metallica for Omar"; he's not picky, just something old and rocking."
Renel handles the music too! Who knew?

Ivette:
Femmefan.com was created to provide a place for women who are avid sports fans.
The sports world is finally noticing them and realizing the marketing potential.
Have you been a sports fan all your life?

Renel:
Yes I have. I come from a family of sports fans, a father who coached in high school and college, a brother who had dreams of being Juan Marichal. And a mother who was pregnant with me in 1958 when the Giants moved here. How about that?

Ivette:
You began the sports aspect of your broadcasting career doing "A's Inside Pitch"

Renel:
Before that, "Sports In the Classroom".

Ivette:
And you're an East Bay gal.

Renel:
You better believe I am. I was born in Oakland .

Ivette:
Do you still feel an allegiance to the A's?

Renel:
Of course. Of course I do, I've been an A's fan since I was about ten. And as I tell everybody, oftentimes when I was growing up you didn't have to pick between the two teams, you have to do that now! The lines are clearly drawn but as a child my family and I went to ball games at both ball parks, we supported both teams and we still do.
My mother probably gives a slight edge to the Giants. She's a fan of Willy's and everything but my family supports all the bay area teams.

Ivette:
How about during the Battle of the Bay World Series in 1989?

Renel:
I was rooting for the A's.

Ivette:
How often do you go watch your Raiders play?

Renel:
Season ticket holder. Yes ma'am ever since they returned.

Ivette:
How do you like the direction they're headed in this season?

Renel:
I'm pleased with the number one pick overall, I'm very excited about JaMarcus Russell. I've nicknamed him "the franchise". It's the same nickname we've given to Tim Linecum our new young pitcher who will probably be pitching Sunday night.
Lord knows we need a quarterback..among other things. I don't feel we really addressed a lot of our other needs like offensive line exactly. But I'm very pleased to have JaMarcus Russell.
I've had an opportunity to have coach Kiffin on my radio show and didn't know what to expect 'cause I didn't know much about him. But I was very impressed with him.

Ivette:
Sort of a fiasco with Mr. Art Shell.

Renel:
Uh huh, but we don't have to talk about that do we?
I'm not about the past. Let's talk about the future.

Ivette:
Know up front that I'm a Forty Niners fan

Renel:
What's that?

Ivette:
I'm a 49er fan.

Renel
My cousin plays for the Dallas Cowboys.

Ivette:
I hate the Cowboys.

Renel:
Then you know how my family feels.

Ivette:
Okay, let's get off that topic!

Ivette:
How surprised and or excited are you about the Warriors playoff win over the Mavs?

Renel:
I'm thrilled.

Ivette:
Isn't that wonderful?

Renel:
It's wonderful on so many levels, and they really played like Warriors. And it means so much for the city, to see that city represented like that on national television you know because Oakland gets so much negative publicity all the time.
I just couldn't be prouder; it's so great on so many levels. Last night after the game I wanted to drive over to Oakland just to be with my people. By "my people" I mean the residents of Oakland .
This is huge, just huge on so many levels. I couldn't be more thrilled.
Try to remain calm though 'cause it's just the first round.

Ivette:
But maybe winning the first round is enough.

Renel:
No it's not enough. Never enough. I would love to go further and I appreciate this moment, but if this is a far as they go, then Ok, but let's keep going.

Ivette:
How do you feel about two of our Bay Area teams' proposed moves, the A's to Fremont, the Niners to Santa Clara ?

Renel
I really don't care about the 49ers, I respect you but I could care less. I need to worry about the problems with my team. I respect you, god bless you; I went to high school with mike Nolan, but I really could care less about the 49ers. However you really do need a new stadium. I went to the Raider game at Candlestick, horrible stadium.

Ivette:
Oh, we beat the Raiders that day.

Renel:
Hey whose interview is this?
I wouldn't know cause I couldn't see the game. It takes forever to get to your flipping seat!
You do need a new stadium, and you know, Santa Clara is better than, oh, I don't know Baltimore ? And for Oakland Fremont is better than Las Vegas !
As long as they're still in the Bay Area. Come on everybody calm down.
You need and deserve a new stadium
I'm on in one minute.
You can keep interviewing yourself Ivette!

Ivette:
How is Barry's home run race for Aaron's record impact your announcing and are you excited about the prospect of watching him break that record?

Renel:
(Dripping with mock sarcasm) No, I'm not excited about that at all!
Are you serious? Who's writing this stuff?
No, I'm not excited about an opportunity to watch history being made here!
Of course I'm excited!

Ivette:
You were the first female announcer of a championship game in any professional sport.
Would you call that the highlight of your career?

Renel:
Of my career here, yes. Absolutely, it doesn't get any better than that. Or bigger.

Ivette:
What words of encouragement would you give women who want to pursue a career in sports broadcasting?

Renel:
It's a great time to be a woman in sports broadcasting. I'm 48 years old, when I was a kid, there were no women doing anything in sports broadcasting. There weren't any women doing anything in broadcasting, period. And now you watch ESPN, you watch Headline News, you watch any of the cable channels, you watch any of your local affiliates and networks; you see women covering sports like never before. It's a great time to be a woman and to continue to make great strides.

Ivette:
Now for some up close and personal questions for the readers of Femmefan.com.

Renel:
I reserve the right to not answer them!

Ivette:
Ok, so noted. Pick one:

Q: Jazz or R&B?
A: R&B

Q: BBQ or sushi?
A: BBQ

Renel:
Oh this is fun I didn't know it was going to be rapid fire.

Q: Basketball or football?
A: Football

Q: A night at the Claremont Hotel or a night at the Fairmount Hotel?
A: A night at the Ritz Carlton - Half Moon Bay.

Q: A Caribbean cruise or a trip to Italy ?
A: Caribbean cruise. It's our favorite vacation place. The Bahamas , St. Lucia , Jamaica .

Q: A hot fudge sundae or a chocolate soufflé?
A: Neither. Nachos or chili cheese fries. I could care less about sweets.
I like starch and carbs. Potatoes and rice and bread.

Ivette:
That's why you're exercising like a maniac!

Renel:
You're darn right baby.

Ivette:
The most romantic date you've ever been on?

Renel:
There've been many.
It was with my husband I'm happy to say. It was when my husband and I reconnected thirteen years after we first met.
Because it was unexpected it turned out to be the most romantic thing and then we've been together ever since. We met for lunch and it was like a five hour lunch, the waitress came and asked us.she brought the bill and she said thank you so much Mr. and Mrs. Moon, and we weren't married. And we were like, wow. And then for Valentines Day the following year, he'd saved that receipt and put it in my Valentines' Day card, and he wrote, "do you remember the time" and that was the year the Michael Jackson song was out, so I can't say it was the most romantic date, but the most romantic situation.

I really enjoy the moments when I'm with my husband at home, because we're not home a lot because of what I do. Like last night he had a bottle of champagne and champagne flutes to celebrate the Warriors. That's the kind of stuff that keeps it alive and I thought that was really incredibly romantic.
Those moments, that's the best.

Ivette:
Thank you Renel:

Renel:
Is that it?

Ivette:
Yes I don't want to take anymore of your time. And we could talk Niners and Raiders forever.

Renel:
Well why don't we get back together during football season?

Ivette:
Absolutely I would really appreciate the opportunity to speak with you again.

I left the broadcast booth and headed down to watch the game with some folks who invited my friend and I to the Dugout Club. Awesome seats, great weather, a great game (the Giants came from behind 2-0 to win the game 6-2); and an interview with a woman I wouldn't mind watching a football game or any sporting event with any day, any time.
Thank you Renel for proving that dreams do come true.