Q and A with “Voice of the Orange,” Matt Park
I had a chance to catch up with the “Voice of the Orange,” Matt Park, on winning a huge recent award, the disappointing football season, what he has seen so far from Orange hoops and more. Enjoy.
ML: Congrats on the 2025 Marty Glickman Award for Leadership in Sports Media. The award must mean a lot to you and how about the people who came in for it?
MP: That was the best part! The coolest part of this award is that the recipient is chosen by the previous honorees. Those first nine are our “Murders Row,” all people I look up to and respect. I’ve learned from each of them. Of those that were able to make it back, I think Marv Albert might have had the most fun. He hasn’t been able to get back much and he shared his strong personal memories of working with Marty Glickman.
ML: How would an 18-year-old Matt Park approach going into the business today?
MP: It’s hard to say because media and technology have changed so much from when I started. It’s an exciting time to be that age, to be a college student. Syracuse/Newhouse students wanting to get into broadcasting have so much opportunity now, so I’m sure I’d pursue that very aggressively.
ML: Is this Syracuse football season anything other than a bad break injury at QB? Is there anything else for the long term here under Fran Brown?
MP: That’s the biggest part of it for sure, but there are certainly other layers. The quarterback is the most important, but only one position. There was not enough in the rest of the QB group and then there were injuries to the center and others. The run game hasn’t been super productive. Two veteran safeties have been banged up all season. The schedule was always going to make this a very challenging season.
ML: What do you like about SU men’s hoops as of this writing?
MP: Their athleticism and versatility. That was a big priority for Red and Alex to address and they did it right away. This team will be much more representative of how they want to play, better on the defensive end and fun to watch.
ML: “Voice of the Orange” is a big deal. The names before you, the brand of Syracuse, the fans, community, team by team history and moments and more. Do you ever step back and think about all that in the day to day?
MP: I hope I never take it for granted. I have a very unique position and have a great privilege of representing Syracuse Athletics, and the university, connecting with student-athletes, alums, fans, etc. every day.
ML: Fun one to end it. Give me your Syracuse Athletics Mount Rushmore.
MP: Impossible! It’s much easier to do that with more narrow parameters. “Mount Rushmore” makes me think of foundations, so I’ll go with something like this: Roy Simmons Sr., Jim Brown, Jim Boeheim and for the purpose of this discussion, Marty Glickman.
ML: Matt, thanks so much. Keep doing your thing.
MP: Thanks, Mike.
Subscribe to Mike Lindsley on YouTube @mlsportsplatter. Read more about Matt winning the Marty Glickman Award here: 2025 Marty Glickman Award for Leadership in Sports Media – Syracuse University.
