LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — After 50 years of chronicling some of the most memorable moments in local and national sports, Rick Bozich is stepping away from full-time journalism.
Bozich, who joined WDRB in 2012 after a long career at The Louisville Courier-Journal and Louisville Times, will retire on July 1, he announced on Friday. His decision closes a remarkable chapter in Louisville media, where he has long been one of the most respected and recognizable voices in sports.
A member of multiple journalism halls of fame — including the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, Indiana Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association, and the Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame — Bozich has left an indelible mark on the profession and the region he’s covered so passionately.
“I’ve been blessed to do something I love for as long as I have,” Bozich said. “I can’t thank WDRB enough for 13 fantastic years, more fulfilling and invigorating than anything I ever imagined. Getting to do it with my amazing and talented friend, Eric Crawford, made it the opportunity of a lifetime.
“Covering sports in a place like Louisville, that loves college basketball as much as I do, has been a privilege — and something I’ve never taken for granted. But March is for spring training, too. I’m excited for the baseball travel adventures, family time, dog walks, bike rides and writing adventures that await.”
Bozich’s journalism journey began in Indiana, where he delivered his hometown Gary Post-Tribune as a boy and eventually earned a journalism degree from Indiana University in 1975. After early stops in Anderson and Bloomington, Ind., he arrived at the Courier-Journal in 1978. Over the next 34 years, he covered 31 NCAA Final Fours, 15 Super Bowls, 11 World Series, three Summer Olympics, and one NBA Finals.
He joined WDRB in the summer of 2012, helping expand the station’s digital and on-air sports coverage while continuing his work as a columnist and commentator. His move to television proved to be another successful chapter — earning an Emmy Award and helping launch the station’s streaming sports programs.
“Rick helped define what sports journalism could look like in Louisville — and then helped redefine it when he made the move to television,” WDRB Vice President of News and station manager Barry Fulmer said. “He’s not just a Hall of Fame journalist. He’s been a newsroom mentor, a leader, and an example of consistency and integrity.”
Over the years, Bozich’s work has been featured in The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, The Sporting News, and FoxSports.com. He was a recurring guest on ESPN’s Sports Reporters program, and a Kentucky Derby correspondent for Westwood One Radio.
He served as a college basketball correspondent for SI for 20 years and was the state chairman for the John Wooden Award as well as a voter in the AP College Basketball poll and Heisman Trophy. He’s also a multiple-time winner of the Red Smith Award for Kentucky Derby coverage over the 47 editions of the race he covered.
But beyond the accolades and assignments, Bozich has been a trusted presence for readers and viewers — someone whose voice carried weight not just because of his resume, but because of his fairness, perspective, and insight.
From the sidelines of high school gyms in Southern Indiana to the press boxes of the Final Four, he approached each story with the same respect for the people involved and the readers he served.
Bozich’s departure marks the culmination of one of the most accomplished sports journalism careers in Kentucky and Indiana history. But his influence will continue — in the newsroom, in the community, and in the generations of journalists who have learned from his example.
He expects to keep plugging away at a few ventures post-retirement, while spending more time with his family, including his wife Rhonda, son Alex, daughter Maggie, three grandchildren and three step-children.
Further reflections on his career will appear on WDRB.com and in upcoming newscasts.
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