Today we’d like to introduce you to Mike Yam.
Hi Mike, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’m originally from the East Coast and graduated from Fordham University. I was very fortunate to get my first “real” on-air job after I graduated at Sirius Radio. It was a tremendous opportunity because I was hosting 6 hours of radio across two channels every day. The radio experience helped me land my first TV job at NBA-TV. After a few years, I auditioned at ESPN where I was eventually hired. I spent four years in Bristol doing everything from NBA, college basketball and football shows as well as Sportscenter. When the opportunity to be the lead host at Pac-12 Network presented itself, it was a no-brainer to move to San Francisco. I spent almost ten years in the Bay, but when Covid hit, I was left looking for another opportunity. I was blessed to land at NFL Network, which is where I’ve been since 2020. I’m currently hosting NFL Total Access. Aside from my broadcasting duties, I authored the children’s book Fried Rice and Marinara. The book was a huge passion project for me and represents something I did not have as a child – a book featuring an Asian character or a story about a mixed-race family. Sadly, a few decades later, things aren’t much better. The fact that children are more likely to read a story featuring a white character, animal, or inanimate object than one about a diverse person is a real problem. I’m currently working on my second book and am thrilled to have the support of Stirred Stories.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
When I reflect back on my career path, I don’t think you’ll find a luckier sportscaster than me. I have had countless mentors and bosses who took a genuine interest in my success. I always felt indebted to anyone who gave me an opportunity – I didn’t want to let them down. However, 2020 was the most challenging of my professional years. After being at Pac-12 Network from its inception, it was hard to be told a contract extension was coming only to be let go. The experience was particularly difficult because a big part of my identity was intertwined with that network. During Covid, we all were watching news coverage wondering when life would return to normal. Aside from my family’s health, my biggest concern was whether I would get another opportunity to be on air. There was a period of time where I wrestled with the idea that my run as a broadcaster might be over. I started to think about life after broadcasting, but it was always so hard for me to let go. I spent most of my time that year reaching out to anyone I ever worked with and writing my first children’s book Fried Rice and Marinara. I realized I really loved writing stories, and through research, I’ve been disappointed seeing what is available for children. Most diverse stories have limiting narratives and use stereotypes as the backdrop. I know we can do better, and I’m excited to find a publisher who shares the same mission.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
The majority of my professional career has been as a studio host. I have always loved talking about sports, and when I was in college, I caught the on-air bug. To get the opportunity to talk about the NFL every day on Total Access is a dream come true. The privilege of having this opportunity isn’t lost on me. One of the projects I’m most proud of is Fried Rice and Marinara. During the course of my career, I have been fortunate to speak to students about a path in broadcasting. I have always been disheartened by the lack of Asian representation in media classes. Aside from cultural factors, I believe the lack of widespread representation at high levels of sportscasting is a major reason why Asian American students are picking other career paths. Strengthening the pipeline is one of the ways I think this changes. If young kids can see themselves in stories, I think it can spark an interest in storytelling. It’s one of the many reasons why I wanted to write Fried Rice and Marinara. I’m really fired up about the future stories I’m working on.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Determination is so important to anyone’s success. I’m convinced that characteristic can help individuals stay focused on goals and stay resilient when things aren’t going your way. I spent most of my life thinking success followed a linear upward trajectory. I’ve reshaped how I think about success. I don’t think it’s a vertical lineup; it’s actually a bubble. It’s about the positive impact we have in the sphere of people around us.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @Mike_Yam
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MikeYam.P12
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-yam-24686396/
- Twitter: @Mike_Yam
- Other: https://beacons.ai/mike_yam
