14 Retro Sports Broadcast Jingles That Don’t Air Anymore
Here's a nostalgic soundscape of sports that no longer fills the airwaves but remains in memory.
- Alyana Aguja
- 4 min read
These broadcast jingles weren’t just musical cues; they were cultural signposts that framed our sports-watching rituals. Their disappearance tells a story of changing rights, rebrands, and the steady digitization of sports media. Though the tunes are gone, they still echo in the minds of fans who grew up with them.
1. NBC’s “Roundball Rock” (NBA on NBC, 1990–2002)
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Composed by John Tesh, “Roundball Rock” became the unofficial soundtrack of ‘90s basketball. It carried the energy of Jordan-era Bulls games and brought chills every time it opened a Sunday triple-header. Though NBC lost NBA rights in 2002, fans still remember it as the anthem of peak basketball drama.
2. ABC’s “Wide World of Sports” Theme (1961–1998)
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With its iconic “Agony of Defeat” intro and a sweeping orchestral bed, ABC’s Wide World of Sports theme embodied athletic glory and heartbreak. Generations grew up hearing it before watching ski jumpers crash or boxers triumph. It vanished quietly after the show was absorbed into ESPN programming.
3. CBS NFL Theme (1981–1986)
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This brassy, high-energy score marked a transitional era for CBS’s football broadcasts, ushering in a more cinematic sound. Paired with retro graphics and game footage, the jingle brought Sundays to life. It was replaced in the late ‘80s with more modern compositions, but it left a vintage imprint.
4. ESPN’s “Da Da Da” (SportsCenter, early 1990s)
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Technically a stinger rather than a full theme, the “Da Da Da” jingle became instantly synonymous with highlights and last-minute game-winners. It wasn’t so much played as it was imitated by fans across the country. Though ESPN still uses variations, the original synth-heavy version has long been retired.
5. Monday Night Football on ABC (1975–1997 version)
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Before Hank Williams Jr. ever asked if we were ready for some football, the orchestral fanfare set the tone for the week’s biggest game. This instrumental built suspense as Cosell, Gifford, and Meredith took their seats. When MNF moved to ESPN, the classic brass-heavy piece faded into history.
6. CBS College Football Theme (1980s)
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This peppy, marching-band-style jingle brought autumn Saturdays to life, tying perfectly into the collegiate atmosphere. With synths mimicking horns and drums, it became part of the ritual of watching powerhouse matchups. It was phased out for sleeker sounds in the 1990s.
7. “This is CNN/SI” Theme (1996–2002)
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CNN/Sports Illustrated’s joint venture might’ve been short-lived, but its crisp and urgent jingle made it feel like a legitimate player in the 24-hour sports world. The theme fused news seriousness with sports tempo. When the network folded, so did the jingle, vanishing with little fanfare.
8. NBC’s MLB Theme (1994–2000)
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Used during playoff games and World Series coverage, this cinematic jingle made baseball feel like a patriotic event. It was rich with brass and triumphant swells, adding gravity to every pitch. NBC’s exit from baseball broadcasting in 2000 took the anthem with it.
9. ABC’s Bowling for Dollars Theme (1970s)
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This game show-style jingle made bowling feel both casual and epic. It had a kitschy charm with its jazzy horns and cheerful tempo. Once the format lost steam in the ‘80s, the music disappeared, too.
10. The NHL on Fox “Glow Puck” Theme (1995–1999)
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While the glowing puck gimmick was controversial, the broadcast’s electric guitar-heavy theme felt like a shot of adrenaline. It tried to sell hockey to a broader American audience and actually succeeded in energizing the sound of the sport. When Fox left hockey, the track went silent.
11. TBS Braves Baseball Intro (1980s–early 1990s)
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This synth-laden theme aired during the channel’s heyday of Ted Turner’s “America’s Team.” The jingle was laid-back yet catchy, fitting for hours of laid-back summer baseball. It faded out as TBS moved away from exclusive Braves coverage.
12. ABC’s Olympic Theme (1984 Los Angeles Games)
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Before NBC’s long-standing Olympic anthem took over, ABC’s theme for the 1984 games blended hopeful horns with a heroic vibe. It sounded distinctly American and captured the spirit of LA’s opening ceremonies. After that Olympiad, ABC handed over the Olympic torch.
13. CBS “The Masters” Opening Theme (Early 1980s version)
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The iconic piano melody we know today evolved from a jazzier, slightly faster version used in the early 1980s. That earlier theme still carried the grace and tradition of Augusta but with a bit more swing. It was soon replaced by the slower, more reverent theme known today.
14. USA Network “Tuesday Night Fights” Theme (1982–1998)
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This hard-hitting intro mixed synth bass and streetwise horns, matching the gritty underdog feel of weeknight boxing. You’d hear it right before some breakout brawl in a smoky Atlantic City ballroom. When the USA dropped boxing in the late ’90s, the theme bowed out, too.