Don La Greca is one of the most trusted voices in New York sports radio. He is best known as the co-host of Don, Hahn & Rosenberg on ESPN New York, and as the new television play-by-play voice of the New Jersey Devils on MSG Networks.
Don was born on February 13, 1968 (58 years old) in Hawthorne, New Jersey. He has spent more than two decades shaping afternoon sports talk in the city that never sleeps.
He was the very first voice heard when ESPN New York radio launched in September 2001, and he went on to spend 22 years co-hosting The Michael Kay Show, one of the most successful programs in New York radio history.
A proud alumnus of Ramapo College, Don received the school’s Distinguished Citizens Award in 2014 for his service to the community and higher education.
Today, he continues to thrive both on the radio and in the NHL broadcast booth.
Quick Facts of Don La Greca
| Full Name | Donald Marco La Greca |
| Profession | Radio Host, Sports Broadcaster and Analyst |
| Age | 58 years old |
| Date of Birth | February 13, 1968 |
| Nationality | American |
| Zodiac/Sun Sign | Aquarius |
| Birthplace | Hawthorne, New Jersey |
| Current Address | Somerset, New Jersey |
| Gender | Male |
Don La Greca Early Life and Education
Don La Greca was born and raised in Hawthorne, New Jersey, where he grew up as a passionate sports fan. He developed a love for sports broadcasting at a young age and dreamed of one day calling games, especially for the New Jersey Devils, a team he rooted for as a child.
Education
Don attended Don Bosco Technical High School and then enrolled at Ramapo College in New Jersey, where he earned a degree in communication.
| School | Don Bosco Technical High School |
| Alma Mater | Ramapo College, New Jersey |
| Highest Qualification | Degree in Communication |
Don La Greca Personal Life
Don La Greca is married and has two children.
Wife
Don La Greca’s wife is Nancy La Greca. The couple has been married since 2005, celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary on September 9, 2025.
They originally met through their shared love for hockey; Nancy was a partial season ticket holder for the New Jersey Devils, and they both belonged to the team’s fan club back in the late 1980s.
Interestingly, while Don calls games for the Devils, Nancy is actually a passionate Montreal Canadiens fan. They live in Somerset, New Jersey, and have boy-girl twin children.
Children
Don La Greca has two children.
He and his wife, Nancy, have boy-girl twins who were born on December 5, 2017:
- Son: Marco Harrison La Greca
- Daughter: Michelle Jay Lynn La Greca
Parents
Don La Greca’s parents are Julianne La Greca and Donald La Greca.
Father
Donald La Greca, who famously offered him a stable job at PSEG in 1992 before he committed fully to his sports broadcasting career.
Mother
Julianne La Greca, whose name also inspired part of his children’s names.
Siblings
Don La Greca has one well-known brother, Dave La Greca.
Like Don, Dave carved out a highly successful career in sports media. He is the creator and lead host of Busted Open, a massively popular professional wrestling radio show broadcast nationally on SiriusXM.
The two brothers occasionally cross over into each other’s broadcasting worlds and are known for sharing hilarious, good-natured stories on air about growing up together in New Jersey.
| Relationship Status | Married |
| Wife | Nancy La Greca |
| Children | Son: Marco Harrison La Greca Daughter: Michelle Jay Lynn La Greca |
| Parents | Father: Donald La Greca Mother: Julianne La Greca |
| Siblings | Brother: Dave La Greca |
Don La Greca Career
Don La Greca’s broadcasting story is one of loyalty, patience, and steady climbing. He started in the most humble corner of the radio business and slowly worked his way to the top of the most competitive sports market in America.
His journey can be understood through five distinct phases, each one adding a new layer to his craft.
Early Beginnings with Sports Phone and 1010 WINS
Don’s first job in the industry came with the Sports Phone service, a dial-in system that let sports fans call in and hear real-time scores and updates at a time before the internet existed. It was a demanding role because callers wanted instant, accurate information, and Don had to deliver it live, every single time.
That daily grind taught him speed, accuracy, and how to keep an audience engaged, skills that became the foundation of his entire career. From there, he moved to 1010 WINS, one of the biggest all-news radio stations in New York, where he worked as a sports anchor.
Anchoring at WINS put his voice in front of millions of daily listeners and proved he could handle big market pressure. These early roles shaped the strong, confident broadcasting style that New York fans would later fall in love with.
Becoming the First Voice of ESPN New York: 2001 to 2002
In September 2001, ESPN New York radio launched, and Don La Greca was the very first voice listeners heard on the station. Being the launch voice of a brand-new sports station in the biggest media market in the world was an enormous responsibility.
Don carried that role with pride, helping set the tone for what the station would become. The station was building its identity in a market already dominated by WFAN, the famous all-sports pioneer, so every hour of programming mattered.
Don’s steady presence in those early days helped give the young station credibility with New York listeners.
The Michael Kay Show Era: 2002 to 2025
In 2002, Don joined The Michael Kay Show as co-host, and this became the defining chapter of his career. The program paired him with Michael Kay, the well-known Yankees television announcer, and together they built one of the most successful afternoon drive shows in New York radio history.
For years, their main rival was WFAN legend Mike Francesa, and Don has said openly that beating Francesa in the ratings was the show’s sole purpose in life. The battles between the two shows became part of New York sports culture, with fans fiercely loyal to one side or the other.
Over 22 years together, Don and Michael developed a chemistry that listeners trusted for their daily sports conversation.
What made Don’s situation unusual was that despite being a genuine co-host who often carried the show for long stretches on his own, his name was never part of the title.
In a 2026 interview, he admitted this became his biggest professional regret, explaining that he should have pushed management harder for recognition. He recalled a 20th anniversary celebration for the show, held in a packed Manhattan theater, where broadcasting legend Bob Costas sent a video tribute and Yankees great Joe Torre attended.
Even then, radio star Chris Russo, hosting the event, was surprised three separate times to learn just how central Don was to the show’s success. Don also shared a favorite story about Giants coach Bill Parcells, who, as a weekly guest, would answer every one of Don’s questions by saying “Well, Michael.”
Alongside the main show, Don also hosted the station’s official Jets Game Day pregame show and The 5th Quarter postgame show, giving Jets fans complete game day coverage. This added responsibility showed the station trusted him with dedicated team coverage, not just afternoon talk.
Hockey Broadcasting and the New York Rangers: 2014 to 2025
While radio made him famous, hockey was where Don’s heart truly lived. He worked with the New York Rangers as a studio host and as the substitute play-by-play announcer whenever lead radio voice Kenny Albert was unavailable. He also called NHL playoff games on ESPN New York Radio in earlier years, building his confidence in the booth.
His biggest moment arrived in June 2014, when Kenny Albert had to leave to fill in for Mike Emrick on NBC, and Don was handed the microphone for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final. Calling the biggest series in hockey was, in his own words, a dream come true. It was validation for decades of preparation, and it proved he could perform on the sport’s grandest stage.
In 2016, Don added another role by launching Game Misconduct, ESPN’s hockey podcast, which he hosted while juggling his radio duties. The podcast gave him a dedicated platform to share his deep hockey knowledge with a national audience.
Through all these years, he balanced multiple jobs at once, moving between afternoon radio, studio hosting, and play-by-play without missing a beat.
A New Show and the Dream Devils Job: 2025 to Present
In January 2025, the radio landscape shifted. Michael Kay moved to a solo midday show, with The Michael Kay Show’s final episode in its original three-host form airing on December 13, 2024, and Don joining a brand new afternoon program called Don, Hahn & Rosenberg alongside co-hosts Alan Hahn and Peter Rosenberg, which launched on January 6, 2025.
For the first time in his career, Don’s name led the show’s title, closing a chapter he had long wished to rewrite. He admitted the transition felt strange after so many years in the same chair with Kay, but he was comfortable with Hahn and Rosenberg because he had known both for years and kept the same production team. Listeners embraced the new show quickly, and it kept ESPN New York competitive in the crowded New York market.
His new show soon found itself at the center of a ratings war, as WFAN brought back Craig Carton in early 2026 after cutting hosts Brandon Tierney and Sal Licata.
Don called the move “a horrible mistake” live on air, arguing that two talented hosts lost their jobs in a radio industry that has changed dramatically. He later explained his comments were not personal toward Carton, reflecting instead on how unpredictable the business has become. He also spoke about how ESPN New York no longer subscribes to Nielsen ratings and now broadcasts on 880 AM, saying that the way his team keeps score is simply changing with the times.
In January 2026, Don signed a multi-year contract extension that will carry him past the 25-year mark at ESPN New York. He called reaching that milestone incredibly humbling.
The crowning achievement of his career came on July 7, 2025, when MSG Networks announced Don as the new television play-by-play voice of the New Jersey Devils, replacing Bill Spaulding ahead of the 2025 to 26 NHL season.
For Don, this was more than a job. He grew up in Hawthorne, New Jersey, rooting for the Devils, and now his childhood dream of calling their games had come true. He summed it up beautifully, saying that as a kid he dreamed of doing shows and calling play-by-play, and being able to check so many boxes felt pretty amazing.
Don La Greca Awards and Achievements
- 2014: Distinguished Citizens Award, given by Ramapo College of New Jersey for exceptional personal and professional commitment to advancing higher education and significant community service.
Don La Greca Controversy
Don La Greca is not known for personal scandals. Instead, his most talked-about moments come from his fiery, passionate on-air rants and strong opinions. Here are the incidents that made headlines:
- The Evan Neal “Hamburger Flipper” Rant (2023): New York Giants offensive lineman Evan Neal drew heavy criticism for comments that dismissed his critics and compared fans to “sheep” who “flip hot dogs and hamburgers somewhere”. Don responded on air with a visceral, angry defense of the working-class fans who pay player salaries and spend big money on tickets, PSLs, and parking. He said he would rather root for a hamburger flipping person than accept Neal’s attitude, and he later vowed to keep booing Neal even after the player issued an apology. The rant resonated with fans and became one of the defining moments of his radio style.
- Clash with Caller “Pete from Brooklyn” (2024 to 2026): A caller once challenged Don’s right to criticize the New York Jets, arguing that since Don had never played or coached in the NFL, he had no standing to judge the team. Don fired back with an intense defense of sports media, pointing to his decades of covering the Jets and his long career in sports radio. He argued that nobody needs to be a former professional athlete to recognize a poorly performing team. The exchange became a fan favorite and showed his willingness to stand his ground.
- The NFL Conspiracy Claim (2025): During a September 2025 discussion, Don floated an unusual theory about the league’s officials. He suggested the NFL would manipulate referee calls to prevent the 0 and 2 Kansas City Chiefs from falling to 0 and 3 against the New York Giants. He blamed mainstream media attention and the massive global fanbase tied to Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift, arguing the league had a strong interest in protecting them. The claim sparked debate among listeners and was picked up widely online.
- The WFAN Carton Comments (2025): In December 2025, Don made headlines again when he called WFAN’s decision to cut hosts Brandon Tierney and Sal Licata to make room for the returning Craig Carton “a horrible mistake“ live on the air. He later clarified that his comments were not personal toward Carton, but about two talented broadcasters losing their jobs in a rapidly changing radio industry. The moment showed once again that Don speaks his mind, even about the business he works in.
- US Men’s Hockey Narrative Backlash (2026): After the United States men’s hockey team won gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics, online commentators and political pundits spun narratives accusing players, including New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes, of sexism or of making political statements about government figures visiting the locker room. Serving as the Devils’ broadcast voice, Don tore into the social media polarizers and strongly defended the players. He highlighted the genuine mutual support between the US men’s and women’s hockey programs, refusing to let the moment be twisted into controversy.
Don La Greca Net Worth
The estimated net worth of Don La Greca ranges between $1-$2 million, and his annual salary is approximately $50,000 per year.
| Net Worth (Approx.) | $1-$2 million |
| Salary (Approx.) | $50,000 per year |
Don La Greca Height, Weight, and Physical Stats
Below are the physical stats of Don La Greca:
| Height | In centimetres: 188 cm In meters: 1.88 m In feet & inches: 6 feet 2 inches |
| Hair Color | White |
| Eye Color | Dark brown |
Don La Greca Social Media
@DonLagrecaInteresting Facts About Don La Greca
- Don was the first voice ever heard on ESPN New York radio when the station launched in September 2001.
- He grew up rooting for the New Jersey Devils, and calling their games was a childhood dream he finally achieved in 2025.
- His wife only began taking a real interest in his work after actor Billy Crystal personally texted him.
- He once ran long stretches of The Michael Kay Show on his own, yet never had his name in the title, something he calls his biggest career regret.
- Comedian Chris Russo was genuinely surprised at the show’s 20th anniversary event when he realized how central Don was to its success.
FAQs
How old is Don La Greca?
Don La Greca is 58 years old. He was born on February 13, 1968, in Hawthorne, New Jersey.
What show does Don La Greca host now?
Don La Greca co-hosts Don, Hahn & Rosenberg on ESPN New York with Alan Hahn and Peter Rosenberg.
Who is the wife of Don La Greca?
Don La Greca’s wife is Nancy La Greca, and they have twin children, one boy and one girl.
Is Don La Greca the Devils broadcaster?
Yes, Don La Greca became the television play-by-play voice of the New Jersey Devils on MSG Networks in July 2025.
What did Don La Greca do before ESPN?
Don La Greca worked with the Sports Phone service and was a sports anchor at 1010 WINS.
Did Don La Greca call a Stanley Cup Final game?
Yes, Don La Greca called Game 1 of the 2014 Stanley Cup Final for the Rangers radio network.
