The NBA Broadcaster Who Helps Design His Team’s Uniforms
Uni-obsessed Travis Demers is the radio voice of the Trail Blazers — and also has input on their uniform designs.
Let’s say you were offered a choice: You could either be the play-by-play broadcaster for your local team’s radio broadcasts, which would let you paint the word picture for countless fans, or you could play a behind-the-scenes role in creating the team’s uniforms.
Travis Demers doesn’t have to choose. In addition to being the radio voice of the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers, he’s also part of the creative team that designs the Blazers’ City Edition uniforms, a dual distinction that, to my knowledge, is unique in the NBA and maybe in all of pro sports. But it’s a natural pairing for Demers, a lifelong uniform fan who’s incorporated that passion into his broadcast work to such an extent that he was eventually invited to join the team’s design crew.
I recently talked with Demers about how his uni-centric mindset has affected his work as a broadcaster, what it’s like to have a hand in the City Edition design process, the “uniform” that he wears as a radio announcer, and more. I don’t mind saying that this is one of the most enjoyable interviews I’ve ever done, and I know you’re going to like it too. Here’s a transcript, which has been edited for length and clarity.
Uni Watch: Let’s start with some background. Where did you grow up, and how did you get into uniforms?
Travis Demers: I grew up in Westchester, New York, and uniforms were always an interest of mine. It started with uniform numbers — in Little League, I had to have No. 6, because that was the number of my favorite player, Steve Sax of the Yankees. When I was 11, I was a catcher, and they didn’t have the small numbers that year — they only had the bigger numbers, and I was given No. 20. And that just happened to be the number of Mike Stanley, who was the Yankees’ catcher at the time, and then Jorge Posada [another Yankees catcher] wore it after that. I had a really good year that year, so No. 20 has always been my lucky number ever since then. I even traded with someone in high school and in college for it.
Also, when I played high school baseball, they gave us the stirrups with the white socks. I was very superstitious, and for some reason — I don’t know where I got this in my head — but I didn’t like any white showing. So my sophomore year, I went to the sporting goods store and bought purple socks, solid socks, because that was our color And my cleats were all-black low-top Nikes, so I had solid purple and solid black. When I showed up to a game, my teammates thought it looked cool, so I ended up buying socks for the whole team because they liked that, and eventually the whole team was wearing the solid-colored socks.
UW: Did you collect jerseys?
TD: Yeah. I always asked for jerseys for Christmas and birthdays. I had so many, I didn’t know what to do with them. And when I watch movies and stuff, you can tell when the jerseys they use are cheap. That’s why Major League was so cool, because they had the real jerseys for all the teams. I’ve always paid attention to stuff like that.
UW: How long have you been the radio voice of the Trail Blazers and how did you get that gig?
TD: This is my fourth full season. I was the fill-in guy in 2018-19 and did about half the season. I was already doing the afternoon show on the flagship station for the Blazers, Rip City Radio, but play-by-play was always what I wanted to do, so I was doing other things to scratch the itch. Hillsboro Hops minor league baseball, University of Portland college basketball and baseball, high school basketball and baseball — a little bit of everything.
Brian Wheeler, who’s my predecessor, had some health problems, so I filled in for a preseason game in 2017. As his health problems increased, I did most of the road schedule plus part of the home schedule in 2018-19, and then he just couldn’t continue anymore, so they ended up hiring me full-time in 2019.
UW: So your first full year turned out to be the pandemic year.
TD: Yeah. I still have not done a full 82-game season with full travel. And there’s one arena — Boston — where I still have not called a game.
UW: Where do you typically sit during a game?
TD: Sometimes, like in Chicago, we’re still on the floor — or at least we were the last time I went there. But at most arenas, they’ve taken us off the floor so they can sell those seats. Most of the time, it’s like the back of the 100 level. And there are some places, like Dallas, Denver, Madison Square Garden, where we’re way up there.
UW: Some radio broadcasters — not just in the NBA but in lots of sports — make a point at the beginning of each game to describe the uniforms that the two teams are wearing. Do you do that?
TD: Yes, I absolutely do. If the Blazers are wearing their white jerseys, I’ll say, “The Blazers are in their Association Edition uniforms — white jerseys, white shorts, ‘Blazers’ across the chest, with the numbering in black, outlined in red, name on the back in black, and the red, black, and silver sash down the jerseys diagonally, right to left, and on the left side of the shorts.” And then I’ll basically say the reverse of that for the black uniform, or the red, or whatever. And then whatever the opposing team is wearing.
So I go into pretty heavy detail. It’s only about 30 seconds, but it’s for the listeners. Maybe there’s somebody out there who enjoys uniforms the way I do, so maybe they hear that and think it’s cool.
UW: Did your predecessor do that too?
TD: I’m sure he described the colors, but maybe not quite to that level of detail.
UW: Aside from that pregame description, do you ever refer to the uniforms during the game?
TD: Yeah, I’ll mention arm sleeves or leg sleeves, things like that. It’s kind of become a thing. My broadcast partner is Michael Holton, who played in the league in the ’80s and early ’90s. He was the starting point guard for the original Charlotte Hornets, so he’s got a thing for teal. And you know how there are some uniforms that have gradient numbers? Michael thinks the word gradient is fun, so sometimes he’ll try and sound smart and have fun with it. He’ll say, “That’s a gradient.” So he’s kind of piggybacked on what I do. I don’t think he quite grasps the level that I take it to, but he definitely has fun with it. He’s a really fun guy to work with.
UW: Let’s talk about your prep sheets. First, is that the term you use — prep sheet?
TD: Prep sheets, play-by-play charts, prep charts, boards — people call it different things.
UW: Every play-by-play broadcaster has something like that, right?
TD: Yeah, it’s pretty standard.
UW: But you take yours to another level by customizing them with the teams’ colors and number fonts. When did you start doing that?
