Orange Outreach: A Newhouse Alumni Profile with Joe Puccio ’24
Growing up across New York, Joe Puccio ‘24 continues his love for the state as he builds his career.
While in Newhouse, Puccio called numerous marquee events for WAER, anchored multiple shows at CitrusTV and was the sports director for Z89. After graduating from Syracuse University with a degree in Broadcast and Digital Journalism in 2024, Puccio spent time working in Lakeland, Florida and Bridgewater, New Jersey before making his return to the Empire State. Joe now works with the Syracuse Mets, the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets, as a play-by-play broadcaster. Puccio is also the voice of Siena women’s basketball, as well as a fill-in for the Saints’ men’s team.
I was able to talk with the recent SU graduate at NBT Bank Stadium, ahead of a Syracuse Mets game he was broadcasting with fellow Syracuse graduate Jack Gordon ‘24.
Q: After graduating from Syracuse University, how does it feel to now be working down the road for part of the year?
A: “Just to be in this town is so special. Not everyone wants to work in Syracuse, New York, but we do. We take a lot of pride in that, and I think that’s reflected in our broadcasts to where this is not just a place on our stops around minor league baseball. We care about this town, we care about the fans, and we care about the people who tune in.”
Q: In what ways has the Newhouse Sports Media Center helped you grow while at Syracuse?
A: “What the [Newhouse] Sports Media Center does for Syracuse students, to me that should be a difference maker for students who want to do broadcasting in choosing Syracuse versus choosing someone else. The fact that if you put in the work, you can do network level games for Syracuse University, an ACC school, that’s a deal breaker. For us, to do those games was special. To do them for a school and a team we grew up watching made it so easy. That’s all due to the Sports Media Center and what they do to help those students become professionals.”
Q: While working with Siena, what was the experience of covering a March Madness game against top-ranked Duke like?
A: “Getting the March Madness experience was just mind blowing to me. I met Ian Eagle the day before, and it was one of the most remarkable interactions I’ve ever had, because it was a circle of me, Bill Raferty, Gerry McNamara, and Ian Eagle. Ian pulled himself aside to come say hi to me. Just to see one of the greatest of all time to do it and talk to me, who’s been out of school for two years now, was inspirational. The game itself was shocking. You’re going through the mental gymnastics throughout the week, like okay, how can Siena beat Duke? Everything me and my co-workers thought of happened in the first half. I can’t even formulate words because I’m so stunned at what I’m watching. The way Gerry was composed before the game, I was the last person to talk to him media wise before he took the court. He was calm; he was energized. He thought he should have won that game. That March Madness game is something that I won’t forget for the rest of my life.”
Q: What are some of the coolest interactions you’ve had as a broadcaster?
A: “Bill Walton, in Hawaii. For me, personally, Bill was a very close friend to my uncle, who had spinal cord surgery. Bill is such a generous person. Having Dan Shulman on ESPN say, “Hey guys, do you want to meet Bill Walton today?” He made a joke about the [Jack and I] because he introduced himself as Jack and I was Joe. He said, ‘What is this, the Kennedy administration?’ That was so cool to have someone that is that high up talk to you like you’re a person. Those people get it. One person that’s been huge in my broadcasting life is Andrew Catalon. Catalon was on a fall 2020 Newhouse zoom webinar, and I just saw a link for it. I’ve kept in touch with him for six years now. Outside of the X’s and Os of play-by-play, it’s the life perspective and the helpful keys just to how to live I think are so valuable.”
Q: What are some venues you’ve had the privilege to work in where you sat back and said “Wow”?
A: “Cameron [Indoor], [but] I still get that way about the Dome. I wanted to play for Jim Boeheim. It’s the place that we grew up being like this is what put our area on the map and the fact that we got to call at least one game there was amazing. I think the Dome is just the cream of the crop. If I got to call a game at Cameron Indoor or the Dome, I would probably choose the Dome.”
Q: What was it like to call the first Syracuse Mets first no-hitter since 1971?
A: “Sometimes Sunday’s you’re just kicking back and relaxing and you’re just kind of painting the big picture as it went on over the week. That changes quickly five innings in when a team’s got a no-hitter going. So, when we got to around the fifth inning, there was a thought like, they’re actually going to do this today. The way the team was rolling that week, you had a feeling in your stomach that it might happen. Then the moment happens, I do the call, Jack’s running downstairs to get photos and the lineup cards from the game. Then after all of that was done, I was like, ‘Can someone take a picture of us? Like with our books?’ I want to have this moment forever, and I haven’t done anything with that photo yet, but maybe someday down the road I’ll frame it and have the scoreboard with it. You never know if you’re going to call a no-hitter again, let alone with your best friend for a baseball team in Syracuse. It was special.”
Q: How was it calling future big leaguers like Angel Genao and Max Clark before they made their way up to the show?
A: “You mentioned Max Clark. My first year out of college I was the Tigers single-A voice, so I was in Lakeland. Not only did I call Max Clark and Kevin McGonigle games, but I lived with them in the dorms of TigerTown. I saw Max in April when they came to town. It’s like ‘Hey man, how is your life?’ Like, I haven’t seen him in two years, he’s married now. It’s so cool to kind of go up the levels in a way. I was with the Yankees double-A last year. George Lombard’s and the Spencer Jones’ of the world, we see them four series a year. To not only see the major leaguers, but to be like, oh, I have personal stories of some of the guys in the visiting clubhouses. It’s special, then you see those guys make their debuts, and you’re like oh my gosh. I remember when they were 18 and we were sharing a meal at the cafeteria in Lakeland, Florida. It’s honestly the most fun I have [doing] this job.”
Q: How are you maintaining the legacy that comes with the Syracuse Mets booth and what makes it so special?
A: “Baseball and a social media era that not as many people are checking in on the minors unless you’re in Syracuse. People care about this team. There’s people from New York who watch and listen. They want to know what’s going on with the triple-A club. Even going around town, people have noticed us and are like ‘Oh you’re the Syracuse guy, right?’ To me, that’s the sign of how strong this broadcast booth is and the legacy that this broadcast booth has, that the people in this town go on notice with who’s in the booth and how the team’s doing.”
Q: What is your favorite theme or event you’ve seen in minor league baseball?
A: “I think my favorite day was our Hall of Fame Day. It was so special to see a room of people. There was about 100 to 125 people for three inductees, on the day Syracuse Football opened up their season. People were in the Metro Club, listening to stories of a couple of employees of the team and a league president was one of the most surreal days for me because I got to see firsthand how much people care about Syracuse baseball. That’s a day that ever since, I’ve just been like, I want to serve those people. When I’m on the air, I want people to know that I’m catering them in a way. They could have been at the Fair, they could have been at the Dome, but they’re here. That means they’re also probably listening to us at 7:30 on a Wednesday night.”
Q: At the Hall of Fame Day, were you able to talk to Doc Gooden?
A: “I did. He’s larger than life. He was signing autographs all throughout the game. We wanted to have him up on the air, but he was done signing autographs in the eighth inning. I got to also meet him in Cooperstown last year because he was signing for Hall of Fame weekend. I think he’s such a great representative for the organization. From the championship team in ‘86, that team is revered by every single Mets fan. For him to just come up to Syracuse, a place he didn’t play, just to show his love for these fans and for the organization was great to see. I hope so many Mets former players and executives can come to Syracuse and see what we got going on here.”
Q: What is the plan for you after this Syracuse Mets season wraps up?
A: “My [Siena] basketball season won’t start now until early November. So, the month of October, I’m doing a lot of ESPN plus games. I’ll have a month to learn about all of the weeds of what’s going on with the Siena Basketball programs. I like to stay in touch with what they’re doing in the off-season, especially because Siena is such a great place. I cannot wait to get back for the fall and winter.”