Naoko Funayama
{{short description|Japanese American sportscaster}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
Naoko Funayama (Japanese: 船山直子, Funayama Naoko) is a Japanese American sportscaster, who currently works for the New England Revolution.{{cite web|url=https://www.revolutionsoccer.net/club/club-staff|title=Club Staff|accessdate=August 30, 2017}} She previously served as a rinkside reporter for Boston Bruins games on New England Sports Network.{{Cite web|date=June 28, 2013|title=NESN ditches popular Bruins sideline reporter Naoko Funayama|url=https://awfulannouncing.com/2013/nesn-ditches-popular-bruins-sideline-reporter-naoko-funa.html|access-date=2021-08-10|website=Awful Announcing|language=en-US}}
Career
A graduate of Williams College and the Boston University College of Communication, Funayama got her start at Adelphia Cable 10 in Frederick, Maryland. In August 2004, she joined WMUR-TV as a sports reporter, producer and anchor.{{cite web|title=Naoko Funayama, Sports Anchor|url=http://www.wmur.com/wmurnewsteam/3744444/detail.html|publisher=WMUR Channel 9|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217031131/http://www.wmur.com/wmurnewsteam/3744444/detail.html|archivedate=17 February 2012}}
Funayama joined NESN as a freelance Boston Red Sox reporter in April 2007. In her first year with NESN, she covered Red Sox pitchers Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideki Okajima. Funayama captured the attention of NESN after she helped Matsuzaka's struggling translator during Matsuzaka's introductory press conference.{{cite news |last=Bickelhaupt|first=Susan |title=Perspectives on Sox? NESN adds two more |url=http://archive.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2007/04/20/perspectives_on_sox_nesn_adds_two_more/ |accessdate=17 August 2016 |work=The Boston Globe |date=20 April 2007 |url-access=subscription }}
Funayama joined NESN full-time in September 2008 as the Bruins in-game reporter and host of The Buzz, a Bruins countdown show formerly hosted by Hazel Mae. In June 2013, NESN announced that they would not renew Funayama's contract.{{cite news |last=Finn |first=Chad |title=Naoko Funayama let go by NESN |url=http://archive.boston.com/sports/touching_all_the_bases/2013/06/naoko_funayama_let_go_by_nesn.html |accessdate=17 August 2016 |work=The Boston Globe |date=27 June 2013}} She was replaced by Jamie Erdahl.{{Citation needed|date=August 2021}}
Funayama worked as a reporter for NBC Sports at the 2020 Summer Olympics.{{Cite web|date=2021-07-20|title=RECORD 180 COMMENTATORS JOIN NBC OLYMPICS' COVERAGE OF THE GAMES OF THE XXXII OLYMPIAD FROM TOKYO, JAPAN|url=https://nbcsportsgrouppressbox.com/2021/07/20/record-180-commentators-join-nbc-olympics-coverage-of-the-games-of-the-xxxii-olympiad-from-tokyo-japan/|access-date=2021-08-10|website=NBC Sports Pressbox|language=en}}
Funayama can currently be seen on NBC Sports Boston (formerly Comcast Sportsnet New England) and freelancing at WMUR-TV.{{Citation needed|date=August 2021}}
References
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Category:American people of Japanese descent
Category:American television reporters and correspondents
Category:Boston Bruins announcers
Category:Boston University College of Communication alumni
Category:National Hockey League broadcasters
Category:Television anchors from Boston
Category:Williams College alumni