24 October 2024, It is with a heavy heart that Seattle comes to terms with the passing of a legend, Tony Ventrella, a sports director and a popular figure in the KING 5 family. The longtime fixture in the sports landscape passed away on Saturday night amid decades of charity and dedication to sportscasting in the Pacific Northwest.
At KING 5, Ventrella served as the sports director from 1982 to 1994 and became a familiar fixture in Seattle sports broadcasting. Since then, he has moved on to work with KIRO-TV and also covered digital media with the Seahawks, where he has maintained those relationships in the sports community.
Indeed, throughout his career, Ventrella has been praised for a commitment to high journalistic ethics, as well as an uncanny ability to strike the perfect balance between a sense of humor and telling many stories. The impact he leaves behind is much more than one screen can hold. A motivational speaker and author, he has deeply enriched the screens of colleagues and viewers alike who have lived by his example.
The family of Ventrella announced his death and expressed the deepest appreciation for all the support that has continued being poured into their lives. “It is with a heavy heart that we share that it was my dad’s time to do the great sportscast in the sky,” his family wrote.
Tony Ventrella will be remembered for his warmth, wit, and passion for sports that touched so many lives across Seattle and beyond. Tributes continue to pour in from fans, former colleagues, and sports teams as the community remembers him.
