Bill Watters | |
|---|---|
| Born | William Wayne Watters June 29, 1943 |
| Occupation(s) | Sportscaster, Player Agent, General Manager, CFL Player |
| Known for | co-hosting Hockey Central, Managing Toronto Maple Leafs |
William Wayne Watters (born June 29, 1943)[1] is a Canadian sports media personality and former Assistant General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Watters was a fullback and linebacker with the Toronto Varsity Blues football team from 1961 through 1964. He was a team co-captain and league All-Star at linebacker in both 1963 and 1964. In his final season (1964), he received the Johnny Copp Trophy as the team's Most Valuable Player. Watters also was a member of the Wrestling Blues for three seasons (1961–62, 62–63, 63–64) and practiced regularly with the Varsity Blues men's ice hockey team, although he saw limited action in league play. He earned a total of three First Colours and five Second Colours, and served on the UTAA Men's Athletic Directorate in 1963–64.
Watters was selected second overall by the Toronto Argonauts (Despite being offered to be drafted at the number one pick as he wanted to play closer to his family) in the 1964 CFL draft[2] but chose not to play professional football after he was cut due to a knee injury.[3] In the 2000s, his son, Brad Watters, became the Argonaut's Team President.[4] Following graduation, he embarked on a career as a teacher then turned to professional sports as a broadcaster, player agent, and assistant general manager of Toronto Maple Leafs from 1991 to 2003.[5]
Watters formerly co-hosted Hockey Central on Rogers Sportsnet, The Bill Watters Show on AM 640 Toronto Radio and has been a regular contributor on Q107's John Derringer morning show.[6][7] Watters was also a former co-host of Prime Time Sports back when it debuted in 1989. On January 14, 2011 his contract expired and left Rogers Sportsnet. The Bill Watters show on AM 640 Toronto Radio has been replaced by the drive-time show by Arlene Bynon as of July 18, 2011 due to Bill's contract expiring and a reprogram of the station.
Watters is now a co-host on the bi-weekly live internet broadcast of "Next Sport Star" (NSS) along with entrepreneur and filmmaker Frank D'Angelo, hockey great Phil Esposito and sportscaster John Gallagher.