Tom Leyden is the sports director at WFXT-TV FOX 25 in Boston where he anchors sports and hosts special sports programming.
Tom came to FOX 25 in April 2015 from WXYZ-TV ABC 7 in Detroit, MI where he was also sports director. He joined WXYZ in 2004, and in 2012 was named to his most recent position. In his 11 years at WXYZ, Tom has been recognized with numerous awards or nominations. Most recently, he won a Best Sportscast award from the Associated Press, an award that he also took home in 2010, 2011 & 2013. He has also been honored as the best sports reporter and best sports anchor in Michigan multiple times, among other awards. Tom has also been nominated for 23 local Emmy awards, and has won 10. Prior to WXYZ, Tom was a sports anchor/reporter for WFMZ-TV 69, an independent television in Allentown, PA. He has also worked for the NHL as a sales and marketing manager, and for the NFL as a publishing account executive.
A native of Westport, CT, Tom is a 1994 graduate of Boston College.
1. What kind of phone do you have, and what are your favorite apps?
iPhone 6 - besides my sports and news apps, the ones that get the biggest workouts are Waze and the Dunkin Donuts app. You have to know the fastest route to Dunkin Donuts, right?
2. Favorite and least favorite news topics to cover (besides violent crime)?
Not a big fan of coaching or managerial searches. So much has changed with people stalking flight numbers and trying to connect the dots as to who is flying where for a job interview.
I most enjoy the long form stuff like the special we did on the Needham/Wellesley Thanksgiving game. Being creative with highlights is fun, too.
3. If you weren't working in TV news, what would you be doing?
I'd likely be in sports marketing or working for one of the leagues in its broadcasting department. I like the business of sports broadcasting and that's how my career started. I spent four years with the NFL and two with the NHL in the 90's.
4. What was your favorite cartoon growing up?
Superfriends. All-Time classic. "Later... at the Hall of Justice."
5. When you have 30 minutes of free-time, how do you pass the time?
Since time with my family is limited because of the job, I like to play with my girls. Either that, or banging out a few tunes on the piano. Or, nothing.
6. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go and why?
Mykanos, Greece. My wife, Nicole, and I went to Greece for our honeymoon. We said we would go back five years later. That was 2003. Whoops.
7. Given the choice of anyone in the world, whom would you want as a dinner guest?
Robin Williams topped this list for so long and I was crushed when he died. I'll go with Cameron Diaz because she and I were born on the exact same day. That has to count for something, right? She just seems like she'd make you laugh all night.
8. Do you collect anything?
Super Bowl Game Programs. I'm only missing a few. Toughest one to get is Super Bowl V because the truck carrying the programs from the printer to the game in Miami in 1971 crashed, so there are very few around.
9. What are the top 3 played songs on your iPod?
Just checked- Baba O'Reilly by The Who, Mirrors by Justin Timberlake and Fixer-Upper from the Frozen soundtrack. As Prince Fielder famously said after the 2013 ALCS, "I got kids, man."
10. What is one of your favorite quotes?
"Act as if ye have faith and faith shall be given to you. To put it another way, fake it 'til you make it." It's from The West Wing, my favorite show of all-time.
11. What was the last experience that made you a stronger person?
I wanted to say lifting weights but you're probably looking for something more serious. I'd say being confident in my own conviction to make the jump to Boston. We were pretty settled in Detroit with great friends, but moving closer to home was a big draw and we've been warmly welcomed by my colleagues at FOX25 and our new neighbors.
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No endorsement between WFXT-TV and New England One is implied or intended by Tom Leyden's participation in "11 Questions"
