Behind the Mic with Brian Dunseth

Brian Dunseth has become one of the faces of the RSL Family. From his time as a player, to being part of the broadcasting team, and also being one of the hosts of On Frame, Dunseth has become a respected voice in the RSL community. I recently had the opportunity to talk with him about his broadcasting career, On Frame, as well as what his future might bring.

I asked him how he got into broadcasting. He first started developing his strength in analyzing players and formations when he was a player for the US U-20 team. His coach at the time had the whole team watch USMNT games and take note of formations, player tendencies, and tactical adjustments that were made. He said that this taught him the tools necessary to be able to break down a game.

Later as a player, he had thoughts of going into broadcasting. He said that the seeds were planted by Allen Hopkins and Christian Miles (both broadcasters at the time) in the final year of his career after they told him he would be "perfect for this". That got Dunseth wondering how to get into the business. After retiring from the game, Dunseth moved to Salt Lake and was attending an RSL match. On his way home he listened to the post game show on the radio that was then hosted by Spencer Checketts and Trey Fitzgerald.

The next day he was talking to Checketts who was his friend and he said teasingly "let me know if you want someone who knows what they are talking about". He started the next week.

Dunseth continued, "The next year Trey asked me if I have ever done analyst on the radio? 'Yeah, of course I have.' I had never done it before. I then started working the radio side. Later I got a call from Trey saying that Robin Fraser was taking over as an assistant coach and could no longer do TV. He then asked if I have ever done TV? 'Of course I have.' I had no clue what I was doing. Fast forward two years later I got a call from Fox asking if I have ever done side line reporting? 'Of course I have.' No clue what so ever. Later I was asked if I could do play-by-play? 'Sure no problem'..."

He says he has always tried to put himself into situations where he could grow. "I always say the swindle continues that no one realizes that I am just stealing money talking about soccer."

He credits Fitzgerald for the growth of his career on a national level. "Without his support I would have never been able to do Fox or do NBC. He is the least territorial person that I know. Fortunately, he and Garth Lagerwey and Bill Manning and now Dell Loy (Hansen) feels that it only helps raise the profile of Real Salt Lake if I am doing national broadcasts. I am very fortunate to have that type of support."

I asked him about the origins of the radio show On Frame. He said that it got started with him and Fitzgerald bouncing ideas off each other.

"For me, soccer fans are the most educated out of all of them. I say that because we are constantly forced to search for our information. It is not just given to us. You have to go online and search for it. The idea of On Frame was to recap and preview but to also mix in some different personalities. I think we have a pretty good guest list, it is pretty diverse."

In asking about what the future holds for On Frame, Dunseth said "I think the next evolution of On Frame is taking it into the television realm. I think we potentially have that partner with ABC to allow us to showcase a little more in-depth stuff. And that is right around the corner."

I also asked what some of his future goals were.  He said "I don't know. I have been asked what my end game is and I don't know. I really truly feel that someone is going to find out that I have been doing this and ask 'why is he getting paid to do this?'  I have worked hard and have taken the opportunities that were given to me and ran with them...I don't know what my end game is. I just know that I don't want it to stop. I literally am the luckiest kid in the world."