Brewers owner reveals how close Bob Uecker was to leaving after he bought the team

Coming up in 2025, Milwaukee Brewers radio will no longer have Bob Uecker on the call. The team has already announced patches on their jerseys to honor the legendary voice of the team, but owner Mark Attanasio knows there will be a big void.

Bob Uecker is in a league of his own, and the long-time Brewers broadcaster almost didn't stick it through with the team. When Attanasio purchased the team back in 2005, Uecker was much closer to leaving than people expected.

Not only was Uecker close to leaving, but he also nearly decided not to speak to Attanasio altogether. In January 2005, Wendy Selig-Prieb was the Brewers president. If it wasn't for Wendy negotiating with Uecker to sit down with Attanasio and give him a shot, 20 years of Brewers broadcasting memories with Uecker would have simply been erased.

One meeting kept legendary Brewers broadcaster Bob Uecker from walking away

Attanasio went on to say that Uecker was "fiercely loyal, but he was also fiercely independent and genuine, and he didn't have time for anyone who wasn't". Brewers' fans certainly have a love-hate relationship with their president, but they have no choice but to be grateful for his three-hour conversation with Uecker over 20 years ago that kept him with the team.

As Attanasio went on to describe Uecker, he mentioned, "I looked like some finance guy from the big city. The last person he'd want to meet, and he kept saying no."

"It's unimaginable to have a summer where you can't listen to him. We'll run old [highlights], but it's going to be very hard to introduce the season with a different voice."

It was recently announced that the Brewers season opener will be called by Joe Buck, a man returning to the MLB broadcasting booth. Buck took to X to give his thoughts on Uecker, "He will be discussed a lot. He was a great friend to everyone I grew up around from his days as a Cardinal. Teammates adored him. Carson loved him. He made my pop cry with laughter. He was so awesome to me. A gem. Like my dad he left with the tank on empty. He had FUN!!"

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