NBA Jam Announcer's SHOCKING Secret: You Won't Believe His Pay!

For anyone who grew up glued to arcade screens in the '90s, the phrase "Boomshakalaka!" probably conjures up instant nostalgia. That iconic voice, belonging to Tim Kitzrow, fueled countless hours of *NBA Jam* fun. But here's a little behind-the-scenes tidbit that might make you clutch your pearls: Kitzrow, the man who *became* NBA Jam, barely made a blip compared to the game's massive success.

NBA Jam Announcer's SHOCKING Secret: You Won't Bel...

In a recent interview, Kitzrow himself revealed the surprisingly modest sum he earned for voicing one of the most recognizable and beloved arcade games of all time. We're talking about a game that defined a generation, a game that practically printed money, and the voice? Paid hourly. Seriously.

According to Kitzrow, he was clocking in at $50 an hour. Yes, you read that right. Fifty bucks an hour. Apparently, that was the standard rate he received for doing voice work for Bally Midway's pinball machines too. It wasn't until *NBA Jam* exploded onto the scene, achieving near-mythical status (and raking in a ton of cash), that the stark contrast between his compensation and the game's earnings became painfully clear. Thinking back to all those hours spent trying to unlock characters with secret button combinations, it feels almost… wrong.

"I'd go in, do a couple of sessions, maybe 15 hours total, and that was it," Kitzrow explained. "I wasn't smart enough, savvy enough to know the business, to go, 'Gee, these games make a lot of money, maybe I should make more than $50 an hour.' I didn't have an agent at the time…" He continued, "When the game came out and I found out it made a billion dollars, that's when I realized I'd made like $800 and change…" Ouch. You can almost hear the realization dawning on him decades later. "I thought, 'Well, I'm probably being underpaid, I might want to raise my rate.'" A slight understatement, if you ask me.

Thankfully, Kitzrow's voice continued to grace other Midway titles, including *NBA Jam Tournament Edition* and the beloved *NFL Blitz*. He even contributed to EA's *NBA Jam* reboot. Currently, he's lending his vocal talents to *Mutant Football League 2*, which is launching in early access soon. So, while he may have missed out on the *NBA Jam* jackpot, his career has definitely endured. And who knows, maybe the upcoming *NBA Jam* documentary will finally give him the recognition (and maybe even some retroactive compensation?) he deserves. One can dream, right?

Speaking of the *NBA Jam* documentary, keep an eye out for that. Helmed by director Sean Menard and based on Reyan Ali's book, it promises to be a slam dunk (pun intended) for nostalgia lovers everywhere. Let's hope it shines a brighter light on the unsung heroes, like Kitzrow, who helped make *NBA Jam* the cultural phenomenon it is. After all, "He's on fire!" deserves more than just $50 an hour.