Rondeau began his career as a news reporter and anchor in Cortez, Denver, and then Phoenix.[2] Those experiences left him disillusioned with the news business.[4] His first experience as a sports broadcaster was in the summer of 1977 when he called several races at
Turf Paradise, a horse racing track in Phoenix.[4]
Rondeau joined KOMO radio in Seattle as sports director in 1977, after passing on an offer from local competitor KIRO which was looking for a news reporter.[2][4] The next year, KOMO acquired the broadcast rights for both Washington football and basketball games. Rondeau became an analyst for the Washington Huskies football broadcast in 1978, then play-by-play announcer in 1981.[2] He later became announcer for the men's basketball team, holding that role for over 30 years.[2] For four decades, he was known for bellowing "Touchdown Washington!" after every Husky touchdown. Earlier, he served as the play-by-play announcer for the original Seattle Sounders for two years beginning in 1979, despite having no familiarity with the sport of soccer.[2][5]
In April 2017, Rondeau announced his retirement effective at the end of the football season.[6] Tony Castricone was named his successor.[7][8]
Rondeau was named Washington State Sportscaster of the Year eleven times.[9] In 2016 Rondeau was the recipient of the National Football Foundation's annual Chris Schenkel Award, in recognition of distinguished broadcasting careers in college football.[2][10] He was inducted into the Husky Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016.[11] King County proclaimed Roundeau's last home broadcast of the Apple Cup on November 25, 2017, as "Bob Rondeau Day."[12]
Rondeau and wife Molly married on the 50-yard line of Husky Stadium on July 26, 1997.[12] They have two daughters, Lorrin and Jessie, a son Jordan and three grandsons, Joseph, Dominic and Zachary,[13]
