After nearly three decades, one of the most legendary voices in the city is stepping aside as Sixers public address announcer Matt Cord announced on social media Wednesday morning that he will retire at the end of the 2025-26 season.
“After 28 years as the PA announcer for the Sixers I’m officially retiring at the end of the season,” Cord wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “I’ve had the best seat in the house announcing for the best fans in the world. Thank you to the players and the 76ers organization. What a privilege it’s been.”
For 28 years, well over 1,000 games — including the team’s 2001 NBA Finals run and the entirety of “The Process” — Cord has been a fixture alongside the team. For every meaningful accomplishment in that time, every record broken, every thrilling victory and heartbreaking loss, Cord has been there, with very few exceptions.
Cord is well known for his signature calls. Always enthusiastic and at times coming down with the intensity as if it was coming from the heavens, Cord’s calls have become a fixture in Sixers basketball.
Whether announcing players pregame like “Joel, ‘The Process,’ Embiid” or “a six-foot guard from Georgetown,” or the fiercest “two minutes remaining” known to man, Matt Cord did in his role what few other Philly sports legends managed. He left everything he had on the court.
For the first time in nearly 30 years, the Sixers will have a new in-arena voice. It’s truly the end of an era for the team, one that will always be remembered fondly.
Congratulations to Matt Cord on carving out a legendary and truly one-of-a-kind career.
