Editing Al McCoy (sportscaster) (section)

===The NBA arrives in Phoenix (1966–1972)===
In the fall of 1966 McCoy completed his first NBA broadcast during a [[preseason]] game at [[Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum]] between the [[St. Louis Hawks]] and [[Golden State Warriors]]. Thrilled by the idea of professional basketball in Phoenix upon announcement of the scheduled game, he phoned the Hawks GM and brokered a deal for his then-employer [[KOOL-FM]] to broadcast the game in exchange for free [[advertising]] spots, making sure to record his broadcast as a demo for a potential future in basketball.<ref name="McCoy's-Book" />

Two years later in 1968, the [[city of Phoenix]] was granted an expansion team that would become the Phoenix Suns.  Immediately, prior to the start of the first season, McCoy slipped then-General Manager [[Jerry Colangelo]] a recording of that 1966 preseason game.  Colangelo was blown away by what he heard and wanted McCoy to handle play-by-play for the team on planned broadcasts on local [[KTAR (AM)|KTAR-AM]] and [[KPNX|KTAR-TV]].<ref name="McCoy's-Book" /> Tired of moving around from radio gig to radio gig, and seeking stability for his now-family of a wife and three sons, McCoy suggested Colangelo retain broadcast rights instead of selling them to another station, the routine [[sportscast]] policy of the time.  McCoy suggested producing everything in-house, which was a new concept for the era. Colangelo liked McCoy's pitch, but after inaugural season tickets were underselling, he ultimately decided to sell the rights to KTAR.<ref name="McCoy's-Book" /> Believing it was no longer the right move, McCoy declined working out a separate deal with the station.

Following multiple changes in Suns broadcasters over the next four seasons, GM and head coach Jerry Colangelo would eventually agree with McCoy about the Suns organization producing their own broadcasts, realizing he was often competing with the radio and television stations for Suns advertising.<ref name="McCoy's-Book" />   With one year left before the broadcast rights reverted to the organization, McCoy agreed to a contract with the Suns as Vice President of Broadcasting.<ref name="McCoy's-Book" />