Alumni Spotlight: Joseph Sutton ’16

Joseph Sutton, Jr. ’16 is among a rare group in professional sports today as the Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Wild in-game host — the only Black host working for both organizations.

Sutton, on staff with the Twins for his fifth season, is also in his third season with the Wild in St. Paul. “I had an internship with the Twins and was basically a production assistant,” Sutton explained. “Midway through the season, the program director asked me what my goals were, what I wanted to do. I always wanted to be a game host.” 

A North Minneapolis native, Sutton graduated from Northwestern with a degree in electronic media communication. He’s also been a stand-up comedian for some time as well, which Sutton believes helped prepare him for his current sports gigs.

“I think it goes hand-in-hand,” Sutton said of working professional sports games and being on stage.

As game host, Sutton is responsible for the fan engagement segment of entertainment.

“I lead several interactive games and introduce the special characters each game,” said Sutton, who is part of a team of in-game hosts for Twins home events. “The Twins have given me a lot of creative control to be myself. I try to bring a little bit of flavor to the role.”

“I have so much energy all the time,” Sutton said. “I love sports; they have always been a passion of mine. So it’s a perfect combination for me.”

Excerpt from the Northwestern Pilot.