Gee Scott Sr. Says Missing Son's Wedding for World Cup Was 'Wrong Decision': 'I Chose the Job Over Someone I Would Lay Down My Life For' (Exclusive)

Diane HerbstThu, June 25, 2026 at 4:39 PM UTC

0

Credit: Photos courtesy Gee Scott, Sr.

Key Takeaways

Gee Scott Sr. missed his son's wedding to emcee a FIFA World Cup match in Seattle, calling it "the wrong decision"

Scott Sr. says his son, a New York Jets wide receiver, may eventually understand his choice due to their shared sacrifices

Scott Sr. sent a heartfelt wedding day text and hopes to repair their relationship through open communication and reflection

The wedding date had long been set for Seattle radio host Gee Scott Sr.'s only son, Gee Scott Jr., to marry his college sweetheart, Olivia: June 19 in Columbus, Ohio.

For months, Scott looked forward to the big day. Then he received the opportunity of a lifetime: an offer to emcee FIFA World Cup matches in Seattle. One of those matches fell on his son's wedding day.

Scott, 50, chose the World Cup match. "It was the wrong decision," Scott tells PEOPLE in an exclusive interview. "I chose the job over someone who I would lay down my life for."

Was his son upset to have him missing on the milestone day? "I'm sure he is. Absolutely."

Scott says he isn't asking anyone to agree with the choice he made.

"I want to own the decision that I made," he says. "I'm not asking for anyone in the world to look at what I did and say, 'Oh, I understand.' I don't expect you to do that."

Scott Sr. spoke to PEOPLE less than 24 hours after he spent Friday hosting the World Cup match between the United States and Australia at Seattle's Lumen Field, while his son exchanged vows nearly 2,500 miles — and three time zones — away.

"Probably one of the worst feelings that you can have," he says, "is knowing that you're going to do something that's going to disappoint your child... that was a tough one."

Gee Scott Sr. and Gee Scott Jr.Credit: Photos courtesy Gee Scott, Sr.

It was a feeling, he says, that stayed with him "the entire time" once he knew he'd forgo the wedding. "I don't think he understands," says Gee Scott Sr. "I don't think anyone will understand."

By Tuesday, June 23 — a few days after the wedding, once father and son had finally spoken — Scott Sr. had more to share with PEOPLE.

Gee Scott Jr. told him how great the day had been, Scott Sr. says, adding, "I'm gonna have to check out the videos."

"He's disappointed that I made the decision that I did," Scott Sr. says. "Nothing surprised me by what he said."

Gee Scott Jr.'s wedding (from left), Olivia, Gee Scott Sr.'s wife, Lillian Scott, Gee Scott Jr., and Lillian's son, Jared Allred.Credit: Photos courtesy Gee Scott, Sr.

However, Gee Scott Jr. may one day have a bit more empathy for his dad's decision to pursue the rare, high-profile sports opportunity than most sons, his father says: As a member of Ohio State's 2025 national championship team, the younger Scott, 25, recently signed with the New York Jets as a wide receiver after spending time with the practice squads of the New England Patriots and Washington Commanders.

Gee Scott Jr. also grew up watching his father juggle multiple jobs and make sacrifices to support his family.

"If there's anyone in the world that might come around to understanding a little bit more, it will be him, because he saw and he remembers sacrifices that were made when he was younger," Scott Sr. says.

"It's one thing to hear or read about our journey," he says. "It's another thing to have lived it and seen it."

Scott Sr. understands why many people would criticize his decision. Before the wedding, he told his co-host on his KIRO Newsradio show, he'd criticize himself too: "If this weren't me and you and I were talking about it as a topic on the show, I'd go in on me, I'd go in."

Advertisement

He continues to agree with that assessment. "There is no version of my life where everybody in the room is going to clap for me," Scott tells PEOPLE. "And I'm okay with that."

Still, he understands why many people will disagree with his decision.

"This is the truth," he says. "I would be reading this and I would say there's no money in the world that would have me miss my son's wedding. That's probably what I would say."

"There's so many topics that we judge," he continues, "until we are in those same shoes."

Gee Scott Sr. on InstagramCredit: Gee Scott Sr./InstagramSunrise Outreach

The morning of the wedding and his World Cup emceeing duties, Scott arrived at the stadium around 5:00 a.m. Seattle time.

The wedding was on his mind, and the first thing he did was send his son "a long text about his big day," Scott says, "and wishes for a beautiful matrimony."

As Scott Sr. welcomed thousands of soccer fans to Seattle, family members in Columbus — three hours ahead, in the Eastern time zone — kept him on the celebration. His wife, Lillian, who attended the wedding along with other relatives, shared photos and videos from the Friday evening ceremony.

"The best news was that the wedding was great," Scott says. "It was beautiful. My wife just talked about and continues to talk about how beautiful the ceremony was. And how beautiful Olivia looked."

Gee Scott Sr. in his emcee duties at the 2026 FIFA World CupCredit: Photos courtesy Gee Scott, Sr.

While preparations for the ceremony were unfolding in Columbus, Scott was experiencing what he describes as "hands down, the biggest moment of my career" as one of only 34 in-stadium hosts selected for the World Cup, helping to entertain, motivate and "help create an electric environment" for fans from around the globe at Seattle's first-ever men's World Cup match.

And it wasn't just the soccer creating the joyful experience; instead, it was the people. "Soccer is the candy," he says. "The cultures are the point."

"Watching Team Australia, watching Team USA and then after the match, all of the fans, just peace and love and post-match, everybody out celebrating, hanging out," he says, "was a beautiful thing to witness."

When Scott Sr. first spoke with PEOPLE the day after the wedding, he hadn't yet talked to the newlyweds. But he knew what he wanted to tell them.

"Congratulations," he says. "I'm proud of them for doing something that, to be this young and to make this type of commitment, that's a big deal and to be celebrated. And I would just say, and I told my son this in a message: While that day is a very important day for their marriage, no doubt, but it's going to be the next 10,000 ordinary mornings after this that's really going to make the marriage. It's going to be the consistency, it's going to be the talks, it's going to be the working through things."

He expects that one day he and his son will also work through his decision.

A childhood photo of Gee Scott Jr. with dad Gee Scott Sr.Credit: Photos courtesy Gee Scott, Sr.

"Being a father, if you do it long enough, that means that you're going to mess up, you're going to make mistakes, you're going to win, you're going to lose," he says. "But I think that's just the journey, the journey of parenting."

Scott says he hopes fathers who read his story take away a broader message.

"I really hope that there are some men, fathers out there that can somehow just get that message that you mess up, and then you just got to recalculate and get back on the straight," he says. "When I miss an exit, my GPS doesn't say, 'I can't believe you missed that exit. It doesn't lecture me. It just says one word: recalculating."

"I messed up," he admits. "But everything will be okay."

on People

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Entertainment”