The Kansas Jayhawks will have a new voice for their football and men’s basketball games next season. Bob Davis has retired after calling the team’s games since 1984. To replace him, the university is turning to KU graduate and Lawrence radio veteran Brian Hanni.
Hanni graduated from KU in 2002 and hosted the daily show “Rock Chalk Sports Talk” on KLWN Radio in Lawrence from 2002 until 2012. The Jayhawk Radio Network has aired the show since 2008.
Hanni had provided play by play for KU baseball games for over a decade, and spent eight years as the voice of KU women’s basketball. He also filled in on KU men’s basketball and football broadcasts for eight years.
In 2012, Hanni left to become the voice of Texas Tech men’s basketball and baseball on the Texas Tech Sports Radio Network. He also hosted a weekday radio show, “The Bottom Line.”
“Naming a replacement for an institution like Bob Davis was a very difficult proposition,” KU athletic director Sheahon Zenger said in a press release. “We view this position as not only a radio voice, but as an ambassador for Kansas Athletics and our university. We received interest from many well-established broadcasters; ultimately we felt that Brian’s talent as a broadcaster, his positive outlook and his proven connection with the community separated him from the other outstanding candidates.”
In addition to calling KU football and men’s basketball, Hanni will host “Hawk Talk,” the weekly radio shows of football coach David Beaty and men’s basketball coach Bill Self.
Jason Barrett is the President and Founder of Barrett Media since the company was created in September 2015. Prior to its arrival, JB served as a sports radio programmer, launching brands such as 95.7 The Game in San Francisco, and 101 ESPN in St. Louis. He also spent time programming SportsTalk 950 in Philadelphia, 590 The Fan KFNS in St. Louis, and ESPN 1340/1390 in Poughkeepsie, NY. Jason also worked on-air and behind the scenes in local radio at 101.5 WPDH, WTBQ 1110AM, and WPYX 106.5. He also spent two years on the national stage, producing radio shows for ESPN Radio in Bristol, CT. Among them included the Dan Patrick Show, and GameNight.
You can find JB on Twitter @SportsRadioPD. He’s also reachable by email at Jason@BarrettMedia.com.
