Sportsnet and The Toronto Blue Jays made waves last month when they announced their decision to play the 2021 Major League Baseball season without a dedicated radio team, instead simulcasting their TV broadcast.
Sportsnet blamed the unpopular decision on COVID protocols and the need to limit travel, which at least allowed fans to hope a dedicated radio broadcast will return in 2022. But speaking to Sean Fitz-Gerald of The Athletic, Sportsnet VP Rob Corte wouldn’t commit to any plans next year.
“We have such a strong crew on the television side, in terms of broadcasters, that we were confident we’d be able to put out a product that’s going to service both mediums,” Corte said. “As far as moving forward, we’re just looking at this year.”
Eliminating the radio call in favor of a TV simulcast has happened in other sports, mainly the NHL, but Major League Baseball and radio are synonymous American pastimes. The pace and sound of baseball lends itself perfectly to radio.
“I think there’s a misconception out there that all we’re doing is simply putting the television broadcast on radio,” Corte added. “That isn’t the case. We’re building a radio broadcast that has elements from the television show.”
The call will be the same for both radio and TV, but each broadcast will have unique audio components specific to its medium. Different effects and background audio will be used to create a traditional sounding radio broadcast.
Corte acknowledged the different nuance between radio and TV, but he believes experienced broadcasters can find the right balance. The best TV broadcasters in baseball allow the game to speak for itself during big moments, the best radio announcers paint a vivid picture of everything that takes place. One voice servicing both needs is a difficult balance to find.
Brandon Contes is a former reporter for BSM, now working for Awful Announcing. You can find him on Twitter @BrandonContes or reach him by email at Brandon.Contes@gmail.com.
