The St. Louis Blues are reportedly looking to keep things in the family as the team tries to find a replacement for Darren Pang. Two names familiar to St. Louis sports radio listeners are in the mix to join the TV broadcast.
Pang left St. Louis to join NBC Sports Chicago’s coverage of the Chicago Blackhawks this season. That has opened up a spot on Bally Sports Midwest. Dan Caesar of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that radio analyst Joey Vitale and 101 ESPN afternoon host Jamie Rivers are considered strong possibilities to fill the seat.
Vitale has made multiple TV appearances in the past. Those were all studio shows though. He has no experience as a game analyst on television.
“I compare it a lot to doing the radio,” he told Caesar. “Was I ready for the radio when I got the job? No. The only way to become ready for the radio at the time was to just do games and get reps. I think this is similar to that. You’re never going to learn that craft, or that side of the craft until you just go in and do it.”
Rivers, on the other hand, does have experience in a TV play-by-play booth. He became the go-to guy for Bally Sports Midwest last season when Pang was doing national games for TNT.
Jamal Meyers is considered a candidate for the job as well. He was part of the Blackhawks’ broadcast crew before returning to St. Louis to work as the Blues’ community and youth hockey advisor.
“It will be a tough decision for them for sure, every guy has his strengths,” Vitale said. “It deserves someone really good.”
Caesar writes that a decision is expected in the next month. The team will get in put in the decision, but Bally Sports Midwest will make the final call.
