Local voices matter. That’s what NBC Sports is showcasing with its rotating broadcast booth, using local analysts during nationally televised games. The network’s debut last week featured Orel Hershiser and Luis Gonzalez. Next week, NBC play-by-play voice Jason Benetti will be joined by Brad Thompson from St. Louis and Andy Dirks from the Detroit Tigers.
The concept isn’t new, but it plays into a long-honored tradition among sports fans and national broadcasts. Why isn’t my team getting a hometown feel on a national call? For years, nearly every fanbase in Major League Baseball hated Joe Buck because of his ties to the St. Louis Cardinals through his father. You could say the same about any number of national voices who have graced broadcasts at the national level.
Yet, this concept not only provides a local feel but also presents an idea for change. One networks and other sports could learn from. That’s why NBC Sports may be sitting on one of the most important changes in sports broadcasting history, possibly without even knowing it.
Every offseason, there’s a news cycle dedicated to which networks are bringing in the best analysts for their broadcasts. There’s a certain appeal in giving fans reasons to watch and advertisers reasons to invest. Year after year, networks roll out massive contracts for former players and executives in hopes of drawing more attention to their product and increasing revenue.
NBC Sports first toyed with the idea in 2022 when the network secured a Peacock-exclusive Sunday Leadoff package. Jason Benetti served as the constant play-by-play voice, while each game featured local analysts for a national streaming audience. The idea lasted only another year, as NBC let the deal expire, with MLB allowing Roku to pick it up.
Then NBC Sports secured a new three-year media rights agreement last fall, and Benetti officially returned to the NBC family. Yes, the network also brought in big names for studio roles like Clayton Kershaw, Anthony Rizzo, and Joey Votto. However, the play-by-play is the attraction. That’s where NBC went all in and embraced a fan-first approach.
Local voices assisting on national broadcasts bring a hometown feel to every market represented on Sunday Night Baseball.
That’s why other leagues should pay attention to the concept. Instead of signing former players, executives, or coaches to high-dollar analyst positions, why not lean on the league’s existing broadcasters? This approach helps elevate talented voices from around the country while giving them national exposure. It also likely saves networks money. Instead of shelling out millions for a single national analyst, how many local voices would demand a comparable price for a national stage?
Additionally, with rights fees likely to skyrocket, any cost-saving measure becomes worth exploring.
The most important factor, however, is how networks cater to local audiences. Who better to speak about the teams playing than the people who follow them every day? It’s a win-win for everyone involved—and a model more networks and leagues should consider adopting.
Imagine turning on ESPN and watching a national broadcast of the New York Rangers and Chicago Blackhawks with Darren Pang and Dave Maloney on the call. Think about the entertainment value if the New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls played on Prime Video with Ian Eagle alongside Walt “Clyde” Frazier and Stacey King.
Yes, I understand I used two Chicago-based examples there. Sue me.
With regional sports networks struggling in recent years, why wouldn’t leagues push networks to do more of this? Raising the profile of local broadcasters could also boost awareness and marketing for the league’s direct-to-consumer team platforms that 14 of 30 MLB clubs currently operate.
Why stop there? Wouldn’t a local call make an MLS national broadcast more entertaining and informative? Why not apply this concept to postseason contests across all sports—minus the NFL—when national broadcasts remove the opportunity for local voices?
If this concept proves successful in year one of NBC Sports’ return to Major League Baseball coverage, it could create one of the most significant ripple effects in sports broadcasting.
One where networks win through increased viewership. Where local broadcasters gain value, prestige, and visibility. And where networks no longer need to chase expensive national voices when they can deliver what fans truly want—a local feel on a national stage.
And that’s what makes this different.
Because this isn’t just a broadcast tweak. It’s a philosophical shift. One that says authenticity matters more than star power. That familiarity can beat flash. The people who cover a team every day might be the best ones to tell its story. Especially when the spotlight is brightest.
If NBC Sports sticks with it—and if the industry is paying attention—this won’t remain a Sunday night experiment for long.
It’ll become the standard.
And when that happens, the biggest win won’t belong to the networks or the leagues.
It’ll belong to the fans—who, for the first time in a long time, might finally feel like the national stage sounds a little more like home.
Because local voices matter, and always will.
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John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
