Jason Benetti explains how he left Fox early to become NBC’s MLB play-by-play announcer | Awful Announcing

13 comments

  1. > “First of all, let me say, I had to get out of my contract at Fox a couple of months early, and all credit to [Fox Sports Executive VP/Head of Production & Operations] Brad Zager over there for being willing to let me pursue this opportunity,” Benetti said when asked how he got from Fox to NBC on a media call. “Had they not done that, it would have been very difficult to make this happen. So I thank Brad for doing that.”

  3. We’re so lucky to have this guy, extremely talented and hard working and clearly everyone who has worked with him loves him.

    Cant wait for opening day.

  4. If there’s a tangential thread to be found while describing the ball game, Jason will find it, and pull on it, longer and harder than anyone I am aware of. We will miss him doing Tiger games if that’s the case, but good for him

  6. It’s clear that Jason is respected in the industry by Fox going out of its way to let this happen with NBC and NBC and Westwood One going out of their ways to have him a sub for the basketball games last week. It doesn’t industry that doesn’t hand out favors to anyone, so I’m getting them shows that he doesn’t burn bridges and is respected.

  7. Great move for NBC and Benetti. I think this works out even better for the Tigers broadcasts this year. Those Sunday finale games aren’t always the big games compared to some Saturday matchups. Plus Benetti can be meeting the team if they’re heading home/away versus flying out of Detroit for a national game Saturday, back to wherever the Tigers are Sunday and then potentially out again the same day for next series. Looking forward to the NBC baseball broadcasts.

  8. Jason Benetti is gonna be with the Tigers for a long time I hope. He deserves all the credit he is given, has an incredible story and is a great human. This is the best time of the year, baseball is back!

  9. One of the reasons why I love Jason is his transparency and availability. It shows in his broadcasts too. He is who he is and that guy on TV is the same guy you’d know if you were his close friend. He’s the definition of that trope “a guy you’d love to sit down and have a beer with”.

    We all have work struggles, career decisions to make, personal dramas, and Jason just lays it bare for everyone in the most genuine way possible without apology. I can’t think of another public figure who does it better.

  12. I love that they’re also going to pair him with a local announcer for each of the national games. He even said himself he loves that idea because he gets to work with people who really know their team and local market.

  13. I love Benetti because he is good at his job, seems to like it in Detroit, and is liked by all. I’m hoping he still call Tigers games for many years to come while also calling national games.

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