NESN Judd Sirott named new voice of the Bruins

crimsonace

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Mar 7, 2010
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Indianapolis, IN
folks keep forgetting minor league hockey radio has gone to satellite aka MixLr rather than traditional broadcast radio
This is a bit of a non-sequitier, but yeah, minor league hockey broadcasts have largely gone to audio streaming (not satellite). In the ECHL - the league I'm most familiar with since I've worked in it for a decade - I believe only 10 of the 28 teams are on terrestrial radio. The rest broadcast audio online. I assume it's similar in the AHL. And most of those on terrestrial - if not all - also stream the broadcast audio online (and simulcast the video via FloHockey). And, of course, even in the NHL, all of the audio broadcasts are available on the app. I frequently find myself listening to a West Coast game on the way home from my games.

What that essentially means is our reach locally isn't as great - you're not going to grab that fan who stumbles onto a game flipping through the dial - but so few people listen to terrestrial radio these days anyway (and especially AM radio). But that also means we can listen to virtually any broadcast anywhere at any time, so we can find out what people sound like pretty easily. As someone who has vetted applicants for broadcast positions, it's not hard to find a random full game and listen to it. I assume that if I'm applying for a job, I can send them the stuff I want them to hear, but the hiring manager is probably going to pull up one of my games and listen.
 

CHRDANHUTCH

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This is a bit of a non-sequitier, but yeah, minor league hockey broadcasts have largely gone to audio streaming (not satellite). In the ECHL - the league I'm most familiar with since I've worked in it for a decade - I believe only 10 of the 28 teams are on terrestrial radio. The rest broadcast audio online. I assume it's similar in the AHL. And most of those on terrestrial - if not all - also stream the broadcast audio online (and simulcast the video via FloHockey). And, of course, even in the NHL, all of the audio broadcasts are available on the app. I frequently find myself listening to a West Coast game on the way home from my games.

What that essentially means is our reach locally isn't as great - you're not going to grab that fan who stumbles onto a game flipping through the dial - but so few people listen to terrestrial radio these days anyway (and especially AM radio). But that also means we can listen to virtually any broadcast anywhere at any time, so we can find out what people sound like pretty easily. As someone who has vetted applicants for broadcast positions, it's not hard to find a random full game and listen to it. I assume that if I'm applying for a job, I can send them the stuff I want them to hear, but the hiring manager is probably going to pull up one of my games and listen.
absolutely, what our plan is with Cross under the new arena format that hadn't been changed since it opened (see the story link in the ECHL Thread from Hearst Portland,) is try and capture those fans with the audio streaming piece in arena as much as possible.... it was sad to see Atlantic Coast Radio get squeezed out of broadcast hockey on radio the way Doc pioneered it here w/ Portland Radio Group in 1977.... I also do recall the outrage when Providence just abruptly jettisoned the radio end of their broadcast which hampered their reach in this organization even with the advent of AHL TV and the camera angles....
 

crimsonace

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Mar 7, 2010
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Indianapolis, IN
absolutely, what our plan is with Cross under the new arena format that hadn't been changed since it opened (see the story link in the ECHL Thread from Hearst Portland,) is try and capture those fans with the audio streaming piece in arena as much as possible.... it was sad to see Atlantic Coast Radio get squeezed out of broadcast hockey on radio the way Doc pioneered it here w/ Portland Radio Group in 1977.
While we've moved a bit from the original point of the thread (but I'll tie it back in shortly) ... the way broadcast rights are done is significantly different than, say, 40 years ago. Back in the day, the stations paid for the rights, typically hired the broadcasters and sold the commercials. Nowadays, the team buys the airtime from the station (and hires the broadcasters and sells the commercials). And in minor pro hockey, the cost of a Mixlr plan for the whole season is significantly less than airtime on a broadcast station.

What is unique about the Bruins' situation is that it still has the "old style" setup - at least according to the job posting when Judd was hired, 98.5 The Sports Hub does the hiring and employs the announcers. That's highly unusual in the four major sports today.
 

John Mandalorian

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Jack Edwards was born in Chicago. Judd Sirott was also. Jack Edwards didn't have a Chicago dialect. Judd Sirott does. Sirott won't lose that overnight. Chicago and Boston are connected in many ways though. Will the New Englanders accept the outsider?
 
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Gee Wally

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Jack Edwards was born in Chicago. Judd Sirott was also. Jack Edwards didn't have a Chicago dialect. Judd Sirott does. Sirott won't lose that overnight. Chicago and Boston are connected in many ways though. Will the New Englanders accept the outsider?


Huh?
Hs been doing Boston radio pbp for 7 years. Hes a bit known.
 

Aussie Bruin

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I heard reference to “one dimensional play by play” in here and I consider myself a reasonably intelligent man but what in the turkey tits does that mean

Means he wants Sirott to do shrooms and start doing PbP from the 4th dimension.

It means he actually calls the game, instead of playing some buffoonish character and making the broadcast all about him.

That's over-stating the case. For me, since I'm one of the people who used it, 'one-dimensional' means a little repetitive, a little bland, a little lacking in putting an individual stamp on the call.

You don't want buffoonish, nor all-about-me-ism, but there's room for some personality and some clever and creative use of language. Call the game first and foremost, but if you can entertain me whilst doing so that's a bonus. Sirott is solid, and he does have some flair, but for me he just lacks something that sets the really top commentators apart.

That said, TV is different from radio. The footage mostly speaks for itself, less need for the pbp to insert themselves into it. Judd knows the game, at the very least I fully expect him to be serviceable and professional.
 
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Fire Sweeney

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Gotta say I'm okay with that move even though I've never heard him. Relieved to see that they didn't go with an old guy with Alzheimer or some baseball loser.
 
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ODAAT

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Oct 17, 2006
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Jack Edwards was born in Chicago. Judd Sirott was also. Jack Edwards didn't have a Chicago dialect. Judd Sirott does. Sirott won't lose that overnight. Chicago and Boston are connected in many ways though. Will the New Englanders accept the outsider?
guy`s been doing Bruins radio over a half dozen years, not sure what you are talking about here?
 

Gordoff

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Well, since I'm in California and don't listen to the Bruins on the radio (so I've never heard this dude) I'll leave it up to you guys to tell me if this sucks or not.
IMHO Judd is going to be fine here. He's not "one dimensional" or over the top with commentary on the refs or certain plays/players. He's even keeled but knows exactly when to raise his tempo. I've listened to him while at my grandkids many games, he keeps the listener informed and when I did watch the DVR recording later it was usually exactly right on the money. He only needs to reel in the long "scoooooooooooooooore" announcement of goals and he'll be golden.
As a fan of Jack Edwards (not so much the last few years) I will miss him but I won't miss the nasty attacks on him by B's fans and especially outsiders (fans and media of other team) who shit stir for their click bait, and ratings.
 

CHRDANHUTCH

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Mar 4, 2002
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Auburn, Maine
IMHO Judd is going to be fine here. He's not "one dimensional" or over the top with commentary on the refs or certain plays/players. He's even keeled but knows exactly when to raise his tempo. I've listened to him while at my grandkids many games, he keeps the listener informed and when I did watch the DVR recording later it was usually exactly right on the money. He only needs to reel in the long "scoooooooooooooooore" announcement of goals and he'll be golden.
the only question will be how will Sirott handle the opposition scoring on the B's as compared to how Jack did
 

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