Vosters replaced by Flames broadcaster Rick Ball

[Dead Meat]

Thank you!

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[No Fun Shogun]

Anyone listen to a Flames broadcast before?

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

He can't possibly be worse thank god.

 

[JurassicTunga]

Flames fans are sad with this news. You guys are getting a good one.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Is Rick Ball good?

 

[Dead Meat]

This was Pang all season long

 

[IU Hawks fan]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1798773964409589849

 

[HeisenBaez]

Off-season is already a win.

 

[IU Hawks fan]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1798774761826472136

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

Vosters was a hockey novice with no experience calling hockey and they gave him Pat Foley's mic. It never made any sense.

 

[TLEH]

Whoever hired Vosters should re-evaluate what led them to make that choice. Was a terrible hire from the beginning. He seems like a really upbeat and energetic guy and I never want to see anyone lose their job but man, he was truly terrible. His hockey knowledge was non-existent.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Vosters was a hockey novice with no experience calling hockey and they gave him Pat Foley's mic. It never made any sense.

Blatant cost-saving move when they didn't realize they'd be getting Bedard a year later.

 

[HighLifeMan]

Rick Ball is an absolute beauty. This actually pisses me off as a Flames fan.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Whoever hired Vosters should re-evaluate what led them to make that choice. Was a terrible hire from the beginning. He seems like a really upbeat and energetic guy and I never want to see anyone lose their job but man, he was truly terrible. His hockey knowledge was non-existent.

Yeah, as I said in the other thread, I don't think it's really his fault. Seems like a nice guy, just wasn't ready for such a big job. I think he can be a good broadcaster, maybe not necessarily in Hockey but this was too much too fast for a guy who was calling High A baseball not long ago.

 

[Toews2Bickell]

has a decent goal call, have def heard plenty of them over the years

 

[TLEH]

I listen to the away feed all the time. Rick Ball is good. Really good.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

I won't speak ill of a person that got fired, but Vosters just wasn't good in this role. Hope he lands on his feet in a role (and sport) he's more suited for.

 

[dreadpirateroberts]

You hate to see the guy lose his job, but Vosters sucked plain and simple

 

[Kevin Musto]

Thank god. The Bedard era was in desperate need of a better voice.

I honestly didn't think they'd bail on Vosters this quickly but I'm glad they did.

 

[giza]

You better be good if you broadcast for a Canadian hockey team.....the good thing is we didn't have to trade away a 2nd round pick to get him!!!!

 

[dreadpirateroberts]

16. Calgary Flames​

The Broadcast: Sportsnet West carries Flames games, with Rick Ball on play-by-play and Kelly Hrudey on color. Greg Millen fills in for select games on color.

Local ranking: 17

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National ranking: 16

Last season: 18

The results: This is the second consecutive season in which Calgary has finished middle of the pack rather than bottom third in the league — that’s solid progress. Ball, with his even-keeled nature, deep, rich voice and knack for picking up details, was highlighted as the broadcast’s biggest strength by far.

“Rick Ball is consistently excellent,” wrote a Flames fan. “Articulate and has a solid sense of reading the game and anticipating big moments.”

“Ball isn’t flashy but he does a great job giving consistent and complete commentary with the right proportion of emotional emphasis,” added another fan. “He’s not a homer, he never misses obvious/interesting occurrences completely, and he helps make big moments feel big.”

The reviews for Hrudey’s color work were mostly solid but more mixed. Millen, who occasionally fills in for Hrudey, has grown on Flames fans. Host Ryan Leslie is very popular as well.

This was voted a quality broadcast overall, with Ball’s play-by-play commentary emerging as the standout feature.

 

[JaegerDice]

I’ve listened to Rick Ball do Canucks games. Good yeoman’s work, Id call it. Never blew me away, but he kept up with play, gave good detail, clear knowledge of the game.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Vosters was terrible but I think he could bounce back as a general sports guy not covering hockey

Maybe as a B10 in studio pre-game type host or doing PbP of a sport he knows better

 

[Wally1112pac]

This is like trading Andreas Athanasius and getting Hagel back.

Clear upgrade.

 

[CokenoPepsi]

This guy is good