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Vosters replaced by Flames broadcaster Rick Ball

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ploppsdman said:
The glory of Voster’s inimitable call of “a shot and a goal” will echo into eternity.
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More like infamy. It'll be up there with Dan Kelly asking "is this is xyz's best game in a Blackhawks uniform?" every f***ing night. IYKYK. Oddly enough he replaced Foley too only to be replaced by Foley two years later.

The more things change the more they stay the same.
 
A little article from Calgary's news outlet about Ball making the jump over here to Chi-town.

calgaryherald.com

‘Too good to pass up’: Rick Ball leaves Flames’ broadcast booth for Chicago

The Chicago Blackhawks announced Thursday that Rick Ball has been hired as their new television play-by-play voice.
calgaryherald.com calgaryherald.com

Noticed a snippet that I thought was intriguing...

Certainly, the opportunity to cover Bedard’s rise to superstardom is a big part of the appeal as Ball packs his bags for the Windy City and joins the Chicago Sports Network.

“It makes my job so much easier when you have a star player at that level,” Ball said of Bedard, winner of the Calder Trophy for the 2023-24 campaign. “And he’ll be just 19 years old this season. I mean, there’s going to be a lot of years where he’s going to be doing some great things for the Chicago Blackhawks. I called a bunch of Johnny Gaudreau over the years and he was a bring-you-of-your-seat guy, and I see Connor Bedard as that and even more."

Probably just poor research on journalism but I like the looks of it...
 
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Behn Wilson said:
Based on the timing with the new sports network, my guess is this was motivated by someone at the new sports channel that actually knows hockey and my guess is the Hawks probably had little choice to go along with this. They probably pretty much said this guy blows and no chance in Hell we will be using him
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No, it's clear this was a Hawks decision. Pang did not like him. Did you read what Faulkner said about him?

Announcers are team employees. Studio staff are hired by the network, but they don't have a say in this. The Hawks also own part of the network and have full control of the broadcast.

The new sports network has no hockey people, their current staff, including the president, came from Stadium.
 
I have no ill will towards Vosters, thought it was just an odd choice at the time. Hope he turns up somewhere else that suits him better, or perhaps later with more experience.

As a Canadian who watched a lot of flames games on HNIC, (my hometown used to have their Ahl team), Ball is great, we did good, can't wait to hear him in the fall call Hawks games. Just curious how the new network changes will effect my ability to even SEE the hawks play. I'm far too cheap to pay upwards of 225$ for whatever package bell or sportsnet wants to sell me.
 
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Behn Wilson said:
Based on the timing with the new sports network, my guess is this was motivated by someone at the new sports channel that actually knows hockey and my guess is the Hawks probably had little choice to go along with this. They probably pretty much said this guy blows and no chance in Hell we will be using him
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Completely agree that the network deal forced the change. They need to generate revenue fast.

Would make no sense for Faulkner to stack the faces and voices with a bunch of guys that only speak to one demographic.
 
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IU Hawks fan said:
No, it's clear this was a Hawks decision. Pang did not like him. Did you read what Faulkner said about him?

Announcers are team employees. Studio staff are hired by the network, but they don't have a say in this. The Hawks also own part of the network and have full control of the broadcast.

The new sports network has no hockey people, their current staff, including the president, came from Stadium.
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In the press release they made it clear they're staying on traditional cable, so the average age of those viewers is...not young. Since Vosters was probably a long term project, I don't think the other partners were on board either. They seem to know the market better than the Hawks anyway.

Anyway, I'm sure Vosters will have a good career broadcasting.
 
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Ace Card Bedard said:
Not to resurrect an old thread but I'd like to express my appreciation for this move.
While the change to CHSN has been a clown show, I am enjoying the calls much more now that Ball is in the booth.

I have nothing against Vosters and I wish him well, but he was not the right fit here.
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It's a huge move. Ball is one of the best in the business. Vosters made me want to pierce my ear drums. He was so damn bad.
 
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hockeydoug said:
In the press release they made it clear they're staying on traditional cable, so the average age of those viewers is...not young. Since Vosters was probably a long term project, I don't think the other partners were on board either. They seem to know the market better than the Hawks anyway.

Anyway, I'm sure Vosters will have a good career broadcasting.
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Yeah, it was obvious to me that Hawks felt like they were bringing in a new Pat Foley who would start out raw but would grow up with the team. The idea was a good one but ......
 
Ball is as good as Vosters was bad. and that's saying a lot. Vosters seems like a good guy, but, man, was he a poor play by play caller. dude is clearly not a hockey guy. Pang could barely contain his contempt at times. pretty funny.

but, yeah, Ball is great.
 
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