
Behind the Mic: ESPN Set for Network's First All-Women Baseball Broadcast; Sportsnet's Jim Hughson Retires After 42-Year Career By SVG Staff
Friday, September 24, 2021 - 7:05 am
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
Behind the Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, including new deals, departures, and assignments compiled from press releases and reports around the industry. In this week's edition, ESPN gets set for all-women MLB broadcast, Sportsnet's Jim Hughson retires from broadcasting after 42 Years, and ESPN shakes up their NBA studio programming.
ESPN To Debut First All-Women Baseball Broadcast Melanie Newman and Jessica Mendoza will be ESPN's first all-woman broadcast team for a nationally televised Major League Baseball game on September 29. The game will mark the first time ESPN has had an all-woman broadcast team for a MLB, NBA, NFL regular season or playoff game.
Newman was a part of MLB's first-ever all-female broadcast in July, while Mendoza became the first female analyst to call a nationally televised MLB playoff game in 2015. Mendoza, ESPN's first regular female MLB analyst, has been with the network since 2007.
Honestly, each earmark is just another page, says Newman. I feel fortunate to be the one handed this chance, it's our responsibility until there are no more firsts and its just an even playing field of all-qualified professionals who happen to look different.
Mendoza is a two-time Olympic medal winner and was a four-time All-American on Stanford University's softball team.
For young girls, women, and Latinas, to hear a voice that represents them is so impactful for not only the sport to grow its audience, but to continue to broaden the opportunities for more young girls, women and Latinas to do the same, says Mendoza.
Newman, who also made history as the first woman in Orioles history to call a regular-season game in 2020, will provide play-by-play commentary for two ESPN baseball telecasts as the network puts together its pennant race stretch of 11 games in 11 days. She also believes that representation is important in growing America's first professional sport.
Representation absolutely matters, Newman said. The number of younger girls who have felt they couldn't be a fan of sports in general solely out of not seeing women in front still amazes me. (CNN Business)
Sportsnet's Jim Hughson Retires from Broadcasting after 42 Years Jim Hughson is stepping away from the mic. The Hall of Fame play-by-play commentator has announced his retirement from sports broadcasting, closing out a remarkable 42-year career as one of the iconic voices of hockey in Canada.
It's been a fantastic run and I'd like to thank Sportsnet, Hockey Night in Canada, and all my friends and colleagues over the years for the tremendous support and countless memories, says Hughson. This is a decision I made in consultation with my family and I'm very much at peace with it. My only goal in this industry was to work at the highest level and on the last day of the season. I've had that opportunity a number of times and will always be grateful for it.
Calling his first game on radio in 1979, Hughson has done hockey play-by-play spanning the course of six different decades, becoming one of Canada's most notable voices. Hughson has covered countless NHL, OHL and CHL games and has been the voice of the Vancouver Canucks, Toronto Maple Leafs and national hockey broadcasts on Hockey Night in Canada. He's also called a dozen Stanley Cup Finals and the men's hockey tournament at both the 2006 and 2014 Olympic Winter Games.
Jim is one of the best this business has ever seen, says Rob Corte, VP of Sportsnet and NHL Production. Whether on TV, radio or in video games, for many he has been their soundtrack of hockey. He's set the gold standard for broadcasting in this country and has accomplished pretty much everything any broadcaster would set out to do in their career. On top of that, he's a tremendous teammate and an even better person. I respect his decision to step back and spend more time with family but he is going to be missed by us at Sportsnet, the entire broadcasting industry, his colleagues and his many fans.
While best known for hockey, Hughson also made a name for himself calling Major League Baseball at times throughout his career notably being part of the Blue Jays broadcast crew during their championship runs in 1992 and 1993.
Jim ranks amongst the greatest play-by-play announcers of all-time, says Bart Yabsley, President of Sportsnet. His contributions to the sport of hockey in this country have been immense. He has brought tremendous passion, knowledge, grace and care to every single game he's called, which is a testament to his longevity in this business. He is leaving behind incredibly big shoes to fill after a legendary career.
In 2019, the Hockey Hall of Fame awarded Hughson the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award to honor his outstanding contributions as a hockey broadcaster. He is also a four-time Canadian Screen Awards winner for Best Sports Play-by-Play Announcer.
It's been an honor, privilege, and pleasure to join Canadian hockey fans in watching so many fantastic games over the years, adds Hughson. I look forward to continuing watching together, but from the same side of the television. (Sportsnet)
ESPN Launches New Show, NBA Today, on October 18 ESPN is launching a new studio show NBA Today, beginning on Monday, October 18, just prior to the October 19 tipoff of the 2021-22 NBA regular season. ESPN NBA journalist Malika Andrews will host NBA Today as part of a new, multi-year contract extension. Andrews will be joined by ESPN NBA analysts Kendrick Perkins, Chiney Ogwumike, Vince Carter, and ESPN Senior Writer Zach Low
North America Stories
27/05/2026
Telestream has announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Benjamin Desbois as Chief Executive Officer, effective July 1, 2026. Desbois, currently Teles...
27/05/2026
ESPN garnered 10 awards; NBC's Sunday Night Football received the Outstandin...
27/05/2026
Matrox Video is celebrating its 50th anniversary, marking five decades of operations from its headquarters in Montreal, Canada. Founded in 1976, the company has...
27/05/2026
Major League Baseball has announced a series of initiatives tied to America's Semiquincentennial, including a national marketing campaign, Fourth of July br...
27/05/2026
Advanced Systems Group (ASG) has announced that Brian Gross has joined the company as an Account Manager on its Audio team, based in the Burbank office. He will...
27/05/2026
Nielsen has released new research on soccer fandom ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2...
27/05/2026
ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) has unveiled a new partnership with TikTok to bring broad...
27/05/2026
FIFA's Oscar Sanchez gives a deeper look to how this tournament will be cove...
27/05/2026
The soon-to-be senior from Charlottesville is building her skills in replay, TD, and even creative content for HokieVision and its ACC Network productions
In t...
27/05/2026
FOX Sports' Mike Davies breaks down the vision for this summer's showcas...
27/05/2026
HBS's Paul King, FIFA's Oscar Sanchez preview how the masses at home wil...
27/05/2026
FOX's MLB coverage dominated the night at the 47th Annual Sports Emmy Awards...
27/05/2026
One of the most memorable Postseasons in baseball history would have had no memo...
27/05/2026
NBC's Sunday Night Football is among the most decorated and most watched programs in the history of television. It added to its jam-packed trophy case on Tu...
27/05/2026
The 2026 Sports Emmys marked a watershed moment for Prime Video Sports. After bu...
27/05/2026
With the Opening Match just over two weeks away, the entire sports-production-te...
27/05/2026
The XL Converge 300P radio system emerges with a groundbreaking feature set enhancing the mission-critical communications of public safety, federal and critica...
27/05/2026
Pairing Two47 MCX software with existing LTE networks means tailored system upgrades that can save time, money and lives....
27/05/2026
PAC-3 MSE offers improved range, speed, and maneuverability, making it an effect...
27/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
27/05/2026
Star Trek VFX: Recreating John Knoll's Iconic Warp Stars without a Slitscan ...
27/05/2026
Adventure World Uses Blackmagic Replay for Marine Live
Brie Clayton May 27, 2026
0 Comments
Large screen displays and slow motion replays dynamically ...
27/05/2026
Berklee Alumna and Assistant Professor Olivia P rez-Collellmir to Premiere Origi...
27/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
27/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
27/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
27/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
27/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
27/05/2026
Co-founder Dan Castles to transition to Executive Chair; internal promotion reinforces continuity and long-term growth
Telestream, a global leader in media wor...
27/05/2026
Big Blue Marble today announced that its Nakolos platform is the first end-to-end 5G Broadcast solution worldwide to implement the complete feature set introduc...
27/05/2026
Lightware recently hosted the Girls' Day event in April at its headquarters in Budapest, welcoming students for an interactive introduction to engineering a...
27/05/2026
May 27th, 2026 May 27, 2026
Press Materials Available Here
TRIBECA X Announc...
26/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/05/2026
Cobalt Digital to Showcase End-to-End IPMX Ecosystem at InfoComm 2026, Making ST 2110 Easy for Pro AV
blueCORE standalone processors headline solutions designe...
26/05/2026
Matrox Video today celebrates its 50th anniversary, marking five decades of innovation, engineering excellence, and customer-focused evolution from its headquar...
26/05/2026
ITV Studios, the production arm of the UKs largest commercial broadcaster, has deployed the Cuez live production platform to unify the management of three back-...
26/05/2026
CETA Software releases Morpheus, an AI tool for real-time post-production projec...
26/05/2026
In a move set to redefine motorsports coverage across the Asia Pacific region, Ikegami Electronics announces that Two Wheels Motor Racing Sdn Bhd (TWMR), a lead...
26/05/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Releases Official Trailer and Poster for The Root Of T...
26/05/2026
Back to All News
MED, Production Begins on Netflixs First Medical Drama From Br...
26/05/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Announces Five New Brazilian Productions and Expands I...
26/05/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Celebrates the Release of the New Animated Series Due ...
26/05/2026
Back to All News
Made In New Mexico: Building The Boroughs' From the Ground Up
A photo from The Boroughs.' (Courtesy of Netflix 2026)
Entertainme...
26/05/2026
Smart Production Control. Total Confidence.
Tyngsborough, MA, May 27, 2026 - Broadcast Pix today announced the ONix Pro Control Panel, its most advanced hard...
26/05/2026
The shift to agentic AI creates a new CPU requirement for the AI factory: fast cores, massive memory bandwidth and the ability to sustain high performance when ...
25/05/2026
The former University of Wyoming wrestler is essential in helping the rapidly growing streamer delivers more than 50,000 live events per year
The sports-produc...
25/05/2026
Image courtesy of GA-ASI...