Behind The Mic: NBC Sports Shares MLB Wild Card Series Announcing Booth; ESPN Reveals NHL 26-27 Season Talent

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, Minnesota Timberwolves shares upcoming season's broadcast roster; Michael Kay to announce first Yankees playoff game in 25 years; and more.

Longtime Giants broadcaster Mike Krukow signed off Sunday at Oracle Park with an emotional sendoff alongside longtime companion Duane Kuiper. Although Kuiper is undergoing treatments for throat cancer, he plans to return next season as long as his health allows. (THE ATHLETIC)

Mariners legends Ken Griffey Jr. and Jay Buhner, joined by nearly the entire current roster and staff, gathered behind home plate to tip their caps to Rick Rizzs before his final call after 41 years as the team's play-by-play voice. (SEATTLE TIMES)

Play-by-play announcer Bill Macdonald and analyst Stu Lantz will reportedly return to lead the Lakers' television broadcast team for Spectrum SportsNet. Lantz will only call Lakers' home games in his 41st season on the broadcast team, while former NBAer Danny Green will be the primary analyst for road games and contribute to the network's studio coverage. (CALIFORNIA POST, 9/23).

The Hornets are bringing back play-by-play announcer Eric Collins, analyst Dell Curry and sideline reporter Shannon Spake this season as the team moves its local TV games to streaming on DAZN and over-the-air telecasts on the local WSOC affiliate (WJZY Charlotte)

MS Now political commentator Peter Alexander made his debut on Golf Channel last week around the Presidents Cup outside Chicago. Alexander, who went to school at Northwestern, contributed to a pair of pieces to Golf Channel's Live From Wednesday, Alexander, a longtime White House correspondent for NBC, currently hosts the daily show State of Play on MS Now. (SBJ)

Marquee Sports Network sideline reporter Taylor McGregor is leaving the network to join ESPN. McGregor served as a college football sideline reporter for ESPN since September 2019, taking on additional game-day roles at the network in recent years. (Chicago Tribune)

For nearly two decades, Tommy Hutton and Rich Waltz entered South Florida homes on a daily basis as the television voices of Marlins baseball. With the Emmy Award-winning Hutton celebrating his last game before retirement, Waltz surprised him in the booth during the seventh inning of Sunday afternoon's 5-3 Marlins victory over the Braves.

Roku has announced Pregame with Matthew Berry, a new live weekday sports talk series hosted by renowned fantasy football analyst, author, and sports personality Matthew Berry, launching on Sept. 28 on The Roku Channel. Former ESPN star Michelle Beadle has been named co-host. Produced by Berry's own Fantasy Life company, the two-hour show will also feature Mo Hasan, the former college football quarterback turned creator.

Tigers Sign Lead Voices Benetti, Dickerson to Multiyear Extensions

The Detroit Tigers today announced multiyear contract extensions with television play-by-play voice Jason Benetti and radio play-by-play voice Dan Dickerson, keeping the pair at the center of Tigers broadcasts on Detroit SportsNet and the Tigers Radio Network.

We're incredibly proud to have Jason and Dan as the voices of Tigers baseball, and grateful for their eagerness to make an even deeper commitment to our organization, said Ryan Gustafson, President and CEO of Ilitch Sports + Entertainment. Several years ago, we made a deliberate decision to improve how we engage with our fans, and building a broadcast worthy of them was central to the effort. Jason and Dan, alongside many others, continue to deliver an entertaining and informed broadcast that is among the best in baseball.

Benetti joined the Tigers ahead of the 2024 season as the team's lead television voice. Known for his blend of intellect and wit, he has quickly become a fan favorite with a gift for making any moment feel special. Widely regarded as one of the industry's premier broadcasters, Benetti recently joined NBC Sports as the voice of Sunday Night Baseball, among other network duties.

Thank you to Chris Ilitch, Ryan Gustafson and everyone with the Tigers for being such amazing partners as we've grown this broadcast together, said Benetti. This organization pairs a commitment to excellence with a deep culture of creativity. It's a rare combination, and it makes every day at the ballpark a joy. Our DSN crew is full of extraordinarily creative people who have established themselves as a gold standard in baseball TV coverage. It is my honor to stand alongside these brilliant people to create what we hope will be endless summers of entertainment for our viewers. The best is yet to come, and I'm proud to keep being part of it.

Dickerson made his Tigers debut in 2000 alongside Hall of Fame broadcaster Ernie Harwell and succeeded him as the team's lead radio voice in 2003. This past season was his 27th on Tigers radio, and today's extension carries his tenure with the organization into a fourth decade. A three-time Michigan Sportscaster of the Year and recipient of the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association's Ernie Harwell Lifetime Achievement Award, Dickerson is regarded as one of the best broadcasters in the sport - and one of its best teammates.

His reputation as a teammate proved pivotal in bringing Benetti to Detroit. With Benetti's national profile already established and growing, the Tigers knew they would need a trusted voice to call television games during his network assignments. Though Dickerson had long preferred radio, he agreed without hesitation to take on a slate of television games, knowing it would help the Tigers land a top talent. He will continue as the radio voice of the T

LINK:	https://www.sportsvideo.org/2026/09/28/behind-the-mic-nbc-sports-share...
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