Source
By Bill Griffith | August 28, 2005
These are busy days at NESN, the TV home of the Red Sox and Bruins.
And after a year without the NHL, the Bruins are set to begin a season that promises all sorts of changes. The league is changing the product on the ice; and NESN is changing its product on the screen with more high-definition telecasts, a new studio at the TD Banknorth Garden, and new on-air talent.
The on-air changes haven't been finalized, but in talking with a number of broadcasters and agents, this seems to be where NESN is headed:
Analyst Andy Brickley will work all games, instead of just road games.
Road play-by-play broadcaster Dave Shea, who is in Washington working the Nationals' baseball radio broadcasts, won't be returning.
Home game analyst Gord Kluzak will move into the studio analyst rotation.
Studio analysts Rick Middleton and Barry Pederson are slated to come back, with invitations out for Hall of Famer Ray Bourque and soon-to-be-inducted Cam Neely.
That leaves openings for a studio host, a road play-by-play announcer, and an ice-level reporter.
Two Boston TV executives noted that the increased workload gives Brickley the chance to become the ''Jerry Remy of Bruins Nation."
How will NESN fill the rest of its hockey rotation? This is where we move into the realm of speculation. NESN has found that going with one broadcast team in baseball (Remy and Don Orsillo) has worked well, so it's not a reach to think it'll go that route with hockey.
Trouble is, home play-by-play man Dale Arnold also has a day job as cohost of WEEI radio's midday ''Dale & Holley" show. It would be hard for the network to find fault with his attitude or game preparation; he comes directly to Causeway Street after his show to get ready for broadcasts.
But there's no shortage of other hockey announcers already at NESN. Orsillo, Tom Caron, Eric Frede, Corey Masse, and Bob Neumeier all have done hockey play-by-play, and all love the game. In the past, NESN has been inclined to promote from within. It will be interesting to see how the slots fill up. WEEI's old ''Dale & Neumy" team, reunited at NESN? Who knows?
What is certain is that announcements will be coming soon. The season opens Oct. 5, and plans are in place to televise at least one exhibition game.
NESN hockey producer Doug Wheeler deferred all questions of on-air personnel to network management, but he was willing to talk about telecast plans.
''We'll do all the Bruins' home games in HD, and we'd like to do all the road games, too," said Wheeler. ''The limiting factor is the availability of HD production trucks. Sometimes we forget NESN was in the forefront of the HD movement and that other markets are still getting their toes wet."
By Bill Griffith | August 28, 2005
These are busy days at NESN, the TV home of the Red Sox and Bruins.
And after a year without the NHL, the Bruins are set to begin a season that promises all sorts of changes. The league is changing the product on the ice; and NESN is changing its product on the screen with more high-definition telecasts, a new studio at the TD Banknorth Garden, and new on-air talent.
The on-air changes haven't been finalized, but in talking with a number of broadcasters and agents, this seems to be where NESN is headed:
Analyst Andy Brickley will work all games, instead of just road games.
Road play-by-play broadcaster Dave Shea, who is in Washington working the Nationals' baseball radio broadcasts, won't be returning.
Home game analyst Gord Kluzak will move into the studio analyst rotation.
Studio analysts Rick Middleton and Barry Pederson are slated to come back, with invitations out for Hall of Famer Ray Bourque and soon-to-be-inducted Cam Neely.
That leaves openings for a studio host, a road play-by-play announcer, and an ice-level reporter.
Two Boston TV executives noted that the increased workload gives Brickley the chance to become the ''Jerry Remy of Bruins Nation."
How will NESN fill the rest of its hockey rotation? This is where we move into the realm of speculation. NESN has found that going with one broadcast team in baseball (Remy and Don Orsillo) has worked well, so it's not a reach to think it'll go that route with hockey.
Trouble is, home play-by-play man Dale Arnold also has a day job as cohost of WEEI radio's midday ''Dale & Holley" show. It would be hard for the network to find fault with his attitude or game preparation; he comes directly to Causeway Street after his show to get ready for broadcasts.
But there's no shortage of other hockey announcers already at NESN. Orsillo, Tom Caron, Eric Frede, Corey Masse, and Bob Neumeier all have done hockey play-by-play, and all love the game. In the past, NESN has been inclined to promote from within. It will be interesting to see how the slots fill up. WEEI's old ''Dale & Neumy" team, reunited at NESN? Who knows?
What is certain is that announcements will be coming soon. The season opens Oct. 5, and plans are in place to televise at least one exhibition game.
NESN hockey producer Doug Wheeler deferred all questions of on-air personnel to network management, but he was willing to talk about telecast plans.
''We'll do all the Bruins' home games in HD, and we'd like to do all the road games, too," said Wheeler. ''The limiting factor is the availability of HD production trucks. Sometimes we forget NESN was in the forefront of the HD movement and that other markets are still getting their toes wet."
