The Cincinnati Reds and Fox Sports Ohio have officially selected a new primary play-by-play broadcaster. That would be John Sadak, announced Thursday as the new voice in that spot. That move comes after Thom Brennaman (who had been a Reds’ broadcaster on a regular basis since 2006, and had also called games for them before that) resigned in late September, with that resignation coming in the wake of homophobic comments he made on a Reds’ broadcast in August. Here’s more from the Reds’ release on the hiring of Sadak:
New to Cincinnati, Sadak most recently served as a national TV play-by-play announcer for CBS Sports, a national radio play-by-play announcer for Westwood One and as a radio play-by-play announcer for the New York Mets on WCBS 880. His broadcast work includes the play-by-play of the NFL, NBA, MLB, college football, basketball, and baseball along with almost 15 years in minor league baseball.
“My family and I are beyond thrilled at this tremendous opportunity. Calling Major League Baseball games full-time has been my career and life goal for many years,” said Sadak. “The chance to do so for the Cincinnati Reds, a franchise known for its rich, extensive history and passionate, loyal fanbase, is a dream come true. We can’t wait to immerse ourselves in our new home city and ballpark. Baseball’s legendary Opening Day can’t arrive fast enough.”
Sadak will also be a regular contributor to Reds Live pre- and postgame shows on FOX Sports Ohio and provide fans behind-the-scenes access via social media. Fans can follow Sadak on Twitter @johnsadak and Instagram @John.Sadak.
“John possesses everything we look for in a play-by-play broadcaster and his knowledge of and passion for the game are delivered with an iconic announcer’s voice. He is more than ready to become the full-time voice of a major league team and we are thrilled to give him that opportunity on the telecasts of the Cincinnati Reds,” stated Randy Stephens, Senior Vice President and General Manager of FOX Sports Ohio.
“Watching Reds games is fun and entertaining. John loves baseball, and his excitement for the game comes through every call,” said Phil Castellini, Reds President and COO. “His knowledge, experience and warmth will resonate with our fans and we look forward to welcoming John into our Reds family.”
Sadak’s national work for CBS included college football and college basketball, and his work for Westwood One included the NFL and college sports. He has quite a bit of experience in both MLB and other sports. We’ll see how he’s received as a Reds’ broadcaster.
