Wisconsin State Hockey Telecasts & Broadcasts

I've had the chance to watch parts of one Girls State Semifinal Telecast and parts of one Boys State Semifinal Telecast on FSN. They are being replayed on random evenings throughout the Spring. Both of the telecasts had different broadcast teams, and for the most part they were brutal. The play by play guys were especially horrific.

In the Girls Semifinal they talked about one of the team's backup goaltenders throughout the first period thinking she was in the game, when she was not. They also would get off on a tangent and not even bother to describe the action unless the puck suddenly was at the net or in the net. They had zero insight into the teams or their players, and they regularly pronounced the names incorrectly. The broadcaster's comments in the open were based solely on the interviews done with the coaches before the game. The coaches' interviews then followed the broadcaster's open, making the broadcasters appear to have a good handle on what viewers should expect.

In the Boys Semifinal the play by play guy mispronounced almost every player's name. When Vic Levine, who was doing color would add to what the play by play guy had said he would say the players name correctly. The play by play guy would then get the name correct the next time he said it, but go back to his own pronunciation after that. This happened many, many times throughout the telecast, with Levine even correctly saying THE SAME KID's name correctly several times, and the play by play guy reverting back to his own pronunciation over and over. The other nightmare with this broadcast team is that the play by play guy didn't seem to know hockey. He'd call a save a great save, and Vic Levine would call it routine 10 seconds later. The play by play guy would also regularly cut Levine off just a few seconds before he had a chance to complete a thought. It was maddening to listen to.

The crazy thing about mispronouncing everyone's name is that these same announcers visit with the coaches before they call the State Final Games and ask for name pronunciations. Why wouldn't you do that prior to the State Quarterfinals? Also, can't these guys get out and see a few hockey games during the year wherever they live? Fox Sports North and Prepfilms need to see if they can find some better announcers for next year.

Bill Scott did a decent job for the Wisconsin Radio Network in the little bit that I heard. He is a guy that has a great voice, is smooth, calls some hockey during the year and has kids in the sport furthering his knowledge of the game.