Major League Baseball on ESPN Radio facts for kids
| Genre | Major League Baseball |
|---|---|
| Running time | 3 hours (approximate) |
| Country |  USA |
| Home station | ESPN Radio (1998-) |
| Starring | Gary Thorne Dave Campbell Joe D'Ambrosio |
| Air dates | since March 31, 1998 |
Major League Baseball on ESPN Radio is how you can listen to exciting Major League Baseball (MLB) games on the radio! ESPN Radio broadcasts many important games throughout the baseball season.
You can hear games like the first game of the season (Opening Day), special Sunday night games, and Saturday afternoon matchups. They also broadcast games on holidays, like Memorial Day. In September, when teams are trying to win their division (called the pennant race), ESPN Radio covers those big games too.
But it's not just regular season games! You can also listen to the exciting All-Star Game, where the best players from both leagues compete. And when the playoffs begin, ESPN Radio covers every single game. This includes the Division Series, the League Championship Series, and the biggest event of all, the World Series.
You can find these broadcasts on regular AM/FM radio stations that are part of the ESPN Radio network. They are also available on XM Satellite Radio. However, these games are not part of the "Gameday Audio" package on MLB.com.
Contents
How ESPN Radio Started Broadcasting MLB
For many years, another radio network called CBS Radio was the main place to hear national MLB games. But that changed in 1997.
ESPN Wins Broadcasting Rights
On September 27, 1997, ESPN made a big move. They offered more money than CBS Radio to become the only national radio broadcaster for Major League Baseball. This was a surprise because CBS Radio had been broadcasting these games since 1976.
The agreement between MLB and ESPN Radio was for seven years. It lasted until 2004. This deal gave ESPN Radio the rights to broadcast many important games. These included Opening Day, Sunday Night Baseball, Saturday Game of the Week, and holiday games. They also covered games in September when teams were fighting for a playoff spot. Plus, they got to broadcast the All-Star Game and all of the playoff games, including the World Series.
Extending the Agreement
Because the partnership worked so well, ESPN Radio and Major League Baseball decided to continue their relationship. On October 21, 2004, they signed a new contract. This extension was for five more years, going through the 2010 season. It was a big deal, worth $55 million!
This new agreement also added a special weekly radio show just about baseball. This show became known as The Baseball Show. It aired on Sundays during the regular season, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET. The show was hosted by John Seibel and Steve Phillips.
Meet the Broadcasters
The people who describe the games for ESPN Radio are called broadcasters or announcers. They help you imagine the game even if you can't see it.
Main Announcers
The main broadcasting team for ESPN Radio's MLB games includes Gary Thorne and Dave Campbell. Gary Thorne is the play-by-play announcer, meaning he describes the action as it happens. He took over this role from Dan Shulman in 2002. Before Shulman, Charley Steiner was the main announcer from 1998 to 2002.
Dave Campbell is the analyst. He explains the strategies and plays during the game. He became the analyst in 2000, replacing Kevin Kennedy.
Pregame and Postseason Hosts
Before every game, Joe D'Ambrosio hosts the pregame show. He has been doing this since ESPN Radio first started broadcasting MLB games.
For the biggest games, like the World Series and one of the League Championship Series matchups, a special team takes over. This team is Jon Miller and Hall of Famer Joe Morgan. Jon Miller does the play-by-play, and Joe Morgan provides expert analysis.
During all of the games, you can also hear ESPN Radio SportsCenter updates every twenty minutes. These are short news reports that cut into the game broadcast to give you the latest sports headlines.
