NBC announces Jason Benetti will be Sunday Night Baseball’s play-by-play caller, but he won’t have a full-time analyst
Instead, NBC Sports announced Benetti “will be paired with analysts with connections to each participating team.” According to Sports Illustrated’s Jimmy Traina, NBC Sports’ decision may alienate viewers. “Fans want to build a connection with a broadcast crew, no matter the sport. Sports fans also like consistency,” says Traina. “I’m not a fan of playing ‘guess the announcer’ every week. If you miss the opening segment of Sunday Night Baseball this season, more often than not, you’re going to have no idea who the analysts are unless you recognize the voice of your local broadcaster. The flip side is that fans like to hear their local broadcasters. This is especially true in the postseason. National guys come in and just don’t know the team nearly as well as the analyst who has been there all year calling more than a hundred games.”