by Steve Ewen, blogging for The Province Sports Published: July 18, 2017
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Various sources suggest Brendan Batchelor will be the next radio voice of the Vancouver Canucks.
Sportsnet 650, who will take over broadcasting the games from TSN 1040 this fall, has yet to name a play-by-play team. Batchelor, 28, has called Vancouver Giants’ games the past four seasons. According to various sources, he resigned from the WHL club on Monday and is refusing to say where he’s going, other than to admit he starts his new gig in August.
Batchelor, 28, had an interview with Canucks and 1040 brass prior to the 2014-15 season, when they were looking for a play-by-play man to replace the departing Rick Ball. Jon Abbott got the gig then, and had it through this past season.
Is Batchelor the next guy? It certainly looks like it.
“You do the math,” said a source who wished to remain anonymous.
Batchelor, a BCIT product, has worked as an announcer, reporter and producer for TSN 1040 as well since October, 2008. He’s also done play-by-play for Whitecaps FC2.
28 and doing play-by-play for an NHL would be a fun gig I’d imagine!
Methinks that like so much the Canucks do, they expect a wide-eyed newbie to work for peanuts…
Wondering if former Abbotsford Heat (and various other local sports teams) play-by-play man Brandon Astle might be in line for the Giants job?
“wide-eyed newbie” is not a fair description of Brendan. He may be 28, but, in my experience, he was mature and professional from his first days at 1040/1410. I expect he will do a great job if he is hired.
We wish Mr. Batchelor well in his new pbp gig with Vancouver, if that is actually the case. The main problem is not the play by play host, but the woefully unentertaining, inconsistent play of the Canucks team that drives away fans.
The Canucks have had a chance to retool and rebrand the team, over the summer, but from what we have seen, so far, virtually the same roster and management is returning from the 2016-2017 season.
Regarding the Sedins, are they still the franchise players that they once were, or can they be traded while their market value is still reasonably good. Why are these veterans not on the trading block.
What I see is “same old same old” with these tired Canucks and changing the voice of the team will not matter much.