The Trail Blazers have hired veteran broadcaster Kevin Calabro to be their new television play-by-play voice. (Trail Blazers)
By June 17, 2016
The Portland Trail Blazers wasted little time filling one void in their broadcast booth.
The team announced Friday that veteran play-by-play announcer Kevin Calabro has been hired to become the new face of Blazers television broadcasts. He replaces Mike Barrett, who was let go by the team Wednesday as part of a facelift of the team’s television and radio broadcasts.
Calabro, a well known and respected broadcaster, arrives in Portland after a stint with ESPN Radio, where he most recently served as the lead play-by-play voice of their national NBA broadcast. Calabro, who lives in Seattle, has deep ties to the Northwest. He spent 21 years working in radio and television for the Seattle SuperSonics and notably turned down the chance to move to Oklahoma City when the team fled the Northwest in 2008, giving up the chance to continue as the team’s television play-by-play voice.
“I’m excited to join a great organization like the Trail Blazers that’s committed to excellence; is led by a devoted owner in Paul Allen; and is supported by the most passionate fans anywhere in the country,” Calabro said in a release. “With two young stars in Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, a great group of teammates and a terrific coach like Terry Stotts, the Trail Blazers have an incredibly bright future. I consider it a privilege to live and work in the Pacific Northwest, and look forward to becoming part of this franchise and the greater Portland community.
READ MORE HERE AT THE OREGONIAN WEBSITE
The loss of Barrett and Rice was bemoaned by Portland fans and critics alike, but the hire of this first-line nationally acclaimed replacement has most observers applauding the move. It certainly went a long way to silence the hullabaloo over the changes.
Congrats to him, but it’s a sign that the return of the NBA to Seattle is not imminent.