Three Out Of Four Blue Jackets Broadcasters To Return In '09-10

Gare Will Not Return To Broadcast Booth In '09-10

Blue Jackets broadcasters Jeff Rimer, Bill Davidge and George Matthews will return to the team's broadcast booth for the '09-10 season, while TV analyst Danny Gare is not being retained. Rimer will continue to call play-by-play for FS Ohio telecasts with Davidge as the net's color analyst, while Matthews will remain the radio play-by-play announcer. Davidge has served as the club's radio analyst since '00 (Blue Jackets). Blue Jackets Dir of Marketing Marc Gregory "described the decision to not bring back Gare as a 'difficult personnel decision made because of tough economy times.'" Gregory did not elaborate on the comment, but Gare said that he was "not asked to take a pay cut." Sources said that the team was "inundated with phone calls, e-mails and letters in support of Davidge and Matthews last week when news broke that their future was being decided" by Gregory, Blue Jackets Dir of Business Operations Larry Hoepfner and Blue Jackets Dir of Broadcasting Russ Mollihan. Gregory said that the "outpouring of support did not sway the club's decision." He noted that the team is "accepting applications for the radio color commentator's job, but there was no timetable for filling it." Gregory "did not rule out a former Blue Jackets [player] getting the job," but said that the club "wasn't limited to that option." Gregory "would not reveal the terms of the new contracts agreed to by Rimer, Davidge and Matthews" (Aaron Portzline, COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 5/5). Gare's job is "expected to be filled later this summer" (DISPATCH.com, 5/4).