Vasgersian To Leave Padres, Fox For Studio Host Role At MLB Net
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Vasgersian To Be Main Host Of
MLB Network Nightly Show |
MLB Network today made its first official on-air hire, signing Matt Vasgersian as its main studio host for the nightly "MLB Tonight" show. Vasgersian had been the lead play-by-play announcer for Padres' TV games and has done work with Fox, as well. As the main host of MLB Network's nightly show, Vasgersian will be the net's most visible on-air personality. MLB Network is launching January 1 to about 50 million homes. It has been talking with Harold Reynolds and Hazel Mae about on-air positions and has had conversations with Bob Costas about an on-air role (John Ourand, THE DAILY). Vasgersian said that he "expects to host the first four hours" of the six-hour "MLB Tonight" show every weeknight. Vasgersian: "I was inventing excuses not to take the job because I didn't want to leave San Diego or Southern California. But it kept getting better and better. It became clear I couldn't say no." Vasgersian added that "another factor was he had grown weary of the travel involved in being a team broadcaster for 18 straight years, the past 12 in the big leagues." In San Diego, Jay Posner notes Vasgersian will also "have to give up his job with Fox Sports as a play-by-play man in baseball and football, although he will be allowed to finish the current NFL season and work" the Fiesta Bowl on January 5 (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 10/5).
GOOD FIRST STEP: AWFUL ANNOUNCING's Brian Powell wrote the move is a "good pickup for the new network." Powell: "I've long been a fan of Vasgersian, and the studio work he put in for the Olympics will definitely help him in this role" (AWFULANNOUNCING.com, 11/4). BASEBALLMUSINGS.com's David Pinto wrote, "His hire by MLB makes me believe the new network is moving in the right direction" (BASEBALLMUSINGS.com, 11/4).
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