Triple-A Int’l Pawtucket Red Sox lead radio voice Jeff Levering “has earned a job” with the Brewers’ radio team this year. Levering will join Bob Uecker and Joe Block on the Brewers Radio Network, “as well as provide content for the Brewers’ online, social, and new media channels” (VALLEYBREEZE.com, 1/22). In Milwaukee, Tom Haudricourt noted Levering “will handle three innings of play-by-play as a partner” to Block “as he fills in on games missed” by Uecker (JSONLINE.com, 1/22).
CHARTING A NEW COURSE: In Austin, Steve Habel wrote Golf Channel's Angela Hamann “took her first shifts” as a reporter/host last Saturday, and she came off as “calm under pressure, unflappable and professional.” Her role “will initially include delivering leaderboard updates" on the net's primetime PGA Tour coverage as well as "on-site reporting at selected PGA Tour and NCAA men’s and women’s tournaments.” After stints at Austin-based KTBC-Fox as an on-air Univ. of Texas reporter and an internship at ESPN, Hamann spent ‘12-14 “as a host and reporter for Fox Sports Southwest” (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 1/22).
NET GAIN? Sportsnet on Tuesday announced additions to its radio and TV lineups beginning this spring, as Tim Micallef and Sid Seixeiro -- co-hosts of the Toronto-based CJCL-AM's "Tim & Sid" show -- will be moving to television, while the new radio morning show, "Dean Blundell & Co.," will be debuting on CJCL. The TV show will air will from 5:00-7:00pm ET on Sportsnet, starting July 1. Blundell joins the radio station to co-host the new morning show, which debuts on March 2 and will air weekdays from 5:30-9:00am (Sportsnet). YAHOO SPORTS CANADA's Chris Zelkovich wrote it is "hard to grasp what Rogers is doing in hiring disgraced shock jock Dean Blundell for its flagship sports radio station, but the words 'playing with fire' come to mind." Blundell "lost his last gig a year ago after engaging in some tasteless homophobic commentary." Rogers, "no doubt, is banking that the hashtag 'lesson learned' is genuine" (CA.SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 1/20).
NOTES: Fox Sports named NBC Sports Group soccer announcer John Strong its play-by-play announcer for MLS, FIFA Women's World Cup and int'l soccer coverage. Prior to his stint at NBC, he was the radio and TV voice of the Timbers (Fox Sports)....Univ. of North Texas play-by-play announcer George Dunham, who has worked with Mean Green Radio for the last 25 years, on Wednesday “announced his retirement.” He will remain on Dallas-area KTCK-AM, “where he is the popular morning drive host along with his partner Craig Miller.” Dunham also “will stay on with UNT through the end of basketball season” (DENTONRC.com, 1/22).
