List of Florida Panthers broadcasters

Last updated

In 1996, Florida Panthers owner Wayne Huizenga purchased a 70% controlling interest in SportsChannel Florida, with Rainbow Media (by that time, a joint venture between Cablevision and NBC) retaining a minority 30% interest. [1] That led Huizenga to move the NHL franchise's game telecasts from Sunshine Network to SportsChannel Florida for the 1996–97 season.

Contents

In 2000, SportsChannel Florida was bought by Fox Sports Networks and was renamed to Fox Sports Net Florida. [2] [3] The channel was also known as FSN Florida and Fox Sports Florida.

On December 14, 2017, as part of a merger between both companies, The Walt Disney Company announced plans to acquire all 22 regional Fox Sports networks from 21st Century Fox, including Fox Sports Florida. However, on June 27, 2018, the Justice Department ordered their divestment under antitrust grounds, citing Disney's ownership of ESPN. On May 3, 2019, Sinclair Broadcast Group and Entertainment Studios (through their joint venture, Diamond Sports Group) bought Fox Sports Networks from The Walt Disney Company for $10.6 billion. The deal closed on August 22, 2019. On November 17, 2020, Sinclair announced an agreement with casino operator Bally's Corporation to serve as a new naming rights partner for the FSN channels. Sinclair announced the new Bally Sports branding for the channels on January 27, 2021.

On March 31, 2021, coinciding with the start of the 2021 Major League Baseball season the next day, Fox Sports Florida and sister network Fox Sports Sun rebranded as Bally Sports Florida and Bally Sports Sun , which resulted in 18 other Regional Sports Networks renamed Bally Sports in their respective regions. The first live sporting event on Bally Sports Florida will be the Marlins home opener against the Rays on April 1.

On March 14, 2023, Diamond Sports filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy.

In July 2024, amid Bally Sports' bankruptcy, the Panthers announced an agreement with the E.W. Scripps Company and its Scripps Sports division, under a multi-year deal beginning in the 2024–25 NHL season to air Panthers games. Scripps' Miami-Fort, Lauderdale station WSFL-TV 39 will serve as flagship station of the Panthers' television network. WHDT-TV 9 will air games in the Stuart-West Palm Beach market. WFTX-TV 36.3 will air games in the Fort Myers-Naples market. The Panthers will launch an in-market streaming service to carry the games. The service costs TBD.

Outside of South Florida, the Panthers' games will be broadcast on ESPN+. Nationally, Panthers games may air on ABC, ESPN, ESPN+, and/or TNT as part of the NHL's national broadcast television rights agreement.

Radio

Years Play-by-play Color commentators
1993–95 Chris Moore John Moynihan
1995–96 Chris Moore Alain Chevrier
1996–99 Chris Moore Randy Moller
1999–04 Jiggs McDonald Randy Moller
2005–07 Steve Goldstein Randy Moller
2007–09 Randy Moller Bill Lindsay
2009–15 Randy Moller Vacant
2015–present Doug Plagens Bill Lindsay

Notes

Television

Years Play-by-play Color commentators
1993–04 Jeff Rimer Denis Potvin
2005–07 Dave Strader Denis Potvin
2007–09 Steve Goldstein Denis Potvin
2009–14 Steve Goldstein Bill Lindsay
2014–19 Steve Goldstein Denis Potvin
Randy Moller (rinkside)
2019–present Steve Goldstein Randy Moller

Notes

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Levine, Felicia (1996-12-04). "SportsChannel Fla. gains ground under Huizenga". Variety. Retrieved 2024-07-08.
  2. ↑ "Rainbow, Fox Deal for Florida Net. - Multichannel News | HighBeam Research". 2015-09-24. Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2024-07-08.
  3. ↑ By (2000-01-07). "SPORTSCHANNEL JOINS FOX SPORTS". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 2024-07-08.
  4. ↑ "WQAM's Moynihan Hired as Panthers' Radio Analyst". Sun Sentinel. September 8, 1993.
  5. ↑ "WQAM radio will not renew contract for host Moynihan". Sun Sentinel. June 15, 1994.
  6. ↑ "Florida Panthers Broadcasters". Florida Panthers . 2018-02-03. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  7. ↑ Gorten, Steve (2010-01-19). "Florida Panthers stay with hot hand in goal". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Archived from the original on February 27, 2011. Retrieved 2010-07-15.
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