J
Joseph_Gallant
Guest
This year, Altitude Sports hired Doug MacLeod to do play-by-play for the network's coverage of Colorado Avalanche hockey games (Altitude carries all Avs' games not on national television), replacing John Kelly, who went to KPLR-11 St. Louis and Fox Sports Midweat to call their telecasts of the St. Louis Blues.
But after just 20 games on the job, MacLeod was fired on November 21st. The Denver Post reported in this story that Avs' radio play-by-play man Mike Haynes, who is "sitting in" as TV play-by-play voice for the time being.
This is the first time I could ever remember a local TV or radio play-by-play broadcaster for a team in one of the "big four" professional team sports having been relieved of his duties during the season. I can recall some announcers having to take leaves of absence during a season (usually due to health), but except for the late St. Louis Blues' play-by-play man Dan Kelly (John's dad) and the late Toronto Blue Jays' play-by-play man Tom Cheek (both of whom had to take leaves of abscence due to poor health but who were never able to return to the booth), such announcers eventually did return to the booth.
At this writing (December 1st, 6:30 P.M. EST), McLeod's bio is still on the Avs' website.
Given that Altitude is under the same ownership as the Avs' I wonder if McLeod might have criticized the Avs one time too many on the air or had a "run-in" with Avs and Altitude owner Stan Kroenke that was serious enough to have cost him his job.
But after just 20 games on the job, MacLeod was fired on November 21st. The Denver Post reported in this story that Avs' radio play-by-play man Mike Haynes, who is "sitting in" as TV play-by-play voice for the time being.
This is the first time I could ever remember a local TV or radio play-by-play broadcaster for a team in one of the "big four" professional team sports having been relieved of his duties during the season. I can recall some announcers having to take leaves of absence during a season (usually due to health), but except for the late St. Louis Blues' play-by-play man Dan Kelly (John's dad) and the late Toronto Blue Jays' play-by-play man Tom Cheek (both of whom had to take leaves of abscence due to poor health but who were never able to return to the booth), such announcers eventually did return to the booth.
At this writing (December 1st, 6:30 P.M. EST), McLeod's bio is still on the Avs' website.
Given that Altitude is under the same ownership as the Avs' I wonder if McLeod might have criticized the Avs one time too many on the air or had a "run-in" with Avs and Altitude owner Stan Kroenke that was serious enough to have cost him his job.