HORNETS WELCOME NEW FACES TO 2012-13 FOX SPORTSNEW ORLEANS TV BROADCAST TEAMEmmy-winning announcer Joel Meyers, former Hornets guard David Wesleyand Fox8’s Jennifer Hale to provide commentary of Hornets’ games
August 6, 2012
The New Orleans Hornets announced today that Joel Meyers (play-by-play), David Wesley (color analyst) and Jennifer Hale (sideline reporter) have signed on to make up the FOX Sports New Orleans broadcast team starting with the 2012-13 campaign.
“We are thrilled to be able to have Joel, David and Jennifer broadcast our Hornets games and add to the Fox Sports brand,” said Hornets Owner Tom Benson. “The three of them are knowledgeable about the game and all our fans will enjoy the enthusiasm they will bring to the broadcast as we continue to build upon the momentum and excitement for the upcoming season.”
In June, the Hornets and FOX announced a long-term television rights agreement that will include a live 30-minute pre and post-game show and additional Hornets programming. FOX also announced that its regional sports network currently serving the New Orleans market (FOX Sports Southwest) will be re-launched as “FOX Sports New Orleans” in October to coincide with the start of the Hornets’ 2012-13 season.
“We’re excited to have such a talented group of broadcasters announcing Hornets games,” said FOX Sports Southwest Senior Vice President/General Manager Jon Heidtke. “We couldn’t have asked for a better team to start our first season as the home of the Hornets. Fans will enjoy the energy and the knowledge they’ll bring to the broadcasts. We look forward to what promises to be an exciting season.”
Meyers, a two-time play-by-play announcer Emmy winner, brings more than 20 years of broadcast experience to the organization, most recently serving as television play-by-play announcer for the Los Angeles Lakers from 2005-2011 following two years on the club’s radio broadcast. Meyers had previously served four years as the voice of San Antonio Spurs’ television broadcasts before joining the Lakers. In addition to his work in the NBA, the St. Louis, Mo. native has also worked for NBC covering the NFL, two Olympic Games as well as the NBA and professional golf.
“As someone who has worked in the NBA for a number of years, I’m excited about the opportunity to be a part of the FOX broadcast team,” said Meyers. “Mr. Benson’s purchase of the club has really triggered so many things that have this franchise on the rise and I can’t wait to be a part of their journey. Fans are going to enjoy watching this team and I can’t wait to be a part of the team that brings the game into their homes.”
Wesley, who played seven seasons for the Hornets, joins the broadcast team after serving as an assistant coach for the NBDL’s Texas Legends for the last two seasons. Wesley played in the NBA from 1993 to 2007, first landing with the New Jersey Nets as an undrafted free agent, and spending time with the Celtics, Rockets and Cavaliers in addition to the Hornets. Upon retiring in 2007, Wesley ranked second all-time (behind Moses Malone) in NBA history among undrafted players with 11,842 career points.
“The Hornets franchise means a lot to me and having played for the Hornets when they first moved to New Orleans, my family and I have always enjoyed the community and passion of the sports fan,” Wesley said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with FOX and be able to provide insight during the broadcast about a game that’s been such a huge part of my life. This franchise has so much to be excited about and I can’t wait to be a part of it.”
Hornets’ fans will see a familiar face on the sideline in Hale, as she has spent the last three years at WVUE FOX 8 and also is a sideline reporter for the NFL on FOX. Hale started out as the morning show anchor at FOX prior to moving into the sports department last summer, winning various Edward R. Murrow awards, as well as Emmy and AP Awards. Hale is a native of Mobile, Ala. and has spent time at TV stations in Birmingham, Ala., Baton Rouge, La. and Monroe, La. She earned her degree at LSU prior to receiving her Master of Science in broadcast journalism from Northwestern University.
“Since moving to Baton Rouge for college, I have seen the passion that Louisiana fans have for their sports teams,” said Hale. “I am ecstatic about having the chance to bring the fans anecdotes and insight about the team from the sideline.”
FOX Sports New Orleans will become the 21st regional sports network in the FOX Sports Networks family. The network will offer a robust lineup of local sports programming, including SEC football, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, Olympic sports and coaches’ shows. FOX Sports is the nation’s leader in offering hometown NBA coverage through FSN, the largest owned-and-operated regional sports network group in the country. FSN serves as the local television home to more than half of all NBA teams, producing more than 1,000 live NBA telecasts per season.