And to O’Brien and his other broadcasting gig, ESPN confirms that he’s still under contract to cover college basketball and select MLB games. Why Did Don Orsillo Leave . In speaking with more than one in the broadcast community, the firing of Orsillo has struck a nerve that has been hit before. As of publication, NESN hasn't responded.Orsillo clearly has an opening right next door. Sports announcer Don Orsillo waves from the broadcast booth following a video tribute during the eighth inning of a baseball game between the Boston Red Sox … Orsillo first broadcast Red Sox games on NESN in 2001 and became the full-time play-by-play man in 2005 when the network acquired rights to all local telecasts. Don Orsillo waves from the broadcast booth following a video tribute during the eighth inning of a game between the Boston Red Sox … Fine. Beloved Red Sox broadcaster Don Orsillo worked his last game at Fenway Park, with fans, co-workers and team staff members saying a reluctant goodbye. Don Orsillo, the affable and popular play-by-play voice on NESN’s Red Sox telecasts since 2001, will not return next year, according to multiple industry sources. Red Sox Chairman Tom Werner and NESN President and CEO Sean McGrail were both quoted in The New York Times praising Orsillo, and yet doing so in a back-handed fashion. Try watching Don wave back and say, “thank you, boys” without losing your shit. 5.26.2011: "My goal as a child was to be the voice of the Red Sox," says Don Orsillo, the NESN commentator who works the Red Sox games with Jerry Remy. Boston Red Sox Boston Red Sox New York Yankees New York Yankees Tampa Bay Rays Tampa Bay Rays ... Don Orsillo Snaps Photos With Big-Name Celebrities at Fenway Park. But someone decided along the way that they were smarter than the fans that welcome Orsillo into their homes. “And I also understand that Don is a great broadcaster, but we felt that starting next year it was worth going in a different direction reenergizing the broadcast. Wow. Which gets back to the O’Brien signing in the first place. Where Is Don Orsillo Today . In fact, NESN has asked him on more than one occasion if he wanted to speak to the media about the matter. According to a report from WEEI’s “Dennis and Callahan Morning Show,” this will be Don Orsillo’s final season as the play-by-play man for NESN’s Red Sox broadcasts. That has fans mad and bewildered, and it’s hard to say many can blame them. He could blunt the blows raining down on NESN and the Red Sox if he wanted. All of this is little solace to Red Sox Nation. why did don orsillo leave the red sox. “I won’t say it will be perfect from Day 1.”, Buckley: Tom Werner explains why NESN is…, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Charlie Baker increases capacity limits at Mass. It wasn’t.”, As for Remy’s future with NESN, McGrail told me, “Jerry’s in our plans for next season. Who knows? NESN’s full-season average ratings in ’05, ’06, and ’07, were higher than a 10.5 — the 10.5 was the highest rating in the history of YES Network that they achieved on Jeter’s last home game at Yankee Stadium last season. The response has been as quiet as Fenway Park on December’s eve. And yet the one that has been silent is Orsillo, himself. If football is a brotherhood, Broncos should refuse to play Sunday in New England. Normally a decision like this comes with fan supporters and detractors but one would be hard-pressed to find any supporters in sacking Orsillo out there at this point, sans the brain trust at NESN. As of publication, NESN hasn’t responded. That NESN has reached out to a half-dozen national and regional networks on Don’s behalf to allow him to not only land softly, but in a prime position. When the offseason gets underway, it’s clear that everyone at NESN and the Red Sox will breathe a sigh of relief, realize that they won’t have to see angry fans in the stands over the course of the offseason, and pray for this whole thing to blow over. Word on the street is that already there have been more than one having back and forth conversations with NESN about him with serious interest in trying to land the coveted broadcaster. A few days after letting Orsillo know of his firing, NESN brass had a conversation with him and his agent Brad Blank about whether he wanted to announce that he was free right then and there, or wait until the regular season ended with the sides reportedly agreeing that it would occur at the end of the season. 2020 National Sportswriter Of The Year nominee. Where Is Don Orsillo Broadcasting . He could switch chairs with O’Brien and do Red Sox radio broadcasts with WEEI. Assuming Remy is still in the booth next season, it will be interesting to see if the former Sox second baseman has the same rapport with O’Brien that he has had with Orsillo. Which makes this whole matter all the more awkward and bumbling. Yes, the ratings were down. Why now for Orsillo? The inference is, “This guy will be better.” And while it was more than one voice that decided that was the case in signing O’Brien and dropping Orsillo, isn’t it highly subjective at this point? O’Brien is an exceptionally solid broadcaster, doing work for not only WEEI, but ESPN. It was the opportunity to bring on Dave.”. If anything, they sometimes have too much energy when Orsillo and color analyst Jerry Remy stray from the game action. 2020 Natl Sportswriter Of The Year Nominee, BBWAA, MLB, Motorsports, BOSTON, MA – DECEMBER 2: Don Orsillo emcee’s, Champions for Children’s Gala at Seaport World Trade Center benefitting Boston Children’s Hospital December 2, 2014 in Boston, Massachusetts. After 15 years the Red Sox play-by-play broadcaster is leaving, to be replaced by Dave O'Brien. We haven’t finalized that, but he will be involved.”, “We don’t know yet,” McGrail said. Orsillo, in his 15th season with the Red Sox, has said in the past he prefers to work the entire schedule, in part out of fear of missing something important or memorable on a … It’s always painful to do great work, yet see your employer go with someone else. 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No one is saying, but the question is, did NESN approach O’Brien prior to the expiration of his contract and say that when the time arrived he had the potential to land at NESN? The team’s radio voice, Dave O’Brien reportedly will replace him. The refrain from them is often decisions are made by network brass that make little sense. In a case where NESN, and certainly the Red Sox who own an 80 percent stake in the regional sports network have a large say in such matters, they clearly didn’t expect the firestorm of controversy that has come with NESN not renewing Orsillo’s contract. Red Sox broadcaster Don Orsillo is leaving NESN at the end of the season. Kiszla: Call off the game. An open letter to John Henry on Don Orsillo Losing Don Orsillo marks the end of a Red Sox era Hey NESN, you decided to fire Don Orsillo. 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