Vancouver Canucks play by play voice moving to call Flames for Sportsnet
By Chase Ruttig
Oct 5, 2013; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks fans during the second period against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports
Not only will the Vancouver Canucks have new faces aplenty for the 2014/15 season, their broadcasts on TEAM 1040 will also have new voices as longtime broadcaster Rick Ball will be moving from calling Canucks and BC Lions games for the radio station to a role calling Calgary Flames broadcasts for Rogers Sportsnet.
The Province reported on Monday night that Ball, who has been with TEAM 1040 for 11 years, will be ending his decade long plus run with the station to call Flames television broadcasts for Rogers.
From The Province:
"TEAM 1040 radio is about to lose one of its top broadcasters, The Province has learned.According to sources, Rick Ball — who does play-by-play for the sports radio station’s B.C. Lions and Vancouver Canucks broadcasts — will be leaving Vancouver to take on a similar position with Rogers Sportsnet in Calgary, where he’ll call the Flames TV games in the coming season.Ball’s departure, which is expected to be officially announced this week, will leave big shoes to fill at TEAM 1040.TEAM 1040 program director Mike Whittingham said Monday via text message that there’s “nothing much more we can say right now.”Ball, who has been at TEAM 1040 for 11 years, has also been a part of CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada broadcast team. Earlier in his broadcast career, Ball called games for the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets."
It is also being reported that Ball will be joining a big name calling the Flames this season as Kelly Hrudey will be jumping in the booth from his role with Hockey Night in Canada to join Ball in working the Flames beat for the 2014/15 season.
And on a side note - Rick Ball and Kelly Hrudy will be your #Flames play by play announcers for Sportsnet this year. #NHL
— Colin Dambrauskas (@colindmortgages) August 26, 2014
Some very credible people tweeting Rick Ball & Kelly Hrudey will be the #Flames TV team in 2014-15.
— Ryan Pike (@RyanNPike) August 26, 2014
Ball was a well respected voice of the Canucks, as evidenced by his frequent gigs on HNIC while at TEAM 1040, but that resume has also landed him a new television gig with Rogers that will mean Vancouver fans will have to adjust to a new voice when the season begins. Or they can always listen to Ball when the Canucks play the Flames this season, even if it might not be the same when he is calling the play by play for the Alberta rivals.