Rick Ball is a Canadian sportscaster who currently works as a hockey play-by-play announcer on Sportsnet's regional Calgary Flames broadcasts as well as Hockey Night In Canada and NHL on Sportsnet. Ball worked the Stanley Cup Playoffs for TNT in 2023.
Rick Ball | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Alma mater | British Columbia Institute of Technology |
| Occupation | Sportscaster |
A British Columbia Institute of Technology graduate, Ball began his radio career in 1993 in his native Kelowna.[1][2] From 1995 to 2000 he was the play-by-play announcer for the Kelowna Rockets.[3] He then worked for CFAX in Victoria, British Columbia.[1] In 2001 he filled in for Jim Hughson on ten of VTV’s Vancouver Canucks broadcasts.[3] That same year he joined The Team 1040 in Vancouver, where he hosted the noon-to-3 p.m. show.[1][4] In 2004, The Team acquired the rights to the BC Lions and Ball was named the new play-by-play voice.[2] In 2008, Ball and Joe Kenward were chosen as fill-in voices for lead Canucks announcer John Shorthouse.[4] In 2011, the CBC chose Ball to call Winnipeg Jets games for Hockey Night In Canada.[5] In 2013 he became the main western play-by-play voice for Hockey Night in Canada.[1] In 2014, Ball left Vancouver to become Sportsnet's regional television announcer for the Calgary Flames.[6]
References edit
- ^ a b c d Douglas, Greg (January 19, 2013). "Ball living the dream following Cole to Hockey Night in Canada's prime team". The Vancouver Sun.
- ^ a b Beamish, Mike (June 17, 2004). "Lions have a new voice on airwaves". The Vancouver Sun.
- ^ a b Ullrich, Lowell (April 6, 2001). "A bouncing Ball: Ex-junior broadcaster relishes opportunity". The Vancouver Sun.
- ^ a b McIntyre, Gordon (November 30, 2008). "He's both on the Ball and on the airwaves; Getting back to hockey this season". The Province.
- ^ "Ball gets the call to do Jets play-by-play on HNIC". The Province. September 23, 2011.
- ^ Douglas, Greg (August 30, 2014). "Ball, Taylor suit up for air battles; Programming: Radio, TV roll out recycled 'all-stars'". The Vancouver Sun.