LAKELAND, Fla. -- Tigers fans were welcomed back to the familiar voice of Jason Benetti last Sunday for the team’s first test of its new streaming product. The renowned play-by-play broadcaster is about to become a familiar part of Sundays for baseball fans everywhere.
Benetti has joined NBC Sports as the play-by-play voice for its new Sunday primetime games to air on NBC and Peacock, the network announced on Wednesday. He’ll work with a rotation of analysts with connections to the participating teams.
“After Jason finished the 2022 baseball season with us, we told him that if we ever got MLB back, he’d be our first call,” Sam Flood, NBC Sports executive producer, said in the NBC press release. “Jason is one of the best play-by-play announcers in the business, and we’re thrilled to have him back on a full-time basis with NBC Sports, beginning with Sunday Night Baseball.”
Benetti has a history with the network, having served as the play-by-play voice on Sunday morning Peacock broadcasts in 2022.
“I am thrilled to be rejoining the NBC Sports family,” Benetti said in the release. “[NBC Sports president] Rick Cordella, Sam Flood and the whole team at NBC all have a deep appreciation for live sports. It’s a true honor to be part of the dawn of Sunday Night Baseball at NBC Sports. Each week is going to be a new, unique experience with analysts who all have different viewpoints on the game of baseball.”
It’s a big honor for Benetti, who had been part of FOX Sports covering MLB, NFL and college football and basketball. But his main role as the voice of Tigers telecasts remains unchanged.
The Tigers hired Benetti two seasons ago with the understanding that he would miss up to 35 games a year for national assignments, and with a plan to use longtime radio play-by-play broadcaster Dan Dickerson on television to fill in on those days, while longtime Double-A Erie play-by-play voice Greg Gania would frequently fill in on the radio. That plan remains. If anything, Benetti’s broadcast and travel schedule becomes simpler with a set schedule of national assignments on Sundays.
The Tigers’ statement following Wednesday’s announcement reflected the support:
“We’re incredibly proud that Jason Benetti has been named the new voice of Sunday Night Baseball on NBC. This recognition reflects his exceptional broadcasting talent, tireless commitment to excellence, and engaging personality, all of which combine to make him a premier storyteller across all of sports. Jason will continue calling Tigers games, and as in previous years, will step away once per week to handle national broadcast duties. With Opening Day approaching and excitement building for the season ahead, we’re grateful to have him as part of our Tigers family.”
One notable addition to Benetti’s Sunday national assignments is Opening Day. He’ll make his NBC debut on Thursday, March 26, at Dodger Stadium, where the defending World Series champion Dodgers will host the Diamondbacks in prime time. The Tigers open their regular season down the road in San Diego against the Padres that afternoon. Dickerson will be on the Tigers telecast for that game.
Benetti’s Sunday assignments begin March 29 in Seattle, where the Mariners host the Guardians. He will not miss a Tigers game for that one because they have a rare Sunday off between their three-game series in San Diego and their three-game visit to Arizona.
Benetti won’t have to travel the following Sunday, April 5, because the Tigers host the Cardinals that night in a Peacock broadcast. The Tigers are also on the Sunday night schedule for May 3 against Texas and May 10 at Kansas City.