Blue Jackets Will Simulcast TV Audio on Radio and Part Ways With Longtime Voice Bob McElligott
The team framed the move as a cost-saving response to regional sports network shutdowns and said the NHL will produce and distribute Columbus’s games for the coming season.
Overview
- The Blue Jackets announced on July 30 that television audio will be carried on radio for the 2026–27 season and that Bob McElligott’s 17-year run as the team’s radio play-by-play announcer will not be renewed.
- TV play-by-play Steve Mears and analyst Jody Shelley will supply the simulcast calls on 97.1 The Fan while Dylan Tyrer remains the team’s radio host.
- The team and its broadcasting vice president publicly thanked McElligott and he posted a statement on X expressing gratitude and uncertainty about his next steps.
- The club said the change responds to lost media-rights revenue after regional sports networks closed, and the NHL will produce and distribute Blue Jackets broadcasts for 2026–27 even though a permanent TV home has not been named.
- Fans and media immediately criticized the move online, arguing that TV commentary relies on visuals while radio needs constant, descriptive play-by-play, and industry observers warn the shift could weaken the value of local radio rights and station partnerships.