Posted by ABRockNJock on August 21, 2024, 12:36 pm
When John Schriffen was hired as Jason Benetti's replacement just before the team reported to Spring Training in Glendale, AZ as the new TV voice of the Chicago White Sox on NBC Sports Chicago this season, he already had quite a resume with ABC News as well as ESPN.
At the "Worldwide Leader", Schriffen has called College Football & Basketball, the NBA G-League and the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. Schriffen did just that in early July when the Sox and MLB were at the All-Star break.
Schriffen is conspicuously absent from the Sox broadcast booth this week, as he added another talent to his ESPN resume. While regular radio voice Len Kasper has shifted over to TV this week to work the Sox/Giants' series in San Francisco with Gordon Beckham and Connor McKnight is on the radio call with Darrin Jackson on ESPN Radio 1000 AM/White Sox Radio Network, Schriffen is calling...UFC?!
Schriffen was on the call for UFC's "The Contender" series Tuesday night on ESPN, working near the famous octagon with analysts Paul Felder & Laura Sanko. What makes this noteworthy is that Schriffen got very good reviews on social media for his UFC broadcast debut, a far cry from all the criticism he's received in his first season as the Sox TV voice.
While Sox V.P. of Marketing & Broadcasting Brooks Boyer said late last week that Schriffen & Steve Stone would continue to call the Southsiders on Chicago Sports Network (CHSN) when the team relocates its broadcasts next spring, could the 39 year old Schriffen have a longer term future as a UFC announcer instead?
It is also worth noting that Jon Anik, the principal play-by-play voice of UFC since 2017, has dropped hints about transitioning away from mixed martial arts for other non-MMA opportunities in the next year or two.
The link to Schriffen's UFC debut and related reaction can be found here:
on August 21, 2024, 12:36 pm