The man responsible for Nine’s cricket coverage, Brad “Buzz” McNamara, has quit the network after 18 years, signalling a change in direction for the channel’s cricket brand.
McNamara, 50, has been the executive producer of cricket for nine years. His departure follows the appointment of Tom Malone as director of sport, replacing Steve Crawley, who left the network to join Fox Sports as head of sport earlier this year.
Malone, the former executive producer of 60 Minutes and Today, is looking to freshen up Nine’s cricket coverage and improve its relationships with stakeholders including cricketers and fans.
Sources say McNamara is likely to end up at Fox Sports as he is close to Crawley.
Malone said in a staff email that he had accepted McNamara’s resignation with great reservation.
“As you know, Buzz has spearheaded our cricket coverage for the past nine years, and has been an integral member of the sports department for the past 18 years,” Malone said.
“He’s been a great company man and a great leader of the cricket production team, covering Test matches, ODIs and T20s across 18 Australian summers, and quite a few northern hemisphere series too.
“He’s also worked across the NRL as unit manager, sideline producer and line producer.
“Buzz tells me he’s really torn in making this decision, but that after a great and lengthy tenure at Nine, it’s time for him to do something else. He’s going to have an extended break before seeking out a new challenge.”
McNamara had a reputation for not taking criticism lightly and was involved in some unedifying public slanging matches.
When cricketer George Bailey accused Nine of making a tactical move to try to talk down one-day cricket during TV-rights negotiations, McNamara was furious and said he should stick to playing cricket and leave TV rights to “the people who know what they’re talking about”.
“I reckon he’s got his hands full as it is,” McNamara said. “He needs to concentrate on staying in the side. And he needs to understand where his money’s coming from. Without the TV rights deal, George is probably working in a coalmine or flipping burgers at McDonald’s.”
