White Sox fans have felt so much angst the last three years that they might have feared the worst as TV announcers Jason Benetti and Steve Stone remained without contracts less than a month before spring training.
The team put those fears to rest Thursday, announcing that Benetti and Stone will be back in the NBC Sports Chicago booth on multiyear deals. Benetti is entering his eighth season with the Sox and Stone his 16th. The chances of either leaving weren’t great, but the drawn-out process had fans concerned that another misstep by the organization was occurring, particularly regarding Benetti.
The biggest part of his negotiation was the number of games he’ll miss for other commitments. Last year, Benetti was the lead voice for Peacock’s package of early Sunday games, which had him leaving the Sox on most weekends. That came off his calendar when he joined Fox, for whom he has called college football and basketball. He’ll add major-league baseball this season.
Benetti’s last contract with the Sox didn’t specify an exact number of games he could miss. The Sox allowed him to call national games when he also worked for ESPN, but there wasn’t a set amount, only what was deemed reasonable. It left the contract up for interpretation.
His new contract is more specific about the number of games he can miss. It’s a common issue for local announcers who do national work, and the Sox have been supportive of Benetti’s efforts to diversify his portfolio. It raises the profile of the team and the network, but both still want their guy on their games as much as possible.
Benetti will be with Fox on many Saturdays, calling regional MLB games in the summer and college football in the fall. He added to his resume Monday, debuting as the host of “Throw it Down with Bill Walton,” an alternative NBA game telecast that streams on NBA League Pass. In the last month, he called his first two NFL games on TV for Fox. Benetti is as versatile as they come.
Stone doesn’t have Benetti’s conflicts, but he figures to take some time off during the season, as he usually does.
