Sportsnet, NBC make history with all-female broadcast crews
The national NHL rights holders in both Canada and the United States celebrated International Women's Day on Sunday by featuring broadcast teams comprised entirely of female talent.
Play-by-play voice Leah Hextall, color commentator Cassie Campbell-Pascall, and reporter Christine Simpson worked the Vegas Golden Knights-Calgary Flames game for Sportsnet. They were members of the first all-female lineup - including the broadcast team and the production crew - to present an NHL game, according to Hextall.
Let's go girls! ' #UnitedBySport | #IWD2020 pic.twitter.com/8qUqEJs4G6
- Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 8, 2020
Hextall emphatically called Tomas Nosek's opening goal.
It's Knight time. pic.twitter.com/KTsVh6UO7v
- Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 8, 2020
On NBC, play-by-play voice Kate Scott called the St. Louis Blues-Chicago Blackhawks game alongside color commentators Kendall Coyne Schofield and AJ Mleczko, marking the first NHL game to be broadcast and produced solely by women in the U.S.
History is being made tonight with the first all-female crew on NHL on NBC.
- NHL on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) March 8, 2020
Use #HockeyIsForHer for a chance to be featured in tonight's broadcast! #InternationalWomensDay pic.twitter.com/qvB9KP7XOq
Here's Scott's call of Robert Bortuzzo's opening marker for the Blues:
FIRST GOAL OF THE NIGHT
- NHL on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) March 9, 2020
ai@StLouisBlues pic.twitter.com/FoEeidSfwY
Both broadcasts were produced by all-female teams. A total of 28 women worked Sportsnet's coverage, either on camera or behind the scenes, while a similar number served as members of NBC's crew.
Scenes from the truck of the NBC Sports all-women broadcast of Blackhawks/Blues.
- Emily Kaplan (@emilymkaplan) March 9, 2020
In total, roughly 30 women (on air and behind the scenes) are working the game for NBC. These women work hockey games all season, but rarely get to all work together. pic.twitter.com/sl0ce4SX9K
NBC's telecast also featured studio coverage from Kathryn Tappen and Jennifer Botterill.
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