The Blue Jackets have made a broadcast change that landed like a gut punch for a lot of fans: next season, the team will simulcast its TV audio on the radio, and that move ends Bob McElligott’s run with the organization.
The reaction was immediate and loud. Plenty of fans took to social media to vent, and the criticism came fast. Among them was Mike Stump, who wrote, “Horrendous decision. https://t.co/Kxh6DigSNx”
The shift comes just two summers after the club was looking for a new television play-by-play voice to replace Jeff Rimer. At that point, Mike Stump said Bobby Mac was the obvious choice. The Blue Jackets went a different direction and hired Steve Mears instead, a move that has worked out well on the TV side alongside Jody Shelley.
That success, though, appears to have come at a cost. With the team looking to cut expenses, likely tied at least in part to the loss of its Fan Duel Sports Network money, McElligott is the one who gets squeezed out.
For a lot of Columbus fans, that stings because Bob was never just the radio voice. He became part of the routine, especially through his weekly “Monday Mailbag,” which turned into appointment listening for many of the die-hards.
His calm, steady style gave even the wildest questions a voice of reason, and the little details mattered too - right down to the jingle that opened the segment. Now, after all that time and connection, the Blue Jackets are moving on without him.
McElligott should land somewhere else. The expectation is that his talent will find him another opportunity, ideally one that pays better. For the fanbase, though, the bigger question hangs in the air: what does it take for this organization to listen to what they want, instead of telling them what to listen to?
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