SEATTLE, WA – The Seattle Kraken announced today that they have reached a multi-year agreement with ROOT SPORTS to be the team’s television broadcast partner. With the agreement, games will be broadcast in the five-state footprint of Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho.
ROOT SPORTS is widely known in the region for being the home for Seattle Mariners games as well. The company is a joint venture between the Mariners and AT&T Sports Networks. The network has delivered 72,000 hours of sports programming since 2011 when it rebranded to ROOT SPORTS.
It is being reported that ROOT SPORTS will broadcast approximately 75 regular season games each year, excluding those on national television.
“Our partnership with ROOT SPORTS gives our fans around the Pacific Northwest a home that is already familiar to them,” said Tod Leiweke, CEO of the Seattle Kraken. “Their experience with the Seattle Mariners made them a great choice to build a broadcast that will be unique for our fans. Additionally, their broadcast distribution will help us ensure that Kraken games will be on at every sports bar around the Pacific Northwest.”
THE ‘NEW’ NEW VOICE OF THE KRAKEN
Also being announced today was the hiring of John Forslund to be the play-by-play voice of the Kraken on ROOT SPORTS. He joins radio broadcaster Everett Fitzhugh as the voices of the team for the inaugural season.
Forslund signed a five-year deal to be the PxP voice on television broadcasts. Before taking signing with the Kraken, he was a radio voice for the Carolina Hurricanes/Hartford Whalers. He has also served as a national broadcaster for NBC Sports’ coverage of the NHL and will call national games in that role outside of his duties with the Kraken.
“It is an honor to join the Seattle Kraken as their inaugural television voice,” said Forslund. “I am looking forward to reuniting with Ron Francis and working alongside Everett Fitzhugh. Throughout my career I have cherished my connection with fans. To get the chance to create that bond and tell the Kraken story from day one is a magnificent opportunity. I would like to thank the Seattle Kraken for this chance.”
Russell is the Content Director for the Eli Network. He studied broadcast journalism at Eastern Oregon and North Dakota State University. Mostly covers soccer and basketball in the Seattle area and is the current play-by-play voice for Seattle Redhawks basketball. You can follow him @brussbrwn.
