NEW YORK, Aug. 11, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MSG Networks (NYSE: MSGN ), the television home of the New York Islanders, today announced that Brendan Burke will be the team’s new play-by-play announcer, replacing Howie Rose, who had been calling Islanders game since 1995. Burke will team with Islanders legend Butch Goring to call all the action for the 2016-17 Islanders campaign.
Burke leaves a post at the Utica Comets (AHL), where he served as play-by-play commentator, as well as pre-game, intermission, and post-game interviewer since 2013. Burke was also part of the television team for the AHL All-Star Game in 2015, and was honored after the season with the league’s Ellery Award for “outstanding media coverage.” In addition, since 2012, Burke has appeared on Fox Sports Net and Fox Sports 1, calling college football and basketball.
“We are excited that Brendan Burke, one of the top young broadcasters in the country, will join us as our new Islanders play-by-play commentator,” said Andrea Greenberg, president and CEO, MSG Networks. “Brendan joins our exceptional production team, including on-air talent Butch Goring, Shannon Hogan, and Stan Fischler at the start of what promises to be another exciting Islanders season.”
“It is an incredible honor to be joining MSG Networks and becoming part of the Islanders family,” said Burke. “It’s very humbling to think I am following in the footsteps of two of the all-time greats in Howie Rose and Jiggs McDonald. It has been a lifelong goal to be an NHL broadcaster and to come home to New York City, and to work for one of the NHL’s iconic franchises, is an absolute dream come true.”
Burke has also called some action in the NHL, serving as fill-in radio play-by-play announcer on KMOX for the St. Louis Blues from 2009-2012. And from 2008-2013 Burke handled the play-by-play for the Peoria (IL) Rivermen, The St. Louis Blues affiliated team in the AHL. He also served as the Director of Communications for team during his tenure there.
Burke is from the tri-state area - Fair Lawn, New Jersey - and is a graduate of New Jersey’s Paramus Catholic High School and a 2006 Cum Laude graduate of Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York.
About MSG Networks Inc. An industry leader in sports production, and content development and distribution, MSG Networks Inc. owns and operates two award-winning regional sports and entertainment networks, MSG Network (MSG) and MSG+, and a live streaming and video on demand platform, MSG GO. The networks are home to 10 professional sports teams, delivering live games of the New York Knicks; New York Rangers; New York Islanders; New Jersey Devils; Buffalo Sabres; New York Liberty; New York Red Bulls and the Westchester Knicks, as well as coverage of the New York Giants and Buffalo Bills. Each year, MSG and MSG+ collectively telecast approximately 400 live professional games, along with a comprehensive lineup of other sporting events, including college football and basketball, and critically-acclaimed original programming. The gold standard for regional broadcasting, MSG Networks has won 145 New York Emmy Awards over the past nine years. More information is available at www.msgnetworks.com .
Dan Schoenberg / 212-465-6367 Alyssa Ross / 212-324-3401 Bill Hanousek / 212-465-6591
