The Pioneer Baseball League Announces the Launch of "The PBL Roundup Show"
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 19, 2022
THE PIONEER BASEBALL LEAGUE ANNOUNCES THE LAUNCH OF “THE PBL ROUNDUP SHOW”
Hosted By Broadcasting Legend Thom Brennaman, Comedian Joe List and Former MLB GM Bill Bavasi
Insider Baseball Commentary and Analysis, Comedy, Special Guests; Weekly Commentary from Satirist Will Durst
Streaming on The PBL Network Each Wednesday Night During the PBL Season Through Production Partnership with Syracuse University
Windsor, CO – April 19, 2022
The Pioneer Baseball League, presented by TicketSmarter, today announced a groundbreaking streaming program, “The PBL Roundup Show”, hosted by broadcasting legend Thom Brennaman, comedian Joe List and former baseball GM (Angels/Mariners) Bill Bavasi.
The PBL Roundup Show will stream each Wednesday night of the PBL season (see schedule below) on pblnetwork.com, pioneerleague.com and the Pioneer League team websites. The format of The PBL Roundup Show will include insider baseball commentary, analysis, comedy, special baseball and entertainment industry guests and unique in-game, first-hand perspectives from players, coaches and fans. Live cut-ins to each of the PBL games that night will be featured.
“Think Peyton and Eli meets Red Zone Football,” said Pioneer League President Mike Shapiro. “We want to immerse the audience into the joy and passion of minor league baseball through a completely different lens. It’s part podcast, part comedy show and part analysis from some very knowledgeable baseball insiders.”
Co-host Thom Brennaman brings to The PBL Roundup Show a stellar broadcasting resume, having served as play-by-play announcer for the Reds, Diamondbacks and Cubs as well as announcing MLB games and NFL games for Fox Sports, as well as college football and basketball. He is the son of Hall of Fame broadcaster Marty Brennaman.
“I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am to be a part of this,” said show host Brennaman. “We’re going to be on the cutting edge of how live sports, particularly baseball, needs to be re-packaged in order to attract new fans. For me personally, this is a great opportunity to give something back to help assure the future of the game.”
In addition to Brennaman, The PBL Round Up Show will be co-hosted by famed comedian Joe List. List has appeared on "Late Night with David Letterman" and "Conan", was a "Last Comic Standing" finalist, and has previously released two comedy albums. List had a special on Netflix’s "The Standups" (2018) and is the co-host of the "Tuesdays with Stories" podcast with Mark Normand.
“Comedy and baseball are my two favorite things. I’m excited to watch one and fail at the other,” said Joe List. “This is pretty much a dream come true for me as someone who dreamed of being a baseball player and is sick of being a comedian.”
The third co-host, Bill Bavasi, brings a wealth of baseball experience having served as General Manager of both the Mariners and Angles, farm director of the Dodgers, VP of Player Development and Scouting for the Reds and, recently, the general manager of MLB’s Arizona Fall League.
“This is an amazing, cutting-edge concept for baseball at all levels,” said Bavasi. “We’re going to offer the fans a chance to get a unique perspective on the ‘inner game’ while also providing some fun and original content. It’s the best of all worlds for fans and non-fans alike.”
Regular features will include a weekly commentary segment from famed comedian/satirist Will Durst, who joins The PBL Roundup Show while continuing his recovery from a debilitating stroke in 2019.
“Like many people who’ve had to get through some tough struggles with illnesses and other setbacks in life, I’m so excited to get back to work,” said Durst. “I love the game of baseball; it’s as much a part of my life as comedy. So, for me to be a part of this very cool show is an awesome way for me to kick off this next phase of my life. I can’t wait to get started.”
In connection with the PBL’s partnership with Syracuse University’s Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics and the Newhouse School of Public Communications, SU students will be integrated with the show production, providing research, data analytics and content production.
NOTE TO MEDIA: There will be a Zoom press conference, tomorrow, April 20th at 8am PST. Thom Brennaman and representatives from the Pioneer League will be available for questions. Please click the link below to join the Zoom. Use the raise hand feature to indicate you would like to ask a question. Please remain muted until you ask a question. The session will be recorded and available by request. If you have any issues getting into the meeting please contact: jshapiro@pioneerleague.com
Zoom Meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81466305292
Meeting ID: 814 6630 5292
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About the Pioneer Baseball League presented by TicketSmarter:
Since 1939, the Pioneer Baseball League has operated in the Mountain West region as an MLB affiliated league. Beginning in 2021, the PBL became an MLB Professional Partner League with clubs in Montana (Billings, Missoula, Great Falls, and Kalispell), Idaho (Boise and Idaho Falls), Utah (Ogden), and Colorado (Grand Junction, Fort Collins, and Colorado Springs). For more information go to www.pioneerleague.com.
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