Two more STAA clients get Learfield fill-in gigs

“Learfield”(November 20, 2013) Two more STAA clients have picked-up play-by-play sports broadcasting jobs with Learfield Sports. Both sportscasters are also getting some free travel as part of the gigs. Josh Caray is traveling with the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga men’s basketball team to Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Nathan Barnett is accompanying the SMU women’s team to the slightly less glamorous Texas destinations of Nacogdoches and El Paso.

The opportunities came when Learfield Sports Broadcast Manager Tom Boman asked STAA for recommendations.

Caray has an extensive play-by-play resume in college football and basketball and minor league baseball. He is accompanying UT-Chattanooga on a West Coast trip November 21st through the 29th. The schedule includes games at the University of Nevada in Reno, UCLA at storied Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, and Morehead State and IUPUI or Gardner-Webb in Las Vegas. Caray has been an STAA client since 2010.

“I’m looking forward to doing a game in Pauley Pavilion,” says Caray. “All the history associated with UCLA makes that arena one of the great settings in college basketball. I’m honored to call a game there.”

Barnett has been a member of the broadcast teams for Ontario Reign ECHL hockey and minor league baseball’s Frisco RoughRiders. Like Caray, Barnett has been on the STAA team since 2010. In addition, Barnett was a student in a sports broadcasting class formerly taught by STAA CEO Jon Chelesnik at Palomar College in San Diego.

“I am humbled and flattered to have the opportunity to call games for Learfield Sports and Southern Methodist University,” says Barnett. “I have big shoes to fill in substituting for Scott Garner (a fellow STAA client), who does a fantastic job as their regular play-by-play voice. I cannot thank Tom Boman from Learfield Sports and Jon Chelesnik with STAA enough for the tremendous chance to call these games. This foray into major college basketball is one that I do not take lightly; I look forward to the chance to bring the SMU fans into the building for these road games as the Lady Mustangs continue their great start to the season.”

Earlier this month, two other STAA clients were tabbed for fill-in broadcasts with Learfield. Sam Farber did two South Dakota State games in San Diego and will be calling a third at Stanford in December. Tim Becwar did a South Dakota State game at the University of California Santa Barbara and a Montana State game at UC Riverside.

(Visit Josh and Nathan’s STAA Talent Pages.)

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