The San Diego Padres flagship station invested an extraordinary amount of time in the search for their new network pre and postgame host. Their meticulous vetting process has led to the hire of STAA member Sam Levitt.
Levitt joins 97.3 The Fan after three season as the voice of the Class-AA Amarillo Sod Poodles.
“When I arrived in Amarillo to a brand-new team, my goal was to develop the Sod Poodles’ broadcast operation into one of the best in Minor League Baseball. With the help of so many people, we were able to accomplish that.”
The number of applicants for the Padres job, and the number of people who interviewed, has not been made public. What is known, though, is that station Program Director Adam Klug conducted video interviews with considerably more candidates than are typically interviewed for a given position. Most of the interviews lasted more than 30 minutes.
It’s no surprise that Levitt is the choice based upon his resume. Besides the Sod Poodles, Levitt has also broadcast baseball for the Corpus Christi Hooks and Gateway Grizzlies. His TV experience on platforms like Big Ten Network, NBC Sports Chicago and ESPN+ will also allow him to create strong video content for 97.3 The Fan, if asked to.
Sod Poodles GM Tony Ensor says, “Sam has played an integral part of making the Sod Poodles one of the most recognized and highly regarded brands in all Minor League Baseball.”
97.3 The Fan is counting on Levitt to bring some of that same magic to Padres broadcasts.