Awfulannouncing.com recently surveyed fans' opinions on the broadcast booths of all 30 MLB teams, and the results are not pretty for the White Sox. The TV tandem of John Schriffen and Steve Stone ranks dead last among all 30 MLB teams in this year's rankings. This dropoff represents a stark difference from how the average MLB fan viewed the previous White Sox TV tandem of Jason Benetti and Stone.
The Results Are Startling
Over 13,000 votes were tallied as part of this year's survey, and the results are startling. Less than 13% of voters gave the White Sox an A or B grade. 28% of respondents gave them a D. Even worse, over 37% gave them an F. It has been clear for a while that people do not like the new White Sox broadcast duo. These numbers confirm how poorly viewed they actually are.
The Jason Benetti Effect Is Real
Even more startling is the drop off from previous years compared to when Jason Benetti was the voice of the White Sox. During the Benetti era, the White Sox routinely ranked in the league's top half in this survey and were as high as #6 last year. The vast majority of Sox fans liked Benetti, and it is clear that the average baseball fan likes him as well. Now that he is gone, the difference is very noticeable.
Adding further credence to the Benetti effect is how the Tigers rankings have changed. They ranked dead last in the 2023 version of this poll and have shot up to 10th this year because of his arrival. Over 60% of voters gave the Tigers booth an A or B grade this season. Benetti is widely regarded as one of baseball's best announcers. The White Sox letting him go felt like a mistake at the time, and nothing has happened since then to change that opinion. Benetti has elevated the broadcast booth of a division rival, while the White Sox booth has declined drastically from a favorability standpoint.
John Schriffen's Impact
Steve Stone has been a constant in the White Sox booth for years. Therefore, he cannot receive blame for the White Sox's decline in the rankings. It is clear that John Schriffen is the main reason for how the White Sox broadcast booth has changed. People are not fans of his growling, jabs at radio stations, and unrealistic optimism.
In Schriffen's defense, some factors are out of his control. The White Sox are a historically bad baseball team. That is a less-than-ideal scenario for any announcer to navigate, especially one who is new and trying to prove himself. Schriffen deserves some pity in that sense. That said, baseball fans' initial review of him is not pretty.
Nowhere To Go But Up
The White Sox broadcast booth is a microcosm of the decline of the entire organization. Like the team on the field a couple of years ago, the broadcast booth used to be one of the best in the game. That has changed drastically in a short period. The good news is that there is nowhere to go but up.
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