Rick Ball, the longtime Calgary Flames play-by-play announcer, will be leaving Calgary to pursue a new opportunity with the Chicago Blackhawks. The news was first broken by Scott Powers from The Athletic.
Ball, 57, is well known within the sports broadcasting scene in Calgary and has been announcing for the Flames for ten seasons. Prior to this, he was a regional commentator for teams such as the Vancouver Canucks and Winnipeg Jets and made appearances on national broadcasts. In his career, he called various games with Sportsnet and with TNT, including multiple Stanley Cup Playoff games. He also was the play-by-play announcer for the BC Lions of the CFL before starting his hockey broadcasting career. The dynamic duo of Rick Ball and Kelly Hrudey were fan favorites and never ceased to disappoint viewers. During his time in Calgary, the Flames reached the postseason five times with two series wins.
Ball brings decades of experience to Chicago as he’ll be replacing Blackhawks announcer Chris Vosters, who lasted two seasons with the club. Color commentator Darren Pang will be joining Ball for the 2024-2025 season on the Chicago Sports Network.
Ball’s Opportunity With Hawks Was Too Good to Pass On
When asked about his decision to join the Blackhawks, Ball expresses his excitement for the new opportunity in the following statement:
“I’m extremely excited for the opportunity. It’s an amazing city, an Original Six Franchise. They have a generational player. I’m going to be working with Darren Pang, who is a great”.
Going to Chicago where one can witness a young team being built is truly an opportunity that is too great to pass on. Having the chance to follow a young Connor Bedard as he develops into a star in the NHL is certainly a major reason why.
However the hardest part about this move was leaving the city and fans in Calgary behind. In another statement, Ball praises the city he called home for so long:
“A huge negative is leaving Calgary, because I love it here. This has become home. It’s been ten years. I loved the people I’ve worked with. The Flames have been amazing. It wasn’t an easy decision. The toughest part is leaving Calgary for sure.”
Regardless, Chicago will be getting an individual who is an amazing broadcaster and human being. The last few years haven’t been easy for Flames fans and Ball’s departure just adds to the pain.
However, they say that good things never last and a new opportunity was calling. Ball’s time in Calgary will forever leave a positive impact within the Flames organization and the city.
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