Behind The ScenesNCAAF

Benetti goes from baseball to football and back during busy weekend

It was a busy weekend for ESPN play-by-play announcer Jason Benetti, who also calls games for the Chicago White Sox, as he tackled three games in less than 24 hours.

The whirlwind started in the Windy City at 8:10 p.m. CT on Friday when the White Sox hosted the Kansas City Royals, winning 7-6. Darting from the booth to Midway Airport, Benetti boarded a plane just after 11 p.m. CT to fly to Tallahassee, Fla, for the Florida State/NC State telecast, where he would be filling in for ESPN’s Beth Mowins who was calling Sunday’s Indianapolis Colts versus Cleveland Browns matchup for CBS.

Benetti joined Mowins’ regular booth team of Anthony Becht and Rocky Bomain for the noon ET kickoff in what turned out to be a upset win for NC State. With little time to spare, Benetti left Tallahassee International Airport at 4:25 p.m. ET to get back to Chicago just in time for Saturday’s White Sox/Royals game at 7:10 p.m. CT.

“I’m grateful to the Sox for being willing to let me do the game this week under some pretty exciting – but also tight, time-wise—circumstances,” Benetti said. “The team is extremely understanding about my love for doing other sports and ESPN has been similarly understanding about my deep connection with the White Sox, the team I’ve rooted for since I learned how to pull for a sports team.”

Benetti joined ESPN in 2011 and recently signed a new multi-year deal that began Sept. 1. This is his second season calling games for the White Sox after being hired by the team in 2016. In his first two seasons, he has called 81 games each year and will call roughly 140 next season.

And lest you think there was any rest for the weary, Benetti was back in the ChiSox booth for Sunday’s 1 p.m. game.

SoxTV produced the above video.

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