BRIAN BILLICK JOINS RAVENS PRESEASON BROADCAST TEAM
Former Baltimore Ravens head coach Brian Billick, who directed the team to a Super Bowl XXXV Championship, will join WBAL-TV 11 sports director and "Voice of the Ravens" Gerry Sandusky to call all four of the Ravens' 2017 preseason games. Additionally, CBS Sports' Evan Washburn will handle reporting from the sidelines.
The preseason broadcast, which is produced by the Emmy Award-winning Ravens Productions, will simulcast on television (WBAL-TV 11) and radio (WBAL 1090 & 98 Rock) in the Baltimore market. Additionally, broadcasts can be seen in six other television markets and heard on 23 regional affiliates (listed below).
With this new trio, the Ravens' preseason broadcast features a color analyst who coached in a Super Bowl (Billick, 2000), a play-by-play voice who called a Super Bowl (Sandusky, 2012) and a Super Bowl sideline reporter (Washburn, 2015).
"From a successful coaching career to his extensive involvement analyzing NFL games, Brian brings a unique insight that our fans will enjoy," Ravens president Dick Cass stated. "His ability to share past experiences as a coach and communicate in a captivating manner makes him an outstanding partner for Gerry, who is regarded as one of the NFL's best play-by-play talents."
"We are excited to have both Brian and Evan join Gerry as part of the Ravens Broadcast Team this preseason as we embark on the next chapter of our partnership with the Baltimore Ravens," said Dan Joerres, president and general manager of WBAL-TV 11. "This group will certainly deliver a broadcast that is both informative and entertaining."
Billick, the second head coach in Ravens history, posted an 85-67 overall record (5-3 playoffs) in nine seasons (1999-2007). He guided Baltimore to four playoff berths, including in 2006, when his team produced a franchise-best 13-3 record. Following his time with the Ravens, Billick worked six seasons (2008-13) as a color commentator for NFL games on FOX-TV. In 2009, he joined the NFL Network as an analyst and now appears on "NFL GameDay First" each Sunday and "NFL Total Access" on weekdays.
Unique to this year's preseason is that the broadcast will shift away from a traditional play-by-play format and focus more on the storytelling of players – from starters working to become standouts, backups battling to become starters, and rookies striving to make the team. These productions will offer fans exclusive insight about the individual situations players face and critical decisions teams make when formulating a 53-man roster.
"This new focus allows Gerry, Brian and Evan to provide Ravens fans entertainment and knowledge that create a distinct quality for our preseason broadcasts," Cass added.
"Preseason is an exciting time," stated Billick, who still lives in the Baltimore area and has maintained a keen interest in the Ravens. "It is all about the players. It's about the emotion and what they're going through and the pressures they encounter. I think training camp and the preseason are very compelling."
Ravens Preseason Television Ratings
During the month of August in eight of the last 11 years, Ravens Preseason Football has been the No. 1-rated primetime program, with the exception of 2008, 2012 and 2016 when the Olympic Games were being held. During those Olympic years, Ravens Preseason Football programming ranked just behind the Olympics Opening Ceremony, Olympics Closing Ceremony and Olympics Prime Block.
2017 Ravens Preseason Television Stations
- WBAL-TV (Baltimore)
- WJLA (Washington, D.C.)
- WGAL (Harrisburg, Pa.)
- WFXR (Roanoke, Va.)
- WWCW (Roanoke, Va.)
- WMDT (Delmarva area)
- KFVE (Honolulu, Hawaii)
2017 Ravens Radio Affiliates
Maryland
Annapolis *– WNAV • 1430 AM
Cambridge* – WCEM • 106.3 FM/1240 AM*
Cumberland* – WCBC • 107.1 FM*
Frederick* – WFMD • 930 AM*
Hagerstown* – WARK • 1490 AM/98.9 FM*
Pocomoke City* – WGOP • 540 AM & WBEY • 97.9 FM*
Rehoboth Beach/Ocean City* – WGMD • 92.7 FM*
Salisbury* – WTGM • 960 AM*
Thurmont* – WTHU • 1450 AM*
Westminster* – WTTR • 1470 AM
Pennsylvania
Jersey Shore – WEJS • 1600 AM*
Williamsport – WYLC • 1050 AM • 92.7 FM & 104.1 FM
York* – WSBA • 910 AM & WRWM • 93.9 FM
Delaware*
Newark *– WWTX • 1290 AM
Washington, D.C.
iHeart Media • 104.7 FM
Virginia
Richmond – WNTW • 820 AM*
Portsmouth* – WHKT • 1650 AM
