When the Seattle Sounders first announced that they had decided not to retain announcer Ross Fletcher last fall, they set the fan base abuzz. With only three full time play-by-play announcers in seven years, the position seemed to only rarely change hands. The last two, Fletcher and his fellow countryman Arlo White, moved to Seattle to take the job. Kicking out a fan-favorite and incumbent announcer had to mean something special was in the works.
Some opined about who would replace Fletcher.
Surely, if Bart Wiley and his associates were confident enough to fire Fletcher during the season, then they must have a replacement lined up. Or, so was the common train of thought. Who would fire a man the fans admire unless a better option was clearly available?
Others lamented the loss of Fletcher. The ex-BBC Radio Leicester host had moved his family and his life to America, immersing himself in the culture of his new city and its soccer club. After years of calling the club’s matches and establishing himself as an integral part of its identity, the choice to discard him certainly came as a shock to some. Just before a playoff run and certainly out of the blue, the timing felt odd and unnecessary. Why not wait until season’s end to announce the decision? For those with a glass-half-empty view such as this, the path to naming a successor to Fletcher was met more with contempt and incredulity than anticipation.
One thing is for sure. No matter how anyone felt about it, at the end of October 2015 the Seattle Sounders made a huge decision about the face (or, more accurately, voice) of their club. It looked like they had a plan.
Fast forward several months to February 10th, 2016, the day the club named Keith Costigan as the new television play by play announcer for the season. The current FOX broadcast man has experience with Europa League, Bundesliga, and top-level MLS credentials. He spent two seasons with the USL Portland Timbers.
He also wasn’t contacted about the position until December.
What happened to that plan?
Let’s not dance around it: Keith Costigan doesn’t check any of the boxes that would make him look like a viable Fletcher replacement. Three weeks into the MLS season, this has become clear.
How strange is it to hear Costigan on Friday night MLS broadcasts just a day before Seattle play? Arlo White called a game for the Whitecaps once, but, beyond that, he was Seattle’s man. Fletcher stuck entirely to calling Sounder games during his time at the post. As Costigan called Orlando’s 2-2 draw with RSL on opening weekend, one wondered how he could hardly have the time to pay adequate attention to Seattle’s match against SKC. It isn’t blatantly obvious, but the lack of Sounder-specific knowledge has clearly been there during the first several broadcasts. Stats come out hollow, like they are being read direct from a sheet without any context or meaning. Past results are mentioned without mentioning the defining details of those matches. Simply put, it is the announcing of a man who has spent little time around the club or studying.
Chris Coulter – SoundersPhotos
For a frame of reference, when Ross Fletcher arrived there was no such gap in knowledge. Fletcher educated himself on the history of the club, and was able to speak on moments from the club’s past as well as any.
It’s no wonder Costigan hasn’t impressed with his knowledge of Seattle. Outside of announcing multiple competitions in Europe and assisting on national MLS broadcasts, he isn’t even moving to Seattle for his new job. He’ll stay in LA, to focus on his job with Fox, and fly in for Sounder games.
Let’s stop and assess for a moment.
How is this better than what the club had with Ross Fletcher, who was out at training most days? How can Costigan immerse himself in the culture of the city and the personality of the team to a depth anywhere near Fletcher’s?
I’m not sure he can when he spends most of his calling other games around the world and only flies in for a day every week.
What were you thinking, Sounders? Did your first choice skip out on you? How could you fire Fletcher without knowing who’d replace him? Wasn’t that a huge gamble?
Many in the fanbase think it was a huge gamble, and Costigan’s appointment makes it look like a failed one. The Sounders have lost an important and ever-present part of their culture, and replaced him with a part-timer who’s already doing bigger and better things.
Is this a move that a club with Seattle’s ambitions can make? Is it fitting of the stature officials in the club treat it with? Or is it bandaid for a huge mistake?
Only time will tell if Costigan sticks around or not, but one thing is certain. Sounder fans have more reason than ever to question the dismissal of Ross Fletcher and the club’s reasons behind it.
Editor’s note: Prost’s John Zielonka caught up with Keith Costigan and asked him how he prepares for international matches and his plans for doing so for the Sounders broadcasts, while juggling his busy international responsibilities. You can check out that interview here
