ESPN’s top hockey broadcast team will be calling for the 2025 Stadium Series at Ohio Stadium Stadium Saturday night, when the Detroit Red Wings played the Columbus Blue Jacket. This will mark Sean McDonough’s first call for Blue Jacket game on ESPN.
McDonough has been to Horseshoe several times and competed in college football games in Ohio State. However, playing hockey is a completely different task, especially in the football field during the game.
Before calling the stadium series with Ray Ferraro, Emily Kaplan, Kevin Weekes and Marty Smith, McDonough has put on various topics on hockey writers, including preparations for the outdoors. He opens up this, the storyline of the game and how they can make sure they are presented to a larger audience. He also talked about the lessons learned from the past and how blue jackets are viewed nationwide.
This is our conversation.
Prepare for the difference?
“It’s not that much different,” McDonald said. “I think the main part of the focus and preparation is understanding the team. This is our fourth year in the NHL at ESPN and ABC, and I haven’t done the Columbus Blue Jacket game yet. So, this week I’ll be immersed in the mid-week and just getting to know the players and the storyline. The same goes for Detroit. In the past, I have some Red Wings games. I don’t have one this year. But, prepare for them and then prepare for what the game means, they’re both in heavy situations in the very crowded playoff games in the Eastern Conference.”
“Then, you want to have a historical background, too. I think it’s where to prepare. We don’t usually spend too much time talking about the stage where these games are on every day. But when we do that, you do it. People want to know the history of Ohio Stadium and the great teams playing there and the size of the crowd. We spend time focusing on the weather during the game, which we never did in games indoors and ice conditions and similar things. In most cases, especially in preparation, and also performing the game, which is the standard for what we do every week in the evening and Saturday. It’s a little different because it’s outdoors.”
Confirm the storyline
The broadcaster’s task is to determine the storyline to highlight in the game. When there are plenty to choose from, not only the storyline is chosen, but there is also a challenge. McDonough shared what happened during his thinking.
“I think it’s really the biggest part of our challenge, but especially that. I’m just podcasting with a few of my friends, former sports anchors in Boston, Bob Lobel and Mike Lynch, who did a podcast called “Born Podcast.” We’re talking about the Four Nations Championship. It’s similar, even if these are famous people in hockey, but half of the 92 teams in the world, in the championship game. We’re still aware of this fact because the fact is that last Thursday night there were a lot of people watching that game that weren’t hardcore hockey fans, they knew nothing about the players or had anything to do with them.”
“In hockey, it’s a huge challenge because it’s developing so fast. It’s not as relaxing as baseball. Thankfully, there are fewer pitch clocks right now. But the puck moves very quickly. Whether you don’t want to really want to happen when that happens, something happens, fines, goals, whatever you really don’t want to happen in the middle sentence. You have to choose your position. To me, they’re almost like little heads or blocks of nuggets about the player. If you have more time, slide in.”
📢 #NHL fan – #stadiumseries This weekend is coming to Columbus, Ohio!
Their first time on the outdoor stage @BlueJacketSnhl accept @detroitredwings – Who will play the fifth outdoor competition
🏒Saturday| 6p et| ESPN, ESPN+, Disney+ pic.twitter.com/eai1vfvidg
– ESPN PR (@epnpr) February 26, 2025
“For me, an interesting story we told Thursday night was about the history between Brad Marchand and Sam Bennett in the playoffs a year ago. Bennett listed Marchand, which was a controversial blow. A lot of conversations were done. Marchand was injured and missed two games. Bennett scored a controversial goal in the next game that Marchand didn’t play. So you try to get a similar story ready and then the game decides if you do have a chance to tell it.”
“So, prepare as much as possible. Try to know the players as much as possible and then prioritize which of the most important or funniest stories. Then, if you can, weave them together while you are involved in the drama. Someone brings the puck to the ice and you have ten seconds to say he is now leading the National Hockey League with Plus/Minus, that’s when you should.”
Learn from the past
No matter what life someone has, there is always a desire to do their own things better. Hockey broadcasters are no different.
The Stadium Series presents a unique challenge to MacDonald. Let him explain the challenge, and the areas he thinks broadcasting is better now than it used to be.
“One thing I learned last year is that sometimes you have to dial the game from the monitor. We are on the soccer station at the Metropolitan Stadium, and if you are doing football, it’s perfect. At the 50-yard line. The field isn’t high. It’s spacious. But for a hockey game, it’s not perfect. It’s a tough angle. It’s lower than you want to be far away from us. Half of the people closest to our ice are almost completely blocked by the board.”
“So, last year, the monitors in the booth were much larger than the hockey games that were usually found in the hockey arena, and I dialed a lot of it off the monitor. Until I got there on Friday this favorable point, I didn’t know. I think it’s, you’re going to be in a stall that is usually a football booth. I did football games there. It’s the benefit of football. But finding the best way to call action, I don’t think I’ve ever had any other hockey games in my life, but last year I did play a lot of hockey in New Jersey. Usually, it’s my biggest challenge, and these booths aren’t set up as hockey games set up in the middle of the football field. So trying to get the best action is my biggest priority.”
The country’s view of blue jackets
Blue Jackets fans are not used to the national attention their team has attracted. Considering the offseason events, coupled with the team’s participation in the playoff hunt, it’s one of the greatest stories in sports.
Here’s McDonough’s opinion on the country where Blue Jackets are entering the game.
“I think what they do is impressive. You have to look at the roster, they aren’t very important on national TV. Then, when you look at the roster, even if there aren’t a lot of household names on the team, there are a lot of great hockey players. Zach Werenski got a lot of attention in 4 national confrontations. He should. He’s a great player. His Norris Trophy Caliber season.”
“I think another challenge for us is to explain why Columbus is going to have this year. Why are they more than most people expect? I do think that obviously, Johnny Gaudreau will be a part of that. I think it might be even more surprising for many of us, given his tragic death and how great a player he is and how much he is and that he is going to be a part of this team.”
“I remember living in Boston. We had a marathon bombing. The Red Sox wouldn’t have any benefit, and they ended up winning the World Series. For me, one of them was the most exciting part of the Four Nations face-to-face, and the most awesome part was Johnny’s father practiced before dinner before the game started, then placed Johnny No. 13 in the locker room and handed it over to the players of the game. Michael Eruzione came out on the ice and made a huge effort in the game.”
“So, I don’t think it’s surprising, it’s so good, how it’s going to continue to pay him, Matthew’s tribute and the pouring of feelings for his family. It’s still incredibly sad. I think it’s going to be another part of the TV broadcast to make sure we talk about Johnny in a variety of ways is still a big part of this team. As we’ve seen in the face-to-face with the Four Nations in the sport, that’s never going to change. When you’re just thinking about it, it’s just about almost everything else I can think of or remember.”
“I’m learning the Blue Jacket. I’m looking forward to telling stories with Ray and Emily and the rest of our team. It’s great for hockey. The Red Wings are obviously a long-term drought in the playoffs in itself. Ottawa is there. I think we’re usually going to consider playing in the playoffs, Boston, the New York Rangers, Pittsburgh, even though they missed the past few years. Now, it almost feels like a change in the Guards in some ways.”
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