Radio Sport bids farewell
Radio Sport presenter Daniel McHardy said it was like giving a eulogy at your own funeral.
New Zealand’s most prominent sports radio station signed off for good yesterday with a three-hour ‘‘Extra Time’’ special.
The station was abruptly taken off the air by owner NZME last month, as the coronavirus crisis caused a mass cancellation of international and domestic sport, while also biting into advertising sales.
Jason Pine anchored the special, featuring current and former hosts, commentators and sports stars. They chose their favourite highlights from the last 22 years of the station, which first started broadcasting in April 1998.
Controversies and off-air shenanigans were peppered among sporting highlights from the last 22 years.
The team’s top five sporting highlights from the last 22 years included the 2015 and 2011 Rugby World Cups, New Zealand progressing to the 2015 Cricket World Cup, Team New Zealand’s America’s Cup win in 2017 and the All
Whites’ road to the 2010 Football World Cup in South Africa.
Other highlights worthy of a mention included Brendon McCullum becoming the first New Zealander to make a test triple-century and Nathan Astle’s 222 in Christchurch against England in 2002. The All Blacks’ 1999 Rugby World Cup loss was what lit up talkback the most.
McHardy, Radio Sport Afternoons presenter, went against the grain and chose the Central Pulse claiming the 2019 ANZ Premiership as his highlight.
Athletes and other broadcasters also joined to farewell Radio Sport, including Bryan Waddle, Graeme Hill, Tim Southee, Doug Golightly, Grant Elliott and All White Rory Fallon, who regaled listeners about the goal he headed against Bahrain, securing the All Whites’ position at the World Cup.
All Black Dane Coles chose the Hurricanes’ 2016 Super Rugby title as his highlight from the past 22 years.
Journalist Rikki Swannell, producer Rowena Duncum and White Ferns Sophie Devine and Katy Martin were the only women to feature during the three-hour special.
Broadcaster and rugby commentator Graeme Moody was also remembered, described by Andrew Dewhurst as ‘‘one of the nicest’’ and ‘‘one of the very, very best’’. Moody died while surfing in 2011.
McHardy and the other presenters discussed how hard doing yesterday’s show was. ‘‘This is a farewell,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s like giving your own eulogy at your own funeral.’’
Pine said Radio Sport was an ‘‘amazing radio station’’ with dedicated staff and he also thanked the ‘‘loyal’’ listeners.