Socci ready for TV duty
Play-by-play voice calling Patriots’ preseason games on WPRI-TV
FOXBORO — For New England Patriots play-by-play broadcaster Bob Socci, change is in the air.
Yes, Socci will still enjoy the comforts of his behind-the-mic perch when the Pats open the preseason against the Washington Redskins at Gillette Stadium tonight (7:30 kickoff). As part of a new dynamic that’s just for the four-game exhibition slate, Socci and his popular broadcast partner Scott Zolak will be calling the action from the television booth as opposed to their customary radio spot.
Not only will Socci and Zolak enjoy a different type of exposure as they reach out to a different audience than what they’re both accustomed to – the 2018 season marks their sixth season as radio partners – but the switch to the TV side will also feature the incorporation of on-field and in-studio analysts as part of the broadcast. It will be Socci’s job to ensure everything is free-flowing and natural while also remaining vigilant of what’s taking place on the field.
In short, Socci will be part traffic cop, part circus ringmaster. He’ll be waving the conductor’s wand and making judgement calls such as figuring out when it will be the right moment to send it down to the field where retired Patriots linebacker Rob Ninkovich is stationed, or when
to kick it to a studio where Patriots Football Weekly writers Paul Perillo and Andy Hart are based. You also can’t forget to include insight from Zolak, who’ll be standing right next to Socci.
It all adds up to a unique format where fans will be able to put a face to a pair of familiar names associated with the Patriots’ radio crew.
“You have all these voices in different places and you don’t want anyone to talk over each other. You have to be mindful of what’s going on down on the field because there are going to be times when I’ll have to call play by play, particularly if it’s a touchdown or something to that effect,” Socci said in advance of Thursday’s call. “Naturally, it’s exciting and a great opportunity. On the other hand, it’s going to be a completely different experience than what I’ve been accustomed to.
“It’s about keeping all these balls in the air without dropping any,” added Socci, who spent half of the 2013 season calling games for the Pawtucket Red Sox. “By the same token, this will give Scott and myself tremendous exposure and a chance to further brand ourselves as the voices of the Patriots.”
A well-known ritual in die-hard fandom circles is to watch the Patriots on television with the sound muted and a radio tuned to 98.5 The Sports Hub. The hometown broadcast stems from years of working together with Socci and Zolak building a rhythm that perfectly encapsulates the NFL’s franchise radio mission right down to when it’s time to sign off. That synergy was also developed with one radio broadcaster playing off the other.
Not only are Socci and Zolak going to be tackling new mechanics as it relates to broadcasting New England preseason games, going from radio where you paint the pictures to television where it’s your job to write the captions, but they also won’t be the only voices that’ll be heard on the telecast.
Ninkovich was polished when it came to conducting interviews with the media, yet he’s never done sideline work. Socci summed up the brave new world that awaits Ninkovich as a second game analyst who’ll be able to offer keen insight to what’s taking place in the trenches and the sidelines.
In recent years, the Patriots’ television broadcast format has shifted away from traditional play-by-play game-calling and centered more on key storylines relating to New England’s favorite football team. Discussing topics such as competition for roster spots and whether it’s realistic to expect Tom Brady at age 41 to keep playing at an All-Pro level should take some of the pressure off this fresh-as-a-daisy television production, where knowledge and insight will supersede describing the fourth quarter of a preseason game.
For Socci on a personal level, Thursday marks his first foray into the world of calling pro football on television. The last time he was part of a televised football format was the early 1990s. The contest featured Cornell and Colgate and the production wasn’t nearly as sophisticated as what awaits Thursday when the New England-Washington preseason game is aired on the 12-station Patriots TV Network.
“Working at this level and the audience we’ll have, it’s quite an undertaking and I’m anxious about it, but I’m also very excited,” Socci said.
For those tuning into 98.5 The Sports Hub, you’ll hear WBZ-TV sports reporter Dan Roche on play-by-play and former Patriots linebacker Matt Chattam as the game analyst.