NESN has extended the contract of Boston Red Sox field reporter Heidi Watney. Here is the press release:
NESN SIGNS HEIDI WATNEY TO CONTRACT EXTENSION
BOSTON, MA – NESN, New England’s most watched sports network, announced today that Heidi Watney and NESN have agreed to a multi-year contract extension. Watney joined NESN in May 2008 and served as the network’s Boston Red Sox game-day reporter delivering pre-game, in-game and post-game updates and interviews from the ballpark. Heidi also works as an anchor/reporter for NESN SportsDesk and contributes to NESN.com with a weekly column.
“Heidi is a talented reporter whose versatility and work ethic help her deliver the news and stories that consistently connect the fans with the team,” said Joel Feld, NESN’s executive vice president of programming and executive producer. “We are very happy to extend her contract and expect her to take on an even larger role with NESN and NESN.com.
Watney came to NESN from Fresno, California where she has served as a sports anchor and reporter for KMPH Fox-26 News and a sports talk radio show host for 1430 ESPN Radio KFIG. The University of San Diego graduate began her career as a sports reporter/assistant producer for KUSI News in San Diego, California.
I am thoroughly disappointed with this. She was a poor choice to begin with as she had no real large market experience, she appears to be clueless about the sport she covers and she can not conduct an interview to save her life. But she’s our’s and apparently for a few more seasons, probably three, as I’d imagine she didn’t come cross country for a one year deal. So for arguements sake if she had a two year deal to start and got a two year extension we’re going to be Watney watching through the 2011 season at the very least. Ugh my head hurts.
Is Scott Boras her agent too?
You know what I think Heidi Watney was a good presenter, but then she was no better than Eric Frede, or Tina Cervasio. Actually i found Tina quite impressive. I think Tina should be back!! I thought they changed every year, but I guess Heidi will be back next year, and that’s cool!
Tina was with the team for two years, this is Heidi’s second year, Eric Frede did and I don’t know who else or if anyone else has.
Hopefully she’ll be ALOT better than she was last year now that she has had time to acclimate herself.
Oh if you believe what you read she’s been “acclimated” just fine.
Let’s say the person she’s allegedly seeing leaves. Does that mean she’s gone after next season or she stays?
NESN does have this bad rap for letting talent go. Tina. Hazel. Sean McDonough.
They did do a good job in picking up Eck and signing Kathryn Tappen long term.
To me Hazel was a high priced pole dancer. Tina I thought was good, McDonough is one of the best PBP guys ever and he is severly underused at ESPN as he hardly does any baseball.
As for Heidi she should have never gotten the job in the first place just based on her talent or lack there of. When you cant think of different questions to ask from player to player and you ask the same thing over and over again your a poor excuse for an interviewer. They need to send her to reporting 101 and teach her how to ask a question. As for the alledged boyfriend, they both should go. Michigan is lovely I hear.
Ken…”NESN does have this bad rap for letting talent go. Tina. Hazel. Sean McDonough.”
Tina left to be near her husband in New Jersey, who she hadn’t actually been close to since they were married a year prior.
Hazel left for a national gig with MLB TV and Sean McDonough never worked for NESN. He worked for WSBK, WFXT, WABU, and WLVI broadcasting Red Sox games, but only a couple of times as a fill in when someone was sick on NESN.
Jamal just a couple corrections. Hazel didnt leave NESN for MLB TV. She left because NESN wouldnt give her what she thought she was worth, then MLB TV came her way. Second McDonough for some was seen on NESN on friday nights depending on where you lived because they produced the game shown in the Boston market on what ever channel was showing it the last season or two they did it. But you’re right he wasnt a NESN employee. How ever he did have a chance to be prior to the hire of Don Orsillo but NESN thought he wanted too much money and they went with the sound alike in DO. I think that’s more of what Ken was referring to with letting McDonough walk.
Tina is the only one of those mentioned who truly left under their own conditions.
I can’t understand why NESN re-signed her . Looks only get you so far. the only thing we’ve heard of her accomplishments is that she supposedly had some part in a certain divorce. Way to Go. Who’s next on her agenda/ Fratenizing with players should be a no no in contracts.
or at least the married one’s.
Good point Steve
About the Sean McDonough situation, for his last season, he was an employee of NESN as it produced the Friday Night games for TV-38 and it was NESN’s decision to let him go.
On the Remy Report boards, Sean himself came on and mentioned that it was NESN’s decision not to renew his contract.
And I have heard that Tina actually wanted to stay, but NESN would not meet her price so she used the family as her “out”.
Steve is correct about Hazel. NESN did not renew her contract.