Bay Area Sports Guy – CSN Bay Area hires Ric Bucher to be their ‘NBA Insider’

Comcast SportsNet Bay Area announced that Ric Bucher, formerly of ESPN and currently a host on 95.7 FM “The Game” on “The Drive” with Brandon Tierney, has joined the network as an “NBA Insider.”

Matt Steinmetz — also a host on 95.7 FM “The Game,” which seems to be forming a sort of pseudo-partnership with CSN Bay Area — is still listed as the “Warriors Insider” on CSN Bay Area. From my understanding he will continue in that role and work with Bucher on certain projects.

John Henry Smith served as the sideline reporter for CSN Bay Area quite a bit last year, and I would assume that arrangement would cease with the news of this hire … unless they plan on going with two sideline reporters for every Warriors home game.

From CSNBA’s release on the hiring:

In his new role as an “NBA Insider,” Bucher will be a sideline reporter for the Golden State Warriors home telecasts and will provide coverage across the network’s growing list of multi-platform outlets including CSNBayArea.com’s “WarriorsTalk” page, and for SportsNet Central, Chronicle Live, Warriors Pregame Live, Warriors Postgame Live and other NBA programming. The announcement was made by Ted Griggs, President of Comcast SportsNet Bay Area.

Griggs said, “Ric is a high-profile, marquee talent who brings tremendous basketball acumen to the network. He is among the nation’s most accomplished sports journalists, and we are thrilled to have him join our team and bring his impressive credentials to Comcast SportsNet.”

Bucher added, “As a long-time Bay Area resident, I’ve been aware of Comcast SportsNet’s stellar work covering Bay Area sports for years. I’m thrilled that they are providing me a platform compatible with my radio show to continue covering the NBA. I look forward to offering my basketball insight on both the Warriors and the league overall.”

Bucher had this to say on Twitter after the announcement was made:

This move sounds like a no-brainer. CSN Bay Area beefs up their NBA coverage, and Bucher gets to stay local while putting his national contacts to good use.

This can’t hurt “The Game” either, since Warriors fans will be constantly reminded that the two main NBA reporters seen on local broadcasts will be around to talk Warriors up to six hours per day on the radio.

Contrast that with KNBR, who only has one person who covers the Warriors on every day: Bob Fitzgerald. Unless they plan on creating a new drivetime show called “The Saint and Mr. T,” that is. I heard a new promo featuring Harrison Barnes playing on “The Sports Leader” yesterday; get ready for a winter of both radio stations trying to prove how much they love covering Warriors basketball. Somewhere, Joe Lacob is rubbing his hands together and saying, “Excellent…”

Otis Byrd III

Good move by CSN Bay Area! I think Bucher can add something to Warriors telecasts. Steinmetz is good too, but Bucher could probably give a more national outlook on the Warriors and the rest of the NBA, with his ESPN background. Like BASG said, Bucher could put his national contacts to use in this job. Bucher kind of hinted at the move today, when he mentioned Fitz, and Tierney was saying he didn't even know who Fitz was, and Bucher said he is hoping to work with him, or something like that. But yes, good move by CSN Bay Area! The only tough things about this move is one, if John Henry Smith is booted. The guy is kind of goofy/entertaining, and I thought he did/does a good job on Warriors telecasts. Another tough thing about this move is that if Bucher is done at ESPN, who at ESPN is going to know anything about the Warriors now? I guess Mullin, but it seemed like Bucher was the only person at ESPN who really knew anything about the Warriors, especially since he would normally do the sideline reporting for the Warrior games from Oracle, that were televised on ESPN.

i think he meant that he didn't personally know Fitz. That would make more sense.

Otis Byrd III

Yes, that was more what Tierney meant. He said he watches Warrior games and he apparently went to a lot of games last season, but I think he did say that he didn't know Fitz personally.

OK... now that makes sense. Based on your earlier post, it sounded as if he was completely unfamiliar with the guy.

Puhleeze... so Tierney doesn't know who Fitz is? I guess that means he's never seen a Warriors game on CSN. Or he's lying through his teeth. Or he's completely ignorant when it comes to his competition on radio. What a dumb thing to say... which is par for the bellboy course.

14 comments

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dubs49ersgiants

Hey BASGs we need more GSW news and opinions on here. I know the Giants are glowing right now with their 2nd ‘ship in three years and were in the middle of the NFL season but with an improving team and being the bay area’s only NBA squad I want to know what are the staff's predictions are on them.

Ruthless Sports Guy

CSN randomly added Kevin Kurz to their Sharks stuff even though Brodie Brazil was the guy for a while. Probably a similar deal with Steinmetz and Bucher

Sanjana

Wow Melody.I wish everyone could exinpreece your talent first hand.Our entire family enjoyed this day.You are so talented and so very generous. Thank you hardly seems enough.God will certainly bless you through this project.It is so great to capture a moment in time.Blessings,Kate

random fan

@Stan not sure what you're talking about. Bucher and Steinmentz both host shows at 95.7? Bucher was the NBA insider last year at KNBR but he since took the afternoon gig w/The Game.

Stan

Thats what I mean. Bucher with ties to KNBR,was hired at THEGAME over candidates who had done fill in work. So,being part time was no help. And..no other comcast "insider" shares duties...Casey pushed out Urban,Nobody is taking Maiocco's place on the 49ers. Not sure who they call the Giant insider.

Bucher has KNBR ties and friends..I can see that with the Comcast-Giants-KNBR triad,he would have an edge over Steinmetz. Soon,THEGAME will be KNBR's third station...if you can't kill off the competition..buy them off.

You know.. STAN may be on to something. Slowly very slowly but surely the lines are starting to blur. We went from ads attacking KNBR directly to NOW trying to differentiate The Game as a third and separate entity. During Giants season, we got a boatload of Flemming and Miller on The Game, and early in the mornings you can still hear The Game advertising Eric Davis even though E.D. makes his home on Sirius with the more than occassional visit to KNBR.