Mark Jones Named Sacramento Kings Play-By-Play Broadcaster
Nov 6, 2020, 10:06 AM | Updated: 10:46 am
The Sacramento Kings have announced that current ESPN broadcaster Mark Jones will be taking over as the play-by-play broadcaster for NBC Sports California.
Jones will join current TV color-analyst Doug Christie on the air to call games starting this season.
In a release issued by the team on Friday morning, the team shared the news on hiring the national talent in Jones:
“We are delighted to welcome Mark to the Kings family and watch him partner with Doug to form a new, dynamic broadcast team for the franchise and its proud fans,” said Kings Owner and Chairman Vivek Ranadivé. “Throughout his impressive career, Mark has amassed a tremendous wealth of experience broadcasting some of the largest events this league has hosted. We are excited he has chosen to continue his career in Sacramento as we look towards the bright future of this organization.
“Mark is an exceptional NBA broadcasting talent, as evidenced by his long and successful career on both a national and local level,” added NBC Sports Bay Area/California Senior Vice President and General Manager Matt Murphy. “We’re thrilled to bring Mark on board and look forward to pairing him up with Doug for our expert Kings coverage beginning this season.”
Press Release issued by Sacramento Kings communications team
Jones shared his excitement on joining the Sacramento Kings franchise, stating that he’s excited to become a part of the community.
“I am thrilled to join the Kings broadcast team. During my years of covering the league extensively, Sacramento has always stood among the top for its passionate and deeply loyal fan base,” said Jones in a released statement. “I am thankful to Vivek and the organization for this incredible opportunity. My family and I are excited to move to Sacramento and become a part of the community.”
Jones has worked with ESPN since 1990, calling NBA, WNBA, College Football and College Basketball games for the network.
Per the release, Jones will still handle his ESPN broadcast duties as he is needed, stating that “for those games Jones is absent, the team will announce an additional play-by-play announcer soon who will also have pre- and post-game show responsibilities on NBC Sports California.”
The hiring of Jones is a massive step forward in the right direction for the team, bringing in a national talent to call games for a franchise that hopes to rise to respectability in the near future.
