Barrett to be named play-by-play announcer for Hogs, sources say

By The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Chuck Barrett will be named the next play-by-play announcer for University of Arkansas football, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette learned Thursday afternoon.

Sources familiar with the situation say negotiations are ongoing between Arkansas and KATV, Channel 7, and the details are close to being finalized.

Broyles and the university endorsed Barrett, the Razorbacks baseball play-by-play announcer. KATV General Manager Dale Nicholson and KATV wanted that station's news anchor, Scott Inman, as the announcer. Barrett and Inman have experience on the Arkansas football broadcast team through the Arkansas Razorback Sports Network, a subsidiary of KATV.

Chuck Barrett

Both the university and KATV think they are legally granted final say, documents obtained by the newspaper under the Freedom of Information Act show.

Wording in a contract dated June 17, 1994, is unclear, granting KATV the right to choose talent but giving the university an option for declining the choice. Who gets final say appears to be the biggest contention.

"Broadcaster shall select, subject to the approval of University (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld), the play-by-play commentators and color analysts for broadcasts of the Games," the contract reads.

Mike Nail, Arkansas' basketball announcer for 26 years, handled football duties last fall. He was the interim announcer after the death of Paul Eells, a KATV sportscaster who spent 28 years calling Razorbacks games.

Read tomorrow's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.

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Information for this article was contributed by Chris Bahn of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.