Broadcasting
NBC broadcast the Series on television, with play-by-play announcer Joe Garagiola, color commentators Tony Kubek and Tom Seaver, and field reporter Merle Harmon. Bryant Gumbel anchored the pre- and post-game shows, while former pitching great Bob Gibson and umpire Ron Luciano also contributed to NBC's coverage.
CBS Radio also carried the Series nationally, with Vin Scully handling the play-by-play and Sparky Anderson the color commentary. Win Elliot anchored the pre- and post-game shows for the network.
At this time, the networks had total broadcast exclusivity for the World Series. However, after thousands of Phillies fans—outraged over being unable to hear local team announcers Harry Kalas and Richie Ashburn call the games—deluged the team, the networks, and the Commissioner's office with angry letters and petitions, Major League Baseball changed its broadcast contract to allow the flagship radio stations for participating World Series teams to produce and air their own local Series broadcasts beginning the following year. When the Phillies next won their next World Series, in 2008, Kalas was able to make the call of the final out.
This Series is tied with the 1978 World Series for the highest overall television ratings to date, with the six games averaging a Nielsen rating of 32.8 and a share of 56.
Read more about this topic: 1980 World Series
Famous quotes containing the word broadcasting:
“We spend all day broadcasting on the radio and TV telling people back home what’s happening here. And we learn what’s happening here by spending all day monitoring the radio and TV broadcasts from back home.”
—P.J. (Patrick Jake)