Jim Hayes is about to see his role on Cardinals broadcasts shrink considerably.
FanDuel Sports Network is overhauling how it handles pregame and postgame coverage across its regional footprint, and according to Dan Caesar of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, that means Hayes will work fewer games next season while Alexa Datt picks up more.
The network has been transitioning pregame and postgame shows from studios to game sites for its NBA and NHL teams this season, and baseball appears to be next. Caesar reports that Cardinals home games will retain the traditional setup with a host, analyst, and reporter. While road broadcasts will now feature a single host-reporter working with an analyst, effectively reducing the number of people on each telecast
Hayes, who has been with the network for 25 years, has done most of the reporting work home and away for years, plus occasional hosting, but the new structure limits him primarily to home games. Datt takes over the combined host-reporter role for most road telecasts. She and Scott Warmann, a Cardinals and Blues TV anchor for years, will alternate as hosts for home games, per Caesar.
Datt has been with the network for three seasons, working Cardinals coverage, including postgame hosting alongside analysts like Al Hrabosky. She lost her spot on Blues broadcasts this past summer when FanDuel reorganized its presentation model and moved to a radio-TV simulcast, which also led to longtime Blues TV voice John Kelly being let go after 20 years.
This shift fits into FanDuel’s larger belt-tightening plan across its regional network operations. Moving shows to game sites eliminates studio costs. Consolidating roles on road games means fewer people on the payroll. The network rolled out the same model for NBA and NHL coverage this season, and now baseball is getting the same treatment.
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.