FAYETTEVILLE — Scott Inman has a strong endorsement from Dale Nicholson to be the next radio play-by-play announcer for Arkansas football games.
Nicholson, president and general manager of KATV, Channel 7, in Little Rock, said in an e-mail Thursday to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that he “passionately” believes Inman, news anchor for the television station, is the best choice from a short list of candidates that also includes Mike Nail and Chuck Barrett.
Arkansas Razorback Sports Network, which owns the radio broadcast rights to Arkansas ’ football and basketball games, is a subsidiary of KATV.
Nail, who has called Arkansas basketball games on radio for the past 26 years, took over as football play-by-play man last season on what was announced as an “interim” basis after Paul Eells was killed in a car accident.
Eells called Arkansas football games for 28 years.
Barrett has worked on ARSN football broadcasts for the past 13 years, including 11 as executive producer, and hosts the pregame, halftime and postgame shows. He also has been the radio play-by-play announcer for Arkansas baseball games since 1992 and is a longtime host of a sports call-in radio show.
Inman called six Arkansas basketball games on radio last season when Nail had football conflicts and has been host of ARSN’s scoreboard show for the past eight years. He was a weekend sports anchor at KATV for four years before becoming the news anchor in 2003.
Arkansas Athletic Director Frank Broyles said Wednesday that he hadn’t talked with Nicholson about the radio football play-by-play job, but that he had gotten positive feedback regarding Nail, Barrett and Inman.
While Broyles praised all three candidates, multiple sources said he wants Barrett to get the job.
“I’ve been busy and [Nicholson ] has been busy and we just haven’t discussed it yet,” Broyles said. “But we’ve been in business together for 40-something years, so we ought to be able to resolve this quickly, and I think we will, in a week to 10 days.”
Broyles has attempted to initiate formal discussions with Nicholson about filling the football play-by-play position, Arkansas sports information director Kevin Trainor said Thursday, but hasn’t received a response.
Trainor said Broyles had no comment regarding Nicholson’s endorsement of Inman.
“It would be inappropriate to discuss those matters until we’ve had discussions with KATV,” Trainor said.
Nicholson wrote that ARSN and Arkansas have had a “great working partnership” and “while we have always sought to reach a consensus with the University on talent for the radio and television games, our contractual agreement clearly states that the final decision belongs to KATV.”
Broyles, who is retiring as athletic director in December, said Wednesday that according to Arkansas’ contract with ARSN, the network picks the announcers for football and basketball broadcasts and he gets to approve them.
“I cannot unnecessarily deny their request without good reason,” Broyles said.
ARSN’s contract with Arkansas covers four more years.
Nicholson wrote in his e-mail Thursday that Inman, a Stuttgart native, is a lifelong Razorbacks fan who grew up listening to Eells call Arkansas games.
“Paul inspired Scott to go into broadcasting,” Nicholson wrote. “He joined KATV in 1999 as our weekend sports anchor, and within a short time, we moved him to a news anchor position because he was so well liked and respected throughout Arkansas.”
Nicholson wrote that KATV was “covered up with complimentary calls from listeners” in response to the basketball games Inman called. Inman also did an audition tape during Arkansas ’ football game against Louisiana-Monroe last season. The tape was sent to Arkansas, Nicholson wrote, adding that Broyles and other UA staffers were impressed.
Nicholson wrote that while Nail did an admirable job last football season, he believes Inman will prove to be “the best choice to be the Razorback football play-by-play announcer beginning this fall and for the future” if given the opportunity.
“If the public disagrees with me, I hope they will express their choice to [the Democrat-Gazette ], to the University, and to KATV,” Nicholson wrote.
Inman said Thursday he’s flattered to be on a short list with Nail and Barrett for consideration for the job.
“It would be a childhood dream come true,” Inman said.
Inman said he believed his audition tape of Arkansas’ football game against Louisiana-Monroe went well.
“I think I got back in the groove when I did those [Arkansas ] basketball games [last season ],” he said.
Inman has called football, basketball, baseball and soccer games for Quincy (Ill. ) University and called football and basketball games at Jonesboro High School and for the Arkansas State women’s basketball team.
Nail said Thursday he would be glad to call the football games again, but hasn’t heard from anyone at ARSN.
“No one has said anything to me at all,” Nail said. “I’m waiting to hear from somebody, one way or the other.”
Barrett said it’s nice to hear that he’s considered by Broyles to be a strong candidate for the job.
“If he has a short list and I’m on it, then I’m honored,” Barrett said. “But I also love everything I’m doing [for ARSN ] right now, and if that’s all I ever get to do, I’m still proud to do it.”
Barrett’s background in sports talk radio could be an issue if he became the Razorbacks’ football play-by-play announcer, and he said he’s willing to discuss that situation with Broyles and ARSN officials.
Keith Jackson, the former Pro Bowl and All-American tight end from Little Rock, is expected to remain the color analyst on Arkansas’ radio broadcasts for an eighth consecutive season regardless of who is selected as play-by-play announcer.
Broyles said Wednesday he believes it’s important that the next play-by-play announcer be familiar to Arkansas fans.
“If you look around at the schools that are successful in athletics, they have a voice that is recognizable and widely accepted and people enjoy hearing,” Broyles said. “If people are flicking through the radio, you want them to hear a voice and say, ‘Oh, there’s the Razorback game.’”
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