That voice sounds familiar, but I just can’t place it… is what some Atlanta Braves fans might say to themselves when watching their beloved team at the start of the 2023 MLB campaign.
Football fans have grown accustomed to hearing Brandon Gaudin’s voice calling their plays on the popular Madden video game series. Now, Braves’ fans will be graced with hearing his voice, as well.
Bally Sports South announced on Thursday that Gaudin would take over as the play-by-play voice for Bally Sports South and Bally Sports Southeast on the Braves’ calls, replacing Chip Caray who left to become the play-by-play voice for Cardinals’ games.
“Today is the realization of a childhood dream,” Gaudin said, per Bally Sports. “I get to be behind the mic for the team I grew up idolizing and the team who fostered my love for both sports and broadcasting. I’m grateful to both the Braves and Bally Sports for this incredible opportunity, I cannot wait to work alongside this team and talented broadcast crew.”
Here’s what you need to know about Gaudin, and why he will now be the voice of Braves action in 2023.
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Who is Brandon Gaudin?
Gaudin has been around the broadcasting world for a while now. Gaudin graduated from Butler in 2006 and started work as a broadcaster for the Orem Owlz, the Angels’ Rookie Advanced team.
He later became the play-by-play voice for his alma mater’s men’s basketball team before becoming the voice of Georgia Tech athletics in 2013. He worked there until 2016, when he was hired by the Big Ten Network and began to call games in various sports for Fox Sports. In 2016, he was also announced as the next voice of the Madden video game franchise.
On Twitter, Gaudin shared a thread about what becoming the voice of the Braves means for him, sharing his history as the fan of the team. He described how his first pro sporting event attended was Game 5 of the 1991 World Series, and how he became captivated by the Braves’ TBS broadcast of Skip Caray (Chip Caray’s father), Don Sutton, Joe Simpson and Pete Van Wieren.
The first pro sporting event I attended was Game 5 of the ’91 World Series in Atlanta. Braves 14, Twins 5. I can still hear the crowd after Mark Lemke’s triple down the RF line in the 7th busted it open. I fell in love with Braves baseball that night, at age 7.
— Brandon Gaudin (@BrandonGaudin) February 16, 2023
From then on, with the Braves on our TV nightly via TBS, I found myself hanging on every word of the broadcast quartet of Skip Caray, Don Sutton, Joe Simpson, and Pete Van Wieren. Those were the voices of my youth. The voices behind the team that made me want to be a broadcaster pic.twitter.com/p3IFoI3pQA
— Brandon Gaudin (@BrandonGaudin) February 16, 2023
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Gaudin said he wrote Skip Caray a letter when he was 13 and checked his mailbox daily for a return from him, and he said he eventually received a reply a few months later and got to meet him in 1998.
I wrote Skip Caray this letter when I was 13 (excuse the typos). I checked the mailbox every day hoping for a reply. It came a couple months later. I still remember opening it.
I finally got to meet Skip at a game at Turner in 98 along with my cousin Jake. I was star struck. pic.twitter.com/mjQHZIBlFu
— Brandon Gaudin (@BrandonGaudin) February 16, 2023
“I’ve lived in Atlanta since 2013. It has become home. Now that term ‘home’ has an even greater meaning. I look forward to becoming further embedded in this great city,” Gaudin wrote. “I’m also well aware of the history of the chair in which I now I get to sit. That isn’t lost in me. I will do my very best to uphold the high standard that has been set. And I’m thankful I get to sit there alongside such a talented and likable group of colleagues.”
I’m also well aware of the history of the chair in which I now I get to sit. That isn’t lost on me. I will do my very best to uphold the high standard that has been set. And I’m thankful I get to sit there alongside such a talented and likable group of colleagues.
— Brandon Gaudin (@BrandonGaudin) February 16, 2023
Gaudin noted that he will be continuing to work with the Big Ten Network and Fox Sports as he continues his new role with Bally Sports South.
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How Brandon Gaudin was picked for Madden
Back in January 2015, EA Sports began to look for new voices to replace Jim Nantz and Phil Simms.
In a podcast discussing the decision, EA Sports producer Christian McLeod said there were four things the developers were looking for when evaluating the voices of the video game: team accessibility, team chemistry, ability to teach football fundamentals and willingness/availability to record new commentary during the course of the year.
After a long search, EA Sports chose Gaudin and Charles Davis to be the play-by-play and color commentary voices, respectively.
“We want to do the game justice, with the increased time we’ve got to spend on it, and over the course of the coming years really earn the respect of those that play the game,” Gaudin said on the podcast.