Former Penguins broadcaster Steve Mears eager to join Blue Jackets as 'ambassador'

Steve Mears has always gotten advice from Mike Lange.

Even for something seemingly mundane in their shared vocation as hockey play-by-play broadcaster on how to identify players.

“The game is so fast,” Mears said. “He would say, ‘Just take an extra second, you know, just take an extra second. Just one second, one beat to make sure you have the right guy. That’s not 71, it’s 72.’”

Mears sought counsel of Lange for another matter as of late.

Changing jobs.

On Tuesday, Mears was named the new television play-by-play voice for the Columbus Blue Jackets. He has held the same position with the Pittsburgh Penguins on television or radio since 2015.

Last September, Fenway Sports Group, the entity that owns the Penguins, formally took control of the former AT&T Sportsnet channel and rebranded it as SportsNet Pittsburgh.

In the process, Mears was dismissed as television play-by-play broadcaster and replaced by Josh Getzoff, formerly the radio play-by-play voice. In a matter of weeks, Mears took over the radio gig and served in that capacity for the 2023-24 season.

Lange, who had a messy divorce with the channel in 2006 when it was called Fox Sports Pittsburgh, provided Mears with guidance.

“He said, ultimately, if you want to do TV, it’s a great situation,” Mears said by phone late Tuesday night. “It’s a fresh start and a fresh team. The city is excellent, the organization is very classy with the way they have a presence in the community. They want to use you in a lot of ways.

“He approved. He thought it was great. He’s a fan of radio, just like I am. But he knew the opportunity was too great to pass up. He definitely encouraged me to pursue it and then to ultimately make the decision to leave Pittsburgh and go to Columbus, Ohio.”

Mears didn’t directly replace Lange, but he did have to fill some considerable footprints left by the Pittsburgh icon. He’ll have a similar task ahead of him in Columbus following Jeff Rimer, who retired after this past season as the Blue Jackets’ play-by-play voice for 20 years.

When Rimer’s decision became public, Mears reached out to the Blue Jackets.

“It’s an up-and-coming young team and a wonderful city with a tremendous, first-class organization,” he said. “It was appealing. Right away, wanted to express my interest. It was a very long process. … Very thorough, countless phone calls and (videoconferences). Went there, (color commentator) Jody Shelley and I did a demo. A bunch of face-to-face interviews.

“Then to get the call that they wanted me to be the next voice of the Blue Jackets was truly an honor. It was such a thrill.”

A native of Murrysville and a Franklin Regional graduate, Mears isn’t unfamiliar with Columbus. Also an alumnus of Bowling Green University, Mears went to games during the Blue Jackets’ inaugural season in his collegiate days.

“I went to the 20th game in franchise history,” Mears said. “We got Fox Sports Ohio in the dorm and our college apartment. To go there that inaugural (season) was so fresh and exciting. The logo, the building, the arena district, the crowd, it was so exciting. It’s not that different to me.

“It kind of has a Pittsburgh vibe to it with that Midwestern feel.”

Mears and his family, including wife Kirstin and son Carter, are moving three hours to the west so he can do what suits him best as a television broadcaster.

“You are one of the faces and voices of the team,” Mears said. “An ambassador of the franchise and a conduit between the team and the fanbase. Columbus has welcomed me with open arms. They have a lot of big plans which I’m really excited about, whether it’s something on social media or podcasts or events.

“I’m just so excited to fly the Blue Jackets’ flag and just be a great spokesman for the franchise.”