After 35 years, the Milwaukee Bucks made an announcement on Wednesday that they hired Lisa Byington as their new full-time voice for gameday broadcasts after longtime announcer, Jim Paschke, retired following the 2020-21 season.
Byington makes her mark in history being the first woman to fill a full-time play-by-play position for a professional men’s team.
An experienced broadcaster and reporter, Byington wrote in a statement that she’s “absolutely thrilled” for the opportunity to work for the reigning champions.
“I know that I will be stepping into the role long-held by Jim Paschke, and I appreciate his passion for the team and the memorable moments his voice will always be a part of,” writes Byington (h/t ESPN News Services).
“I’d be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge his work and commitment to the franchise, and it’s my honor to be the one who takes the baton from him. I’m particularly excited to work with such an amazing team of Marques Johnson, Zora Stephenson, Steve Novak and everyone involved with Bucks games at Bally Sports Wisconsin.”
The newfound role isn’t Byington’s first time making history considering that she became the first woman to call play-by-play for a Big Ten Network college football game back in 2017.
Fiserv Forum president Peter Feigin and the Bucks franchise have welcomed Byington in with open arms:
“We are so excited to welcome Lisa to the Bucks family and to bring such a talented play-by-play announcer to our broadcast team,” says Feigin.
“Lisa’s extensive television broadcasting background, including her play-by-play work for high-level NCAA basketball on several national networks, makes her the perfect choice to take on this major role. While we appreciate the significance of selecting Lisa, and we celebrate this historic moment, Lisa earned this position based on her extraordinary skills and experience. We look forward to Lisa becoming the voice of the Bucks.”
