awfulannouncing
The Chicago White Sox revealed on Monday that they will not be renewing the contract of John Schriffen, who has served as the team's primary television play-by-play announcer since 2024. The decision has prompted reactions from several Chicago sports radio figures, many of whom were openly critical of Schriffen's work.
Schriffen, 42, took over the lead TV role before the 2024 season, succeeding Jason Benetti, who departed to become the voice of the Detroit Tigers after organizational tensions. Filling the shoes of Benetti, a highly respected national broadcaster, proved difficult, and Schriffen encountered significant criticism, including a public feud with Chicago radio host Matt Spiegel.
Spiegel, who hosts on 670 The Score, had challenged Schriffen over what he perceived as a lack of baseball knowledge. Schriffen fired back by referring to radio 'losers,' and a subsequent in-person meeting reportedly included a handshake incident that further strained their relationship.
Following Monday's news, Spiegel shared his reaction on Spiegel & Holmes, acknowledging that while he thought Schriffen had shown improvement, it fell far short of the franchise's needs. 'I've held back my feelings for the better part of two years since being very vocal on them in year one because I didn't want to punch at a guy who was out here just trying to do his job,' Spiegel said. 'But this is a moment for me to be honest. I think he was terrible. I think the White Sox can do better, and they will do better.'
Spiegel did concede that Schriffen got better to an extent, but added, 'there were plenty of moments this year where I was still like, man, watch the game. Just think the game. Just feel the freaking game. And it wasn't happening.' He also cited a perceived lack of authenticity: 'It needs to be a really comfortable feel for me to hang out with a play-by-play person for a long time, and I didn't really get that from John. But that's me personally.'
Dan Bernstein, former 670 The Score host who now hosts Dan Bernstein Unfiltered on the 312 Sports Network, took an even stronger stance. He said the news only makes him angrier that Benetti is no longer the TV voice of the Sox. 'I'm not celebrating [John Schriffen departing the White Sox broadcasts], and here's why. It reaffirms and rekindles my distaste over the fact that Jason Benetti isn't the White Sox guy for the rest of his life,' Bernstein said on Monday's episode. 'Or at least hasn't been in a position here where he's got the chance if he wants, as he goes about everything else nationally. If he just wants to have his regular job. It should be here, and should have been here. I'm never going to shake that. I'm never going to shake the miss, the mistake, the folly. That was somehow allowing Jason Benetti, a lifelong White Sox fan, a brilliant broadcaster and a prince of a guy to walk out that door for dumb reasons.'
Bernstein also did not mince words about Schriffen: '[John] Schriffen was an *sshole and pissed off a lot of really hardworking, nice people when he walked in. Everybody just hated the guy when he arrived, and thought that he was dismissive, arrogant, entitled, difficult, and demanding. [He] eschewed all kinds of good faith, well offered advice. He should never have had this job and wasn't ready for it.'
The White Sox stated they will begin searching for Schriffen's replacement immediately.
Key Analysis
The departure of John Schriffen has reignited long-simmering frustrations among Chicago sports media, particularly regarding the handling of Jason Benetti's exit. While Spiegel acknowledged some improvement from Schriffen, both he and Bernstein emphasized that the announcer was not the right fit for the role. Bernstein's comments reflect a lingering resentment over the organization's decision to let Benetti leave, which he views as a significant mistake. The search for a new play-by-play voice will be closely watched as the White Sox look to stabilize their broadcast team.
Originally reported by awfulannouncing.