A change in key personnel isn’t limited to the Indiana Pacers this offseason. It’s even extending to those covering them.
Brooke Olzendam, the sideline reporter and pre-game and halftime host for Pacers games on FOX Sports Indiana, told VigilantSports.com Friday afternoon that she will not be back after three seasons in that role. She joined the network prior to the 2011 season, replacing Stacy Paetz.
Olzendam, who already has her next gig lined up but did not want it made public because the sports network had not yet announced the hiring, will be replaced by someone already on staff.
Johnson begins his second season with FOX Sports Indiana covering the Pacers.
Jeremiah Johnson, who joined FSI last year as the pre-game producer takes over. He was very visible at practices to gather sound and then was frequently in the locker room postgame to conduct interviews.
Prior to working at FSI, Johnson was a sports reporter at FOX 59 in Indianapolis. He continues to be actively involved with the IHSAA Champions Television Network.
Most recently, Johnson, an Indiana native, was the sideline reporter for the Indiana-Maryland broadcast on the Big Ten Network on Sept. 27.
In another change, coordinating producer Matt Scott, who enters his 21st season working Pacers broadcasts, made the personal decision not to travel full-time and thus will slide into a new role.
Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White, who joined FSI part-time last season, told me that she will continue to be a pre-game and post-game analyst for the network, although she’s unsure how many games she’ll work at this point.
FSI will televise 80 of 82 games for the second straight season — TNT has exclusive rights to two games — and two preseason games. Their first broadcast will be on Oct. 15, the Pacers’ fourth preseason game as they take on the new-look Cleveland Cavaliers at Xavier University, David West’s alma mater.
Chris Denari is set to begin his ninth season as the Television Voice of the Pacers.
UPDATE: 10:23 P.M.
Mark Boyle, who’ll begin his 27th season as the Radio Voice of the Pacers, announced on Twitter that former Pacer Scot Pollard (2003-06) will join him as an analyst for 15 road games. Moreover, Carmel, Indiana native and Ball State University grad Pat Boylan will serve as the pre-game host and sideline reporter.