Trail Blazers Reportedly Turn to Travis Demers as TV Play-by-Play Voice on Game-by-Game Basis
The Blazers will give Travis Demers a trial run after a failed hire left the team scrambling before the 2026-27 season.
- On Wednesday, the Portland Trail Blazers named Travis Demers as their new television play-by-play broadcaster on a trial basis, joining color analyst Lamar Hurd and reporter Brooke Olzendam.
- After firing Braiden Bell less than 24 hours into his tenure earlier this month, KGW reporter Devon Haskins had surfaced racist and misogynistic Twitter posts Bell wrote in 2012 and 2013 as a teenager.
- Demers impressed team decision-makers after calling the exhibition opener against the Golden State Warriors last week; sources indicate he is well-liked by fans and talented enough to grow into the role.
- The position opened when veteran Kevin Calabro departed in July following budget cuts by new owner Tom Dundon, who offered Calabro what he deemed a "subprime" contract after the broadcaster spent 22 years calling Seattle SuperSonics games.
- While Demers could retain the job all season, the Blazers are reserving the right to audition temporary broadcasters for four or five games at a time, with the regular season opening against the Phoenix Suns on Oct. 21.
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Blazers decide on their replacement for Braiden Bell after firing saga
The Portland Trail Blazers have officially anointed their replacement for the fired Braiden Bell. Portland is hiring Travis Demers to serve as their new television play-by-play broadcaster for next season, according to a report Wednesday by Joe Freeman of The Oregonian. Demers is a familiar voice to Blazers fans as he has already been the …
Trail Blazers hire temporary TV voice after Braiden Bell tweet controversy
The Portland Trail Blazers have reportedly resolved their television broadcast debacle — for now — after firing play-by-play voice Braiden Bell for his past tweets that included misogynistic and racist remarks about women and Asians.
Trail Blazers reportedly turn to Travis Demers as TV play-by-play voice on game-by-game basis
The Portland Trail Blazers have found their television play-by-play voice for the start of the 2026-27 season (for now, anyway). According to The Oregonian/OregonLive, Travis Demers will be on the call on a game-by-game basis alongside color analyst Lamar Hurd and courtside reporter Brooke Olzendam. Demers has served as the Blazers’ radio play-by-play voice for…
Trail Blazers Name Temporary TV Voice After Braiden Bell Hiring Falls Apart
The Portland Trail Blazers are turning to a familiar voice as they work to stabilize a television broadcast that has endured a turbulent offseason. Travis Demers, who has spent seven seasons calling the team’s games on radio, will handle television play-by-play duties on a trial basis, according to The Oregonian/OregonLive. The arrangement gives Portland an …
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