Oakland A's shatter barrier with naming of play-by-play announcer

On Tuesday, NBC Sports California announced it had hired Jenny Cavnar for its live-game coverage of the Oakland Athletics, making her the first female to be a primary play-by-play voice in Major League Baseball history.

This is excellent for sports media, as it signals monumental progress in an industry long dominated by men. Plus, Cavnar clearly deserves this role.

She's a 20-year media veteran who has covered baseball for 17 years. Over the past 12 years, she served as a host, backup play-by-play announcer and reporter for regional TV coverage of the Colorado Rockies. In 2018, she became the first woman to call TV play-by-play for a big-league game in 25 years.

"Jenny is a very talented announcer with significant experience covering baseball," NBC Sports California and Bay Area president and general manager Matt Murphy said via the entity's website. "She has been a groundbreaking professional who earned the admiration of fans and her peers throughout her career. "

The A's are scheduled to move to Las Vegas in 2028, but their lease in Oakland expires after the 2024 season. It's unclear where they'll play from 2025-27 and whether their media team will follow. 

Along with Cavnar, other women have received more opportunities in sports media in recent years. Suzyn Waldman has been the New York Yankees radio color commentator since 2005. Jessica Mendoza has served as a color commentator for ESPN's "Sunday Night Baseball" since 2020 and became the first woman to call a World Series game that same year.

While sports media still has a long way to go as far as inclusion goes, NBC Sports California hiring Cavnar shows it's heading in the right direction.

"It's a dream come true to join the broadcast team for the Oakland A’s and their rich baseball history," Cavnar said. "Growing up the daughter of a baseball coach, I have loved the game from a young age, along with the stories, history and relationships the game provides."