Arash Madani off Sportsnet’s Blue Jays’ broadcasts after 14 seasons

With the Toronto Blue Jays’ season underway next month, Sportsnet announced its broadcast team for the 2023 campaign earlier today.

While it’s filled with familiar faces, such as Buck Martinez, Dan Shulman, and Hazel Mae, the lack of a certain member of the broadcast team drew many eyeballs, as longtime sideline reporter Arash Madani was absent from the network’s announcement.

Arden Zwelling appears to have replaced Madani’s spot, working alongside Mae on the field.

Madani first joined Sportsnet in 2009, making his debut on MLB broadcasts later that year.

While his absence is notable, he appears to still be working for the network.

Madani is currently in Glendale, Arizona, covering this upcoming weekend’s Super Bowl from State Farm Stadium between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles.

Outside of his work in football and baseball, Madani has also reported on the NHL, NBA, tennis, soccer, and Olympics, among other assignments in his 14 years with Sportsnet.

Madani or Sportsnet have yet to give a reason for his absence from the broadcast lineup.

Daily Hive has reached out to Sportsnet for comment and will update the story with its response.

It’s been a transitional year for Toronto’s broadcast team as a whole, with Shulman returning in a full-time role to call upwards of 130 regular-season games, including a stated goal to call all 81 home games.

Pat Tabler was let go by Sportsnet last fall after having worked on the network’s broadcasts since 2005.

Meanwhile, there was some open uncertainty around Martinez’s future as a broadcaster, but it was first reported in January that he’d be returning before official confirmation came today.

Caleb Joseph, who played seven seasons in the MLB including three games in Toronto in 2020, is working alongside Jamie Campbell and Joe Siddall as an analyst.