Courtesy Columbus Dispatch

(April 29, 2009) Radio play-by-play voice George Matthews and color commentator Bill Davidge have been with the Blue Jackets since the club started as an NHL expansion franchise in 2000.

Right now, the two -- along with TV broadcasters Jeff Rimer and Danny Gare -- are in limbo.

The Blue Jackets confirmed yesterday that the fates of all four broadcasters are being determined by three club executives: vice president of business operations Larry Hoepfner, vice president of marketing Marc Gregory and director of broadcasting Russ Mollohan.

A decision could be reached as soon as this week, but several sources indicated to The Dispatch that Rimer -- a longtime friend and colleague of Hoepfner's dating to their days with the Florida Panthers -- is the most likely of the group to remain with the Blue Jackets.

The current contracts of all four broadcasters expire July 1.

"There have been some internal discussions, and those will continue," Blue Jackets spokesman Todd Sharrock said. "It's very early in the process. Nothing has been decided yet."

Sharrock said neither Hoepfner, Gregory, Mollohan nor club President Mike Priest would comment on the matter.

NHL sources, however, said that it's highly unusual for broadcasters to work so far into the final year of their contract without the club reaching out to them, either to negotiate a new deal or to notify them that they won't return. By letting them know that they won't be back, the club gives the broadcaster an opportunity to pursue a similar job elsewhere.

Gare has been told he has a meeting later this week with Gregory, but the others have nothing scheduled.

"I have enjoyed my years in Columbus," Matthews said. "The fans here have been absolutely terrific.

"I'm hoping that in the future I'll be here to call some more playoffs series, and certainly some playoff wins."

Davidge, hired in 1999, was the Blue Jackets' third employee, behind President and general manager Doug MacLean and director of pro scouting Bob Strumm. He moved to the radio booth for the inaugural season.

"I sit, and I wait," Davidge said. "I can't say what the future holds for me, obviously. But I've loved my time in Columbus, and I hope I get to stay in Columbus and work for the Blue Jackets for a long, long time."

These can often be difficult decisions for pro sports teams, which risk alienating their fan base by firing popular broadcasters. Judging by message boards -- such as Hfboards.com -- Matthews and Davidge are very popular among hard-core Blue Jackets fans.

TV ratings soared 62 percent this season to a record on Fox Sports Net, including 18 of the 20 highest-rated telecasts in franchise history.

"That's the impact of having a good hockey team, of course," Gare said. "But I'd like to think it's having a good broadcast team, too.

"The future is really bright here. Everybody knows that. I'd sure like to be a part of it."

Sources have told The Dispatch that at least some of the broadcasters have grown weary in recent seasons of what they saw as the front office's repeated meddling in the broadcast booths, to the point of minutiae. For instance, broadcasters were told this season to limit the number of times they use one another's first names in broadcasts.

The situation hit a low point late this season, when the Blue Jackets pulled off an improbable come-from-behind shootout victory in Chicago on April 8, clinching the franchise's first spot in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Each of the broadcasters was told in advance of the game that, as the final buzzer sounded, they should not mention late Blue Jackets majority owner John H. McConnell, nor should they put into the context the club's eight-season struggle to make the playoffs.