Former WVII anchor Cindy Michaels in running to be San Diego Padres announcer

cindyIn January of this year Cindy Michaels, a former anchor with WVII ABC 7/Fox 22 and radio personality in Bangor, was one of more than 800 people who tried their hands at an open audition to be the San Diego Padres’ new public announcer at Petco Park. Early this year, that number was narrowed down to 50, and Michaels made it through. Today, the 30 finalists in the running for the job were announced. Michaels is one of them, and one of only three women in the top 30.

“This obviously would be the pinnacle of my broadcasting career. I thought making it into the Maine Association of Broadcasters Board of Directors was awesome, and it was… but this takes the cake,” said Michaels. “My son was at the stadium the other night and told me ‘Mom, this is so cool to hear you over the PA system at Petco Park.’ That made me cry.”

Michaels will have her third audition at Wednesday’s game between the Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers, and beginning Friday, voting for the top ten contenders to be the next Padres announcer will open on the Padres website and via the Padres’ Twitter feed, and will go through Monday. 

If she makes it through this round she’ll be in the top ten, the members of which group will from April 11 through 20 announce parts of Padres games. From those ten the final top three will be announced, each of whom will announce a full game between April 18 and 20, at which point the winner and new Padres announcer will be named.

Michaels was a fixture on Maine airwaves for many years, before famously resigning from WVII on-air with her broadcast partner Tony Consiglio in Nov. 2012. She moved to California in December 2013, though she still does on-air work with WFMX based out of Skowhegan.

Emily Burnham

About Emily Burnham

Emily Burnham is a Maine native, UMaine graduate, proud Bangorian and a writer for the Bangor Daily News, where she's worked since 2004. She reports on everything from local bands to local food to all the cool things going on in the Greater Bangor area. In her quest for stories, she's seen countless concerts and plays, been lobster fishing, interviewed celebrities, hung out with water buffalo and played in a ukulele orchestra. She's interested in everything that happens in Maine.