Pittsburgh Penguins Television / Radio Play-by-Play Announcer (2017–Present) 3ICE Play-by-Play Announcer (2022-Present) US Open Play-by-Play (2020, 2021) [1] Host of NHL Now (2013–2017) Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs Media Director (2002–2006)
Steve Mears is the radio play-by-play voice of the Pittsburgh Penguins. He has worked for select TNT NHL games since 2024.
Central Hockey League and NHL radio broadcasting[edit]
Mears served as director of media relations and broadcasting for the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs of the Central Hockey League from 2002 to 2006. He was named the Central Hockey League Broadcaster of the Year in 2005.
In the summer of 2006, Mears accepted a position as the radio play-by-play broadcaster for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League. Mears made his NHL broadcasting debut on October 5, 2006, during a New York IslandersvsPhoenix Coyotes game.[3] Mears stayed with the Islanders for three seasons before joining the Pittsburgh Penguins Radio Network. He served four seasons with the Penguins, covering their radio and TV game broadcasts, hosting "Penguins Live" on Pittsburgh Penguins 24/7 Radio, and contributing to PensTV on the official team website.[1]
In 2012, Mears made his NHL Network debut when he provided coverage of the 2012 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs and Stanley Cup Finals. Mears officially joined the NHL Network team in February 2013 as the co-host of NHL Now.[1] During the hockey season, Mears hosted NHL Now! from 4:00–6:00 PM EST Monday-Friday on the NHL Network alongside E.J. Hradek and Michelle McMahon.[4] Aside from NHL Now, Mears also anchored video segments for NHL.com and called play-by-play for the IIHF World Junior Championships.[1][4]
On May 16, 2017, Mears was named the play-by-play television announcer for broadcasts on AT&T SportsNet for Pittsburgh Penguins games, replacing Paul Steigerwald.[5] On September 1, 2023, following its acquisition of AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh, Fenway Sports Group announced that Mears would not return to the TV booth.[6] Fenway then hired the team's play-by-play radio announcer, Josh Getzoff, to replace Mears on the TV broadcasts[7] while he in turn was then selected by the team to replace Getzoff on radio.[8][9]
