Hernandez inks deal with SNY ahead of GKR's 18th season
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- He¡¯s Keith Hernandez, and he¡¯s still one of the faces of the Mets broadcast team.
Following a weeks-long negotiation with SNY, the network that has broadcast Mets games since 2006, Hernandez agreed this week to a new three-year deal to continue covering games through the 2025 season. His previous contract had expired after last season.
SNY subsequently announced that Hernandez, Ron Darling and Gary Cohen will all be in Port St. Lucie to broadcast the Mets¡¯ spring opener on Feb. 25. (Hernandez, who keeps an offseason home in Florida, intends to be on site early next week.)
This season will be a historic one for the trio better known as simply ¡°Gary, Keith and Ron.¡± Hernandez¡¯s new deal locks those three in for an 18th consecutive season together in the booth, passing Lindsey Nelson, Bob Murphy and Ralph Kiner (1962-78) for the longest uninterrupted run in Mets history.
Hernandez, whose No. 17 the Mets retired last summer, began broadcasting Mets games for MSG in 1999. He joined SNY at the network¡¯s inception in 2006 and has since won three local Emmy awards for best sports analyst.
SNY will broadcast 11 of the Mets¡¯ 30 Spring Training games, with WPIX picking up three additional dates. In addition, ESPN will air the team¡¯s games on Feb. 27 and 28.