Eli Gold Declined Opportunity for Limited Role with Crimson Tide Sports Network

The network released a statement saying it is in its best interest to have Chris Stewart serve as the play-by-play commentator for Alabama football broadcasts.

Longtime Alabama football play-by-play radio announcer Eli Gold confirmed multiple reports on Wednesday that he would no longer be back in the same role for the 2024 season with Chris Stewart becoming his replacement. Gold told multiple outlets that it was not his decision to stop calling Crimson Tide games. 

The Crimson Tide Sports Network, which employed Gold in the role, released a statement on Thursday afternoon that cleared up some of the reasoning behind the decision and revealed that Gold was offered the opportunity to stay with the network in some capacity. 

"As we noted in yesterday’s release, Eli Gold has been a legendary broadcaster in a career spanning 52 years," the press release read. "In 2023, we worked out a plan to have Eli call the home games plus Auburn, with Chris Stewart handling away games. We are incredibly appreciative of the positive things Eli has contributed to the Crimson Tide Sports Network and The University of Alabama during his time with us, which is why our desire was for him to remain part of the gameday broadcast and allow us to celebrate his UA broadcast career.

"But at this point, the interests of UA and CTSN are best served by Chris Stewart handling play by play for all games. After a series of conversations over a period of time, Eli was presented with an opportunity to continue his contributions to the CTSN broadcast team in the coming years in a more limited role, including the lead broadcast role for this year’s A-Day game. Unfortunately, he declined the opportunity. We will always appreciate Eli and wish him nothing but the best in his next endeavors. We are incredibly excited about the future of CTSN and what Chris Stewart will bring to the broadcasts in his new role."

Alongside his duties of calling Alabama basketball and baseball games for Learfield, Stewart filled in for Gold at various points over the last two seasons while Gold battled cancer. Stewart called all games in 2022 and every road game in 2023 except for the Iron Bowl. 

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Eli Gold's Dismissal with Michael Brauner of WNSP on The Joe Gaither Show