John Wells (sportscaster)
Encyclopedia
John Wells is a Canadian
sportscaster. His most recent show, which ended in April 2008, was Wells And Company on CJOB radio in Winnipeg
. He broadcast Canadian Football League
games for over 30 years. He is the son of "Cactus" Jack Wells
.
's CKY-FM
. He moved to television in 1969 as sports director for CKCK-TV
in Regina
. Wells spent six years as a play-by-play announcer for CFL on CTV
. He also spent nine years with CBXT
.
. At CBC, he worked at two Canada Games (1971 & 1979) and hosted the 1978 Commonwealth Games
, the 1983 World University Games, and the 1984 Summer
and Winter Olympics
. He also worked on Hockey Night in Canada
from 1979 to 1984 as a rinkside reporter and host for telecasts from Edmonton
and as a studio host and play-by-play announcer on the CFL on CBC
from 1973 to 1983.
specialty channel
, The Sports Network
. At TSN, he hosted the 1988 Winter Olympics
and was the first host of the NHL on TSN
, and the first play by play man of the CFL on TSN
. He was also one of the original SportsDesk
hosts. He covered Blue Jays baseball. He hosted coverage of the NHL Entry Draft from 1990-1993. He also hosted the shows, TSN Sunday and SportsDesk X-tra. When the NBA
came to Canada in 1995, Wells became the host of TSN’s pre-game show, NBA Tonight. Wells also contributed on TSN's coverage of curling
, including calling the early rounds of the 2001 Nokia Brier
and the 2003 Scott Tournament of Hearts
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
sportscaster. His most recent show, which ended in April 2008, was Wells And Company on CJOB radio in Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
. He broadcast Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
games for over 30 years. He is the son of "Cactus" Jack Wells
Jack Wells
John Hampson "Jack" Wells , also known as Cactus Jack, was a Winnipeg-based radio and television broadcaster specializing in sports....
.
Early life and career
Wells broadcasting career began in 1965 at WinnipegWinnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
's CKY-FM
CKY-FM
CKY-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts a adult contemporary format on 102.3 FM in Winnipeg, Manitoba. It is owned by Rogers Radio, and shares studios with sister station CITI-FM. CKY-FM competes with Hot 103 and Energy 106.-History:...
. He moved to television in 1969 as sports director for CKCK-TV
CKCK-TV
CKCK-DT, VHF channel 8 , is a CTV owned and operated television station based in Regina, Saskatchewan. Originally signing on in 1954, CKCK was the first privately owned television station in Western Canada.-History:...
in Regina
Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
. Wells spent six years as a play-by-play announcer for CFL on CTV
CFL on CTV
CFL on CTV was a presentation of Canadian Football League football aired on the CTV Television Network from 1962 to 1986. CTV dropped coverage of the CFL after the 1986 season...
. He also spent nine years with CBXT
CBXT
CBXT-DT is the television call sign for the CBC's television station in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.- History :The station first went on-air on October 1, 1961 as Edmonton's second television station; the previous CBC affiliate, CFRN, switched to the newly-established CTV on the same day. Initially,...
.
CBC Sports
In 1971, Wells began working for CBC SportsCBC Sports
CBC Sports is the division of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation responsible for English-language sports broadcasting. The CBC's sports programming primarily airs on CBC Television, with some additional broadcasts on bold, CBC.ca, and occasionally CBC Radio One...
. At CBC, he worked at two Canada Games (1971 & 1979) and hosted the 1978 Commonwealth Games
1978 Commonwealth Games
The 1978 Commonwealth Games were held in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, from 3 to 12 August 1978, two years after the 1976 Summer Olympics were held in Montreal, Quebec...
, the 1983 World University Games, and the 1984 Summer
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
and Winter Olympics
1984 Winter Olympics
The 1984 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIV Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from 8–19 February 1984 in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. Other candidate cities were Sapporo, Japan; and Gothenburg, Sweden...
. He also worked on Hockey Night in Canada
Hockey Night in Canada
Hockey Night in Canada is the branding used for CBC Sports' presentations of the National Hockey League...
from 1979 to 1984 as a rinkside reporter and host for telecasts from Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
and as a studio host and play-by-play announcer on the CFL on CBC
CFL on CBC
CFL on CBC was a presentation of Canadian Football League football aired on the CBC Television Network. CBC held broadcast rights for the CFL from 1952 to 2007...
from 1973 to 1983.
TSN
In 1984, Wells joined the new cableCable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
specialty channel
Specialty channel
A specialty channel can be a commercial broadcasting or non-commercial television channel which consists of television programming focused on a single genre, subject or targeted television market at a specific demographic....
, The Sports Network
The Sports Network
The Sports Network, commonly abbreviated as TSN, is a Canadian English language Category C specialty channel and is Canada's leading English language sports TV channel. TSN premiered in 1984, in the first group of Canadian specialty cable channels...
. At TSN, he hosted the 1988 Winter Olympics
1988 Winter Olympics
The 1988 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XV Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event celebrated in and around Calgary, Alberta, Canada from 13 to 28 February 1988. The host was selected in 1981 after having beat Falun, Sweden and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy...
and was the first host of the NHL on TSN
NHL on TSN
The NHL on TSN is TSN's broadcast of National Hockey League games. The show's current incarnation debuted in 2002. The channel has exclusive local rights to the Montreal Canadiens and the Winnipeg Jets.-Coverage overview:...
, and the first play by play man of the CFL on TSN
CFL on TSN
The CFL on TSN is TSN's presentation of the Canadian Football League. TSN has broadcast CFL games since the 1987 season, and as part of a new broadcast contract with the league, became the exclusive broadcaster of all CFL games beginning in the 2008 season...
. He was also one of the original SportsDesk
SportsCentre
SportsCentre is a sports news program airing on the Canadian network TSN. As TSN's flagship program, it airs several times daily, and beginning in the 2008 season it also began to be aired on sister network CTV as its post-game program for early NFL games....
hosts. He covered Blue Jays baseball. He hosted coverage of the NHL Entry Draft from 1990-1993. He also hosted the shows, TSN Sunday and SportsDesk X-tra. When the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
came to Canada in 1995, Wells became the host of TSN’s pre-game show, NBA Tonight. Wells also contributed on TSN's coverage of curling
Curling on TSN
TSN's coverage of Curling consists of the Canadian Curling Association, Continental Cup of Curling, the TSN Skins Game, the World Curling Championships, and Olympic Curling.-Canadian Curling Association:...
, including calling the early rounds of the 2001 Nokia Brier
2001 Nokia Brier
The 2001 Nokia Brier, Canada's national men's curling championship, was held March 3–11 at the Ottawa Civic Centre in Ottawa, Ontario. It was the very first Brier to be sponsored by Nokia. The theme of the event was the 2001: A Space Odyssey...
and the 2003 Scott Tournament of Hearts
2003 Scott Tournament of Hearts
The 2003 Scott Tournament of Hearts was held at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium in Kitchener, Ontario from February 15 to 23. The defending champion, Colleen Jones won the right to represent "Canada" and she would go on to win her third straight championship...
.