Long before the opening tip in front of a packed house at Scotiabank Arena, John Hunter is diligently preparing for the NBA broadcast in a 53-foot transport truck outfitted with all of the technology and, soon enough, talent, needed to bring a Toronto Raptors game to life.
Hunter, who grew up in Stratford, is head of audio for the Raptors' broadcasts on TSN and Sportsnet, 'mixing' home and away games. At a Friday night game against the Atlanta Hawks, Hunter arrived before the lunch hour to get everything set-up and start the process of ensuring a world-class experience for viewers.
"It's probably the pinnacle of sports audio jobs," Hunter told StratfordToday, in the midst of preparations in the truck.
Indeed, Hunter's 'A1' position is vital to the flow of a large team of audio and visual professionals, as many as 35 on any given night, piecing together a professional broadcast.
Each individual brings something to the collective, including the sound team's 'A2's that assist Hunter over the course of the day, to camera operators, production personnel, and the announcing team that includes Matt Devlin working play-by-play alongside analyst Jack Armstrong.
