Austin Carr notably absent from Cavs’ announcement of broadcast team

Mr. Cavalier may no longer be a part of Cavaliers broadcasts.

We don’t know that for certain. But Austin Carr‘s name was notably absent Tuesday when the Cavs announced their new broadcast arrangement with DAZN and listed the on-air personalities who will make the move.

Play-by-play announcer John Michael, analyst Brad Daugherty, sideline reporter Serena Winters and pre- and postgame host Cayleigh Griffin were all specifically mentioned. Carr was not.

For anyone who’s followed the Cavs for any length of time, that’s going to stand out.

Carr, 78, has been a fixture on Cavs broadcasts for decades and remains one of the most recognizable figures in franchise history.

He was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1971 NBA Draft, spent nine seasons with Cleveland and later became known to generations of younger fans simply as AC. Or, more appropriately, Mr. Cavalier.

Carr also remains part of the organization as its Director of Community Relations.

His future on broadcasts had already become something of a question after FanDuel Sports Network Ohio shut down following last season. During the final postgame show in April, Carr took a moment to address viewers.

“First of all, I really want to thank the fans of Cleveland,” Carr said. “You really have stuck with us, stayed behind us, the whole way — good or bad. And that to me is really what it’s all about, and I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

At the time, nobody knew where Cavs games would be headed. Now we do.

The Cavs announced a multi-year agreement with DAZN that will move most local games away from traditional cable and onto the streaming service, with subscriptions starting at $19.99 per month. Rock Entertainment Sports Network will handle production.

The Cavs also made a point of announcing which familiar voices would be coming along. Again, Carr wasn’t among them. That’s especially noticeable given how long he’s been one of those voices.

The late Joe Tait once joked that after interviewing Carr following a game, he told the young player that if they were going to do interviews, Carr needed to actually talk.

“He hasn’t shut up since,” Tait later joked. And Cavs fans have been listening ever since.

Perhaps they’ll continue to do so. Nothing announced Tuesday specifically stated that Carr’s broadcast run is over, and his role with the organization extends beyond television.

But when the Cavs introduced their new broadcast home and named the talent coming with them, Mr. Cavalier’s name wasn’t there. That’s at least worth noticing.