Elson Named Arkansas Sportscaster of the Year

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Phil Elson, the radio voice of Razorback baseball and women’s basketball, has been named the Arkansas Sportscaster of the Year for 2025 by the National Sports Media Association.

Elson has been the play-by-play announcer for Arkansas baseball and women’s basketball since 2014. Previously named the 2009, 2017 and 2018 NSMA Arkansas Sportscaster of the Year, Elson has nearly three decades’ worth of broadcasting experience, including 17 years in professional baseball – 14 of which as the director of broadcasting and media relations for the Arkansas Travelers, the former Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels.

Before joining the Razorbacks, Elson was the play-by-play announcer for Henderson State football and served nine seasons as the play-by-play broadcaster for Little Rock women’s basketball. He spent 17 years in professional baseball, earning his first NSMA Arkansas Sportscaster of the Year award in 2009 for his work with the Travelers. Prior to the Travs, Elson called games for the Helena Brewers, Ogden Raptors and Mudville Nine.

Elson (four-time winner) is part of a long lineage of Razorback announcers, including Chuck Barrett (three-time winner) and Matt Zimmerman (one-time winner), to earn the honor from NSMA. The late, great Paul Eells won the award 13 times during a legendary career at KATV and as the Voice of the Razorbacks across four decades.

Bud Campbell (eight-time winner) and Bob Cheyne (six-time winner) dominated during the early years of the award, winning 14 of the first 15 starting in 1959. Campbell served as the football play-by-play announcer while working at KARK and later KATV. Cheyne announced football and basketball games for 22 seasons (1948-69) while also serving as the school’s sports information director.