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What MLSE boss Keith Pelley remembers about Buck Martinez from their early days at TSN

Keith Pelley, now CEO of MLSE, was an editorial assistant at TSN back in 1987 when Buck Martinez landed his first TV gig.

Published Aug 27, 2026  •  Last updated 12 hours ago  •  3 minute read

Longtime Toronto Blue Jays commentator Buck Martinez. Postmedia Network files

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It didn’t take long for Buck Martinez to make a strong impression on some of the most important people in the broadcasting world, including a young TSN employee who eventually would become a titan of Canadian sports television.

Those who have worked with the long-time voice of the Blue Jays as a broadcasting teammate are almost universal in their praise for Martinez. Among that group, count one of the most powerful and influential figures in Canadian sports.

Keith Pelley, now the CEO of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, was an editorial assistant at TSN back in 1987 when Martinez landed his first TV gig with what at the time was the country’s only all sports network. And, as Pelley was himself learning the ropes in the broadcast world, he vividly remembers an engaging personality that was in the early stages of winning over Canadian sports fans with his baseball savvy.

The former would go on to a varied and influential career, first in Canadian broadcasting, then as a sports executive and most recently at the top of MLSE.

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The latter would become one of the most revered voices on Canadian television, one who would inform and entertain generations of Blue Jays teammates.

And even in those early days, Martinez won over those he worked with as he learned a new craft, doing so with both with his personality and his desire to learn. In the process, Pelley was struck with how Buck valued all those around him.

“I was always amazed at how he treated all of us like teammates,” Pelley told the Toronto Sun. “Nobody in the TSN newsroom, or anyone at TSN for that matter, could ever say an ill word about Buck … regardless of your level, he treated everyone with respect.”

The respect grew over the decades as Martinez successfully transitioned from a gritty catcher who had a 17-year MLB career before lending his voice to entertaining and informing millions of baseball fans.

That his life’s work is being recognized by the Blue Jays on Saturday when he will be the first inductee in the franchise’s new Hall of Excellence, is a fitting tribute in Pelley’s view.

Before he became a senior sports executive, the Etobicoke native made his way through the ranks at TSN — from an editorial assistant, to producer, to junior executive and eventually president of the company.

In other words, as his own career unfolded, Pelley shaped the path of many in the broadcasting world, recognizing and nurturing talent along the way. He may have been a junior in the TSN operation at the time — just a year into his career there — but the arrival of Martinez left a lasting impression.

In particular, Pelley was struck by a clear dedication from Martinez to embrace his new profession and do it the right way.

“Buck loved baseball, loved the city, loved the Blue Jays and loved people,” Pelley said. “One of the true greats of our industry. He had very little ego despite having been a Major League player and I remember he just wanted to learn about broadcasting and absolutely loved talking about baseball.

“He had such a calm demeanour and loved to laugh.”

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So like many who have crossed paths with Martinez in the decades to follow, Pelley holds the beloved Blue Jays broadcaster in the highest esteem, a sentiment that will be shared by many in what promises to be an emotional ceremony on Saturday at the Rogers Centre.

“Buck is one of the true greats of our industry,” Pelley said. “He has an iconic voice and had a way of describing what can be a complex game into simple phrases that everybody, regardless of your knowledge, of the game could understand.”

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