By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE issued the following press release to announce a permanent change to the Raw broadcast team.
WWE (NYSE: WWE) today announced two changes to its broadcasting team, naming Renee Young as the first woman to join the Monday Night Raw broadcast booth full time and Jonathan Coachman as the new host of WWE’s pay-per-view kickoff shows.
Starting tonight, Renee Young will join Michael Cole and Corey Graves each week on Raw. Young started with WWE in 2012 and has served as a backstage interviewer and commentator on Raw, SmackDown Live and NXT. She is currently part of the Mae Young Classic commentary team on WWE Network. Prior to WWE, Young worked at The Score Television Network in Canada, building her reputation by co-hosting WWE Aftermath and interviewing high-caliber talent such as The Rolling Stones on other programming.
A veteran broadcaster with more than 20 years of experience hosting shows for WWE, ESPN, MSG Network and the Golf Channel, Coachman will bring his unique style to millions of viewers around the world on WWE Network, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and WWE.com, as the host of WWE’s pay-per-view kickoff shows. Coachman will begin his new role this Sunday, September 16 alongside WWE Hall of Famer Booker T, David Otunga, Sam Roberts and Peter Rosenberg prior to WWE’s Hell in a Cell pay-per-view event.
Powell’s POV: This is a welcome change in my book. Young has done a solid job while filling in on commentary, while Coachman’s work has been a mixed bag to put it nicely.
Good. I thought Coach was going to be an improvement over Booker, but it just wasn’t clicking. Renee is good, and she deserves this shot.
Looks like they are slowly whitewashing the broadcast teams. Dave Otunga, Booker T, and now Coach have been shunted over to the Network leaving the broadcast shows all white (yes I know Saxton is technically black but…). But I’m a Renee mark so it’s all good.
They should have replaced Overexposed Graves on Raw and let him just do Smackdown. Seems like a pretty big demotion for Coach. Guess WWE was sick of him having other projects.
I like Corey’s work. I’m cool with him doing both shows. That said, I understand how some people want different voices on different shows to differentiate them. If they were to pull him from a show though, I’d prefer it be Smackdown. RAW was where he started, so he should stay there.
is my crush the poorly under-utilized Charlie Even still with WWE?
I’ll be the one to say it- Renee is not a good commentator! She is often silent and when she interjects it comes off in awkward outbursts. Maybe time will improve her, but right now she is not good in the role. I would also like to see other more charismatic women have shot announcing like Mickie James or Stephanie McMahon.
As for Coachman, I’ve always enjoyed his work. I think Michael Cole and Corey haven’t treated him well. Cole rudely and purposely talks over him when he’s trying to be entertaining. I truly miss Jim Ross and The King!