Behind the Mic: McCarver to Step Down as Fox's Lead MLB Anaylst; ESPN Re-Ups Rick Reilly, Barry Larkin
Legendary MLB television analyst Tim McCarver announced Wednesday that he is stepping down from his lead MLB on FOX position upon conclusion of this season’s World Series. McCarver has worked 28 consecutive MLB postseasons on network television dating back to 1984, providing analysis for a record 23 World Series and 20 All-Star Games. He earned three straight Emmy Awards for “Outstanding Sports Event Analyst” (2000-02) and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum’s 2012 Ford C. Frick Award. McCarver has teamed with Joe Buck, his MLB on FOX play-by-play partner, a record 17 years as the network’s lead national baseball broadcast team. No baseball broadcasting tandem has called more World Series (15) and All-Star Games (14). His successor for Fox’s MLB coverage has yet to be named…
…ESPN has reached an agreement with popular columnist and television contributor Rick Reilly on a multi-year contract extension. Reilly, who joined ESPN in 2008 after 23 years at Sports Illustrated, will continue to write his weekly “Life of Reilly” columns for ESPN.com and contribute television essays through his on-site coverage of ESPN’s Monday Night Football and other major events. Reilly will travel to the site of each week’s MNF game, appearing on both the Monday Night Countdown pre-game (6:30 p.m. ET) and the post-game SportsCenter. Each week, he will prepare a MNF-themed segment for Countdown. The 11-time National Sportswriter of the Year will also be part of ESPN’s coverage of golf majors and the Ryder Cup, NBA Finals, NCAA Final Four, FIFA World Cup, Super Bowl and BCS Championship events…
…Baseball Hall of Famer Barry Larkin has reached a multiyear extension with ESPN, where he will serve as a Baseball Tonight analyst. The 1995 NL MVP and 12-time Cincinnati Reds All-Star will appear on Baseball Tonight throughout the season, including regular appearances on the ESPN Sunday Night Baseball pre-game edition of the show – Sundays at 7 p.m. ET. Larkin joined ESPN in 2011 and has contributed to Baseball Tonight as a studio analyst and to ESPN’s coverage of MLB Spring Training and the College World Series as a game analyst…
…Rebecca Lowe, who currently serves as co-host of ESPN UK’s coverage of Premier League soccer, has signed a multi-year agreement with NBC Sports Group to serve as its host of the Premier League beginning in August. Lowe will relocate to the U.S. this summer, and will host Premier League coverage from NBC Sports Group’s new International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Conn. Additional talent announcements for NBC Sports Group’s Premier League coverage will be announced at a later date. Lowe joined ESPN UK in 2009 to co-host its Premier League matches as well as its FA Cup coverage, and co-anchor Between the Lines, a football debate and opinion program. Lowe co-hosted ESPN’s coverage of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2011, in Germany, and its Euro 2012 coverage from Bristol, Conn. In May, 2012, Lowe became the first woman in UK history to host the FA Cup Final. Lowe will conclude her Premier League and FA Cup duties with ESPN UK in May…
…As has been the practice in recent years, CBS Sports Network has added a full battalion of current coaches and former players for its coverage of the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament. Coaches include Oregon State head coach Craig Robinson, Connecticut’s Kevin Ollie, South Carolina’s Frank Martin, Boston College’s Steve Donahue and Rutgers’ Mike Rice, as well as former players Bobby Hurley (Duke and current Rhode Island assistant), Scoop Jardine (Syracuse) and Marc Jackson (Temple)…
…NBC Sports Radio announced today that Brian Kenny, MLB Network and Showtime host, and formerly of ESPN, will host The Brian Kenny Show in the 9am-12n ET Monday-Friday slot, as the network completes its roster and rolls out 24/7 sports talk programming on Monday, April 1st. A 25-year national television and radio veteran, Kenny hosts the popular Clubhouse Confidential on MLB Network and covers boxing for Showtime. Kenny formerly hosted The Brian Kenny Show on ESPN Radio, anchored SportsCenter and Baseball Tonight, and called play-by-play for ESPN’s Wednesday Night Baseball and the World Baseball Classic…
…Former Major League Soccer and Venezuelan National Team striker Alejandro Moreno has joined ESPN as a soccer analyst. The 11-year MLS veteran and three-time MLS Cup champion will primarily serve as an analyst for Mexican National Team and Liga MX matches on ESPN’s English networks, as well as a studio analyst for marquee events such as MLS Cup, Confederations Cup 2013, and other FIFA events. Moreno will work his first U.S. Men’s National Team match on Tuesday, March 26 on ESPN at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca for Mexico vs. USA, a key qualifying match for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Moreno’s relationship with ESPN dates back to 2011 when he was a guest studio analyst for the MLS Cup Playoffs while playing for Chivas USA. He also returned to the same role in 2012. Moreno will also continue to serve as the primary analyst for Philadelphia Union MLS matches on regional television…
…FOX Sports Arizona is tapping the services of former ESPN SportsCenter anchor Cindy Brunson for its Arizona Diamondbacks coverage this season. Brunson will co-host the channel’s Sunday pre-game and post-game shows when the D-backs play at home. She will team up Jody Jackson for the shows.