Behind the Mic: Fox Continues to Add Big Names for FS1 Launch; ESPN Re-Ups Linda Cohn

With the launch of Fox Sports 1 just days away, Fox continues to add to its rapidly growing roster of on-air talent.

Michelle Kwan, the most decorated figure skater in U.S. history, joins FOX Sports as an analyst for the 2014 Winter Games from Sochi, Russia. Kwan provides expert analysis during figure skating events and contributes daily commentary prior to and throughout The Games across all FOX Sports platforms including FOX Sports 1. Kwan joins Olympic gold medal downhill skier Picabo Street, who was previously announced as a FOX Sports Olympic analyst.

Fox further bolstered its talent roster for the Socchi Olympics by adding NHL Hall-of-Famer Chris Chelios. He joins the new network as an NHL and Olympics analyst. He provides expert commentary on the NHL as well as prior to and throughout the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, across all FOX Sports platforms

Gabe Kapler, a former MLB outfielder, also joins the FOX Sports 1 lineup in 2013 as an MLB analyst for Fox Sports Live. After 13 MLB seasons with more than half a dozen team, he served as a scout and minor league team manager before joining Fox.

Fox also announced FS1’s The Jones and Moseley Show, hosted by former NFL player Dhani Jones and Olympic gold medalist Jonny Moseley. The show promises to take viewers inside sports competitions around the world in a Wide World of Sports style of studio-based program, which premieres on Aug. 25…

…SportsCenter anchor Linda Cohn and reporter/host Shannon Spake have each extended their contracts to remain with ESPN, it was announced today. The multi-year agreements call for Cohn, who joined ESPN in 1992, to remain as a premier SportsCenter presence, and for Spake, who joined in 2006, to continue as on-site reporter for college basketball and football telecasts, and as NASCAR pit reporter and studio host. Cohn will also host select Rangers pre-and post-game shows for ESPN New York 98.7 as part of her new agreement. ESPNFrontRow Q&A with Linda. Spake will serve a sideline reporter for ESPN and ABC college football games and for Super Tuesday SEC and SEC Tournament basketball games, as well as hosting NASCAR Now and contributing reports to SportsCenter…

…ESPN has parted ways with Hugh Douglas, according to SI. The former NFL player and Numbers Never Lie panelist was let go by ESPN today after disturbing details emerged last week regarding an alleged confrontation between Douglas and ESPN Numbers Never Lie host Michael Smith at the National Association of Black Journalists Convention and Career Fair in Orlando…

…FOX Sports also unveiled the broadcast teams for its 20^th NFL on FOX  season, – primarily made up of familiar faces. Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Pam Oliver return for Fox A Games, while Kenny Albert and analysts Daryl Johnston and Tony Siragusa begin their seventh season together on B Games. Play-by-play announcer Thom Brennaman, analyst Brian Billick and sideline reporter Laura Okmin return as well. Chris Myers and Tim Ryan are joined by Jennifer Hale on the sidelines. Fifth-year analyst John Lynch is partnered with FOX Sports newcomer Kevin Burkhardt (previously of SNY and radio play-by-play voice of the Dallas Cowboys) and sideline reporter Erin Andrews, who begins her first season as a full-time NFL on FOX sideline reporter after having worked limited games last year. NFL veteran Ronde Barber is new to the broadcast booth this year, joining play-by-play announcer Dick Stockton and sideline reporter Kris Budden. Sam Rosen, Heath Evans and Molly McGrath round out this year’s broadcast teams.

Former NFL VP of Officiating Mike Pereira returns as FOX Sports’ rules analyst. Terry Bradshaw, Curt Menefee, Howie Long, Jimmy Johnson, Michael Strahan and Jay Glazer return to the FOX NFL Sunday studio show, while actor and comedian Rob Riggle is back for his second season as the show’s comedic prognosticator…

…ESPN has announced the game announcer pairings for its 2013 college football coverage. Rod Gilmore will move from ESPN’s weekly Friday night series to Saturday afternoon matchups on ABC and ESPN with Bob Wischusen and reporter Quint Kessenich. Danny Kanell, who called Saturday telecasts last season, will move to Fridays with returning commentator Carter Blackburn and reporter Allison Williams, who joins the crew from her ESPNU Saturday night game last season. In addition, analyst Kelly Stouffer, who worked select games last year, will join Anish Shroff on the weekly ESPNU Saturday afternoon telecasts.

All four Saturday prime-time telecasts on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU will feature the return of the play-by-play and analyst pairing. Brent Musburger and Kirk Herbstreit – with reporter Heather Cox – return to ABC Saturday Night Football. Brad Nessler and Todd Blackledge will work their fifth season together on the Saturday ESPN College Football Primetime with reporter Holly Rowe. Mark Jones and Brock Huard will pair up on the weekly ESPN2 prime-time game, while Jessica Mendoza and Kaylee Hartung will split reporting duties. Clay Matvick and Matt Stinchcomb will return for their second year on the ESPNU prime-time game with reporter Dawn Davenport, her first with ESPN. The Thursday ESPN College Football Primetime series will be called by commentator Rece Davis, analysts Jesse Palmer and David Pollack, and reporter Samantha Ponder.

…In the first three weeks of NBC Sports Group’s inaugural season, NBC and NBC Sports Network will televise 17 Premier League matches.  The remaining matches will be made available on Premier League Extra Time, a bonus television package available to MVPDs at no extra cost for customers who receive NBC Sports Network. Lead play-by-play voice Arlo White joins former Premier League star and four-time league champion Lee Dixon to call the 12:30 PM ET Saturday matches on NBC in the first three weeks. White teams with Graeme Le Saux, the former Premier League star, to call two Sunday matches and one Monday game on NBC Sports Network in the first three weeks. Legendary U.K. footballer and presenter Gary Lineker will serve as a special contributor to NBC Sports Group’s Premier League coverage. All matches will be preceded and followed by Premier League Live pre- and post-match shows from the NBC Sports Group International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Conn. Rebecca Lowe  hosts Premier League Live alongside former Jamaican National Team player Robbie Earle, former U.S. National Team midfielder Kyle Martino, and former English footballer Robbie Mustoe.