Behind the Mic: Josh Elliot Departs ABC's GMA for NBC Sports; ESPN Adds Wedge, Mendoza to Baseball Tonight Lineup
Josh Elliott, news anchor of ABC’s Good Morning America for the past three years, will join NBC Sports Group to work on the NFL, the Summer and Winter Olympics, and Triple Crown horse racing, among other high-profile sporting events, it was announced today. Elliott spent seven years with ESPN, most recently anchoring SportsCenter (2008-11) as the network launched a new morning edition of its flagship program. Elliott previously was an ESPNews anchor (2005-06), hosted ESPN Classic’s nightly Classic Now (also 2005-06), and appeared on numerous ESPN shows beginning in 2004. Elliott also spent six years (1999-2004) writing for Sports Illustrated, primarily covering the NFL, golf and adventure sports, in addition to reporting on Major League Baseball, the NBA, and NCAA football and basketball.
While Elliot’s deal with the Peacock is exclusively for NBC Sports Group programming, several reports indicate he could eventually bcome the lead the anchor to NBC’s morning show Today. According the Wrap, Elliott may even take over the co-host seat when Matt Lauer’s current NBC deal expires, butm due to the existence of a six month non-compete clause on Elliott’s ABC News contract, he would not make the move until at least late fall. (The Wrap)…
…One man’s loss is another man’s gain, as the Associated Press reports that Strahan Strahan will work semi-regularly during the Good Morning America‘s first hour. Strahan continues as host of the syndicated daytime talker Live with Kelly and Michael. (AP)…
…Veteran Major League Baseball manager Eric Wedge has joined ESPN as an analyst for Baseball Tonight. Wedge will regularly contribute to Baseball Tonight studio programming, while also making appearances across ESPN platforms, including SportsCenter and ESPN Radio. Wedge has managed 10 MLB seasons, most recently with the Seattle Mariners in 2013 and winning American League Manager of the Year award in 2007 as the Cleveland Indians skipper…
…ESPN also has also added Jessica Mendoza to its Baseball Tonight lineup of analysts. Mendoza, a U.S. Olympic Gold and Silver softball medalist, will typically appear on Monday editions of Baseball Tonight (10 p.m. and midnight ET). In addition to her Baseball Tonight responsibilities, Mendoza will also contribute to select ESPN MLB game telecasts. Mendoza joined ESPN as a college softball analyst in 2007 and she will continue to serve as a lead analyst for ESPN’s growing college softball coverage this season. Additionally, Mendoza has contributed to ESPN’s College World Series coverage since 2012. She also serves on the espnW.com advisory board and she contributes content for the site…
…Veteran 15-year NFL quarterback Trent Green will join CBS Sports as a game analyst for the CBS’s NFL coverage.. In addition, Green will contribute across multiple CBS Sports platforms including CBS Sports Network’s show, NFL MONDAY QB, and Sunday pre-game show, That Other Pregame Show (TOPS). Green’s broadcast partner will be announced at a later date. After retiring in 2009, Green began his broadcast career working as an NFL analyst on regional games on Fox for one season, as well as a studio analyst for the NFL Network’s show, NFL Total Access. He also worked on Thursday Night Football NFL radio broadcasts on Westwood One, as well as Kansas City Chiefs preseason broadcasts…
…Led by Ian Darke, ESPN announced its 2014 FIFA World Cup play-by-play callers: Jon Champion, Adrian Healey, Daniel Mann, Fernando Palomo and Derek Rae. In all, ESPN will employ six play-by-play commentators for the 64 matches (June 12 – July 13), two more than it utilized for South Africa 2010. Darke who was named ESPN’s lead play-by-play commentator in January, will call the opener, final, and all U.S. National Team matches, among others. Among the additions, Champion has 20 years of broadcast experience in the United Kingdom with BBC, ITV and ESPN UK. Mann, who voiced FIFA’s 3D World Cup telecasts carried by ESPN 3D four years ago, returns to call the quadrennial event exclusively for ESPN. Healey and Rae have worked past FIFA World Cup tournaments for ESPN, among other major tournaments. Palomo, who has become a very familiar voice calling matches in both English and Spanish for ESPN, will make his World Cup debut in Brazil…
…Molly McGrath, who joined FOX Sports last year as a Fox Sports Live update desk anchor and sideline reporter, has been named the news anchor for America’s Pregame (premiering April 7) on FOX Sports 1. McGrath teams with Mike Hill on the show, which will use FOX Sports’ recently expanded national assets and those of FOX Sports Regional Networks’ 22 owned-and-operated channels, America’s Pregame takes viewers wherever stories are brewing or big games are happening. In addition to her work on Fox Sports Live’s update desk, she has served as an NFL on FOX and college basketball sideline reporter. McGrath joined the FOX Sports family in August from the Boston Celtics where served as a sideline reporter and in-arena host during the 2012-2013 season…
…SiriusXM announced today that World Golf Hall of Fame member Annika Sörenstam will host an exclusive new radio series on SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio (XM channel 93, Sirius channel 208). The ANNIKA Hour will debut Wednesday, April 2 (1:00 pm ET/10:00 am PT), the week of the LPGA’s first major tournament, the Kraft Nabisco Championship. On the series, which will air monthly through the 2014 season, Sörenstam and her co-host, Golf Digest Senior Writer and Golf World Executive Editor Ron Sirak, will take calls from listeners around the country, discuss her experiences in golf and business, provide instructional tips, and look at today’s game and players on the men’s and women’s tours.
…Former Alabama quarterback and 2010 BCS National Champion Greg McElroy has inked a multi-year agreement with ESPN to become a college football analyst for SEC Network (launching August 14). In addition to leading the Crimson Tide to a BCS and SEC Championship, McElroy was named 2010 ESPN/CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year and first-team Academic All-American. He most recently played in the NFL as a quarterback, drafted by the New York Jets in 2011…
…ESPN boxing analyst and trainer Teddy Atlas was honored Sunday at the third annual New York State Boxing Hall of Fame induction and awards dinner in New York. Atlas, who resides in Staten Island, has been involved in the New York boxing scene throughout his career, including six years at the legendary Catskill Boxing Club of Cus D’Amato. Atlas is perhaps best known for serving as Mike Tyson’s trainer the first four years of his career and preparing him for the eventual world Heavyweight Championship.