Behind the Mic: Tirico, Bayless Lead Parade of Exits at ESPN; NBC Expands Weir, Lipinski Roles in Rio

ESPN seems to be in the midst of a mass exodus of high-profile talent, as Mike Tirico, Skip Bayless, Trent Dilfer, and Brad Nessler all look to be on their way out of Bristol. However, it’s not all bad news: ESPN is also adding a host of new faces, including Abby Wambach, Raúl Ibañez, and Elle Duncan. Among other networks, NBC continues to flesh out its on-air talent lineup for the Rio Olympics, and Fox does the same for its second year of U.S. Open golf coverage. 

A Talent Exodus From Bristol
Mike Tirico, a 25-year vet at ESPN and one of its most versatile and high-profile announcers, is leaving the network for NBC, according to SBJ’s John Ourand. Tirico, who’s contract is up this summer, has served as ESPN’s lead Monday Night Football play-by-play announcer since 2006, as well as top play-by-play roles in NBA, college basketball, college football, grand slam tennis, and major golf tournaments. Tirico is expected to serve as play-by-play voice on NBC’s new Thursday Night Football package of five late-season games. In addition, there’s no shortage of potential high-profile opportunities for Tirico at the Peacock, as Sunday Night Football play-by-play man Al Michaels’ contract is up in two years, and NBC holds Olympics rights through 2032 (though Bob Costas is entrenched as the primetime host) and boasts a robust golf portfolio that includes major PGA Tour events and the British Open.

Ourand also reported that the recently re-uped Sean McDonough is a leading candidate to replace Tirico on MNF…

…ESPN confirmed last month that ESPN2 First Take co-host Skip Bayless would be leaving the network after 12 years once his contract expires at the end of August. His final appearance on First Take will be the day after the NBA Finals conclude. Bayless is expected to sign with Fox Sports and head up a new afternoon debate show on FS1…

…The New York Daily News also reports that ESPN NFL analyst Trent Dilfer and college football/basketball play-by-play caller Brad Nessler are also on their way out at ESPN. No word on where Dilfer is headed, but Nessler looks to be en route to CBS to work NFL games and eventually succeed Verne Lundquist on CBS’ SEC football package…

NBC Continues to Unveil On-Air Talent Plans for Rio
NBC continues to flesh out its on-air talent plans for the the 2016 Rio Olympics Games.

Two-time Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir and 1998 Olympic figure skating gold medalist Tara Lipinski will serve as correspondents for NBC’s coverage of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, exploring the rich culture, sights, sounds and, of course, fashion, of Rio. Weir and Lipinski began their Olympic prep earlier this February at the world-famous Carnival festival. After receiving critical acclaim for their figure skating analysis on NBCSN’s coverage of the 2014 Sochi Games, Weir and Lipinski were named NBC’s lead figure skating commentary team. They have served as fashion, lifestyle and social media correspondents for a wide range of NBC Sports Group properties including the 2014 and 2015 Kentucky Derby, Super Bowl XLIX, and the National Dog Show…

…Matt Lauer, Meredith Vieira and Savannah Guthrie will host NBC’s coverage of the Opening Ceremony in Rio. Rio 2016 will be Lauer’s 11th Olympics for TODAY, and his fifth in a role on the primetime Opening Ceremony broadcast. Vieira works her third Opening Ceremony for NBC. Guthrie, in her third Olympics for TODAY, makes her NBC Olympics debut in Rio…

…NBC’s Sunday Night Football sideline reporter and multiple Emmy Award-winner Michele Tafoya joins longtime NBC golf commentator Dan Hicks and three-time U.S. Olympic gold medalist Rowdy Gaines to call swimming for NBC Olympics in Rio. Working her fourth Olympics, Tafoya makes her debut at the swimming competition. Hicks works alongside Gaines for the sixth consecutive Olympics…

ESPN Adds Wambach, Ibañez, and Duncan
While the on-air exits are getting much of the publicity, ESPN continues to add to its stable of talent as well. Abby Wambach, 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist, has agreed to a multiyear contract to serve as an analyst and contributor to ESPN across various shows and platforms. Wambach will cover international sporting events for the network later this summer at the UEFA European Football Championship 2016 in France and 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Additionally, she will contribute to ESPN Films projects and feature reports, as well as ESPN’s news programs E:60 and Outside the Lines where she will expand her profile reporting on topical issues in sports. Later this month, Wambach will launch a bi-weekly ESPN Audio podcast, Fearless Conversation with Abby Wambach. The podcast will be topic-driven, featuring interviews with notable personalities. Wambach retired from professional soccer in 2015, after helping lead the U.S. Women’s National Team to its second FIFA World Cup title. She had a 14-year career playing with the national team and featured in four FIFA Women’s World tournaments (2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015), and two Summer Olympics (2004 and 2012), amassing a record 184 goals in 255 appearances with the team…

…Former Major League Baseball All-Star Raúl Ibañez has joined ESPN as a baseball analyst. In this new, multi-year agreement, Ibañez will primarily provide commentary for Baseball Tonight on ESPN. He will also serve as an analyst for select games. In addition to MLB studio programming, Ibañez will contribute analysis to SportsCenter and other news and information programming. Ibañez debuted as part of ESPN’s Wednesday Night Baseball telecast tonight, April 27: Texas Rangers at New York Yankees. He played 19 Major League Baseball seasons and was an MLB All-Star in 2009 with the Phillies. On Feb. 2, 2016, the Los Angeles Dodgers announced Ibañez joined the organization as special assistant to president of baseball operations, Andrew Friedman…

… Television sports veteran Elle Duncan has joined ESPN as an anchor for SportsCenter, the network’s signature news and information program. She will begin work on May 9. For the past two years, Duncan has been an anchor, host and reporter for the New England Sports Network (NESN) in Boston, most recently hosting the daily NESN Live and NESN Sports Today programs. Prior to joining NESN in early 2014, the Atlanta served as a sports anchor and reporter for WXIA-TV (Atlanta’s NBC-TV affiliate) from 2012-2014, was a sideline reporter for the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks for six years and a field reporter for Comcast Sports South on SEC and ACC football for two years…

…In addition to the newcomers, Bill Barnwell, one of ESPN Digital and Print’s leading voices, has signed a new multi-year extension to remain with ESPN. As part of his new deal, Barnwell will continue to write his popular NFL column for ESPN.com. On Monday, he launched a new flagship ESPN Audio podcast, The Bill Barnwell Show. He will also contribute to ESPN Radio and television and have the opportunity to expand into other sports. Barnwell joined Grantland in 2011 and has been with ESPN since November. His ESPN.com NFL columns, which combine quantitative and qualitative analysis to dig deeper into how teams win games and how players impact them, rank among the site’s most popular features. Prior to Grantland, Barnwell worked as the Managing Editor for Football Outsiders, a quantitative thinktank, while contributing articles to ESPN Insider. He’s also served as a statistical consultant to teams in the NFL and Major League Baseball…

Fox Fills Out Golf Squad Ahead of U.S Open
Fox announced its complete USGA Championship season on-air roster, highlighted by the addition of World Golf Hall of Famer and two-time U.S. Open Champion Curtis Strange as an on-course reporter and analyst. Strange, who served as as an analyst for ABC from 1995-2004 and then rejoined ESPN/ABC in 2008, will serve as an on-course reporter and analyst for the 116^th U.S. Open Championship at Oakmont Country Club, the U.S. Senior Open at Scioto Country Club, the U.S. Amateur at Oakland Hills Country Club and the Men’s Amateur Four-Ball at Winged Foot Golf Club.

When the U.S. Open returns to Oakmont for a record ninth time, special contributor Bob Ford also joins the broadcast, providing insights and analysis of the course throughout the championship. A name synonymous with Oakmont, Ford joined the club’s staff in 1975 and became its head professional just four years later, a post he held until 2013 when he was elevated to director of golf.

Five-time Ryder Cup competitor and veteran golf commentator Ken Brown also joins FOX Sports’ U.S. Open coverage this year. A four-time European Tour winner, Brown began his broadcasting career in the FOX family of networks at Sky Sports in the early 1990s before moving to the BBC. Known for his humor, he achieved cult status among golf fans abroad in nearly two decades as an on-course reporter and analyst, a role he reprises with FOX Sports.

The final addition to FOX Sports’ 2016 U.S. Open roster is Golf World editor-in-chief Jaime Diaz. A recipient of the 2012 PGA Lifetime Achievement Award in Journalism, Diaz has covered over 100 major championships throughout his career and serves as a reporter for the U.S. Open, bringing decades of experience with him.

Play-by-play announcers Joe Buck and Shane O’Donoghue, analysts Mark Brooks, Jay Delsing, Brad Faxon, David Fay, Steve Flesch, Natalie Gulbis, Gil Hanse, Juli Inkster, Buddy Marucci and Scott McCarron, studio host Holly Sonders and interviewer Shane Bacon return to FOX Sports’ USGA broadcast team in 2016. Azinger makes his FOX Sports debut on May 24 at the Men’s Amateur Four-Ball…

Odds and Ends
Former Ohio State and NFL running back Robert Smith will join the FOX Sports and BTN college football studios this fall. Smith teams with host Rob Stone and analysts Dave Wannstedt and Matt Leinart for pregame, halftime, and postgame coverage on the FOX broadcast network and FS1 and appears on BTN studio shows throughout the week. He also hosts a weekly Sunday program on FOX Sports Radio during the football season. A two-time Pro Bowl selection with the Vikings, Smith’s broadcast career began in 2005 with ESPN where he contributed regularly to “College Football Live” as well as the network’s Saturday studio coverage…

…Sportsnet’s soccer host and commentator Gerry Dobson will retire from broadcasting this September, capping off a 37-year career. A member of the Sportsnet broadcasting team since the network’s inception in 1998, Dobson will finish his broadcast career this summer by calling Sportsnet’s remaining Toronto FC broadcasts. His final live match broadcast will be September 10…

…NBC Sports Group NASCAR features reporter Rutledge Wood will join NBC Sports Group for its coverage of the 2016 Kentucky Derby from Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY, this weekend. Similar to his role on NASCAR telecasts — reporting on the sport’s storied raceways, unique towns and enthusiastic fans — Wood will delve into what makes The Kentucky Derby one of the most anticipated sporting events of the year. In addition, Wood will serve as a reporter on the pink carpet for the Kentucky Oaks (Friday, May 6, 12:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN), and the red carpet for the Kentucky Derby (Saturday, May 7, 4 p.m. ET on NBC). Wood contributes to NBC Sports Group’s multiplatform coverage of NASCAR, Formula 1, IndyCar, Global Rallycross and Mecum Auctions. He has hosted and co-hosted several NASCAR events, including the annual NASCAR Awards Banquet. Wood also co-hosts History Channel’s Top Gear…

…Campus Insiders has named Christine Williamson the Big 12 Digital Network correspondent for Campus Insiders. The Big 12 Digital Network on Campus Insiders, now in its third year, delivers daily coverage of all Big 12 sports including game highlights as well as coach and student-athlete interviews from every member school in the conference.  Williamson recently served as the 2016 Super Bowl Champion Denver Broncos digital media contributor. Williamson, a former varsity volleyball player at the University of Miami, also served in many leadership roles such as the ACC Leadership Conference and student-athlete advisory committees. She has had a varied broadcast background covering a wide range of college and professional sports, including roles at the Denver Broncos, ESPNU, FOX Sports, Tigercast and the Clemson Athletics department.

…Time Inc.’s Sports Illustrated Group has hired Albert Breer, the veteran Boston-based analyst and TV/digital reporter for the NFL Network, to the staff of The MMQB. Breer has been a national reporter for NFL Network since 2010, where he contributed to the network’s on-air programming and regularly wrote for NFL.com. In his new role with The MMQB, Breer will be reporting on pro football across platforms, enhancing the brand’s growing video presence with his considerable on-air experience.  Before his stint with the NFL Network, Breer served as the national NFL writer for the Boston Globe; an NFL writer for Sporting News; a Dallas Cowboys beat writer for the Dallas Morning News; and the New England Patriots beat writer for the MetroWest Daily News / Boston Herald. Before beginning his professional career, Breer received his undergraduate degree in Journalism from Ohio State University…

…Yahoo! has announced its full global editorial lineup for the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, including Olympic gold medalists Shawn Johnson and Summer Sanders. Yahoo will send more than 15 experts and writers to Rio, plus another 15 video producers and crew to cover the Games from every angle. In addition to Johnson and Sanders, Yahoo’s team will include of Karina LeBlanc, Dan Wetzel, Pat Forde, Jeff Passan, Eric Adelson, Greg Wyshynski, Kevin Iole, Michael Lee, Jeff Eisenberg and Ryan Bailey.