Behind the Mic: Dick Vitale Re-Ups With ESPN; Telemundo Deportes Unveils Confed Cup Commentators

Behind the Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, including deals, departures, and new assignments compiled from press releases and reports around the industry. In this week’s edition, Dick Vitale has signed a contract extension with ESPN through the 2019-20 season, Telemundo Deportes has revealed its team commentators forthe 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup Russia, Yogi Roth and Steve Lavin have signed multiyear extensions with Pac-12 Networks, Paul Pierce is joining ESPN’s NBA Countdown team for pre-game and halftime shows throughout the NBA Finals on ABC, and more. 

…Longtime ESPN basketball analyst Dick Vitale has signed a contract extension with ESPN through the 2019-20 season. Vitale will be the main analyst on many of the network’s top games, including regular-season action primarily on ESPN and ESPN2 and the network’s Champ Week coverage. The Basketball Hall of Famer contributes to numerous ESPN platforms throughout the year, including ESPN.com, ESPN Radio and more. The agreement adds an additional year to his previous extension, announced last June, and extends Vitale into his 41st season with the network. He began with ESPN in its first year (1979-80). He called ESPN’s first-ever major NCAA basketball game – Wisconsin at DePaul on Dec. 5, 1979 (a 90-77 DePaul win). Since then, he’s called more than a thousand games and his “Vitale-isms” have become part of the sports lexicon, including “Awesome, Baby!,” “Get a TO, Baby!” and “PTP’er.” Prior to ESPN, Vitale served as a coach in college (for seven years starting in 1970 with Rutgers and later University of Detroit) and served as coach of the NBA’s Detroit Pistons, the job he held prior to joining ESPN. (ESPN)…

…Telemundo Deportes has revealed its team of presenters and commentators for its upcoming coverage of the FIFA Confederations Cup Russia 2017 taking place June 17- July 2. The on-air team will include Telemundo’s most distinguished television presenters, former star players and Telemundo Deportes’ team of soccer experts, as well as a production staff of more than 150 people. The entire team will be based in Russia throughout the duration of the tournament, marking the first time ever that coverage of all Confederations Cup matches will be produced live from all venue cities. Andrés Cantor will lead Telemundo Deportes’ coverage alongside the network’s roster of renowned play-by-play commentators, analysts and studio hosts. He will be joined by Mexican soccer legend Carlos Hermosillo and former Mexican National Team and Chivas player Manuel Sol, who will serve as game and studio analysts. Sammy Sadovnik will serve as play by play commentator alongside the analysis of Copán Álvarez. Special guests include Fabio Capello, Raúl “El Potro” Gutierrez,and  Claudio Borghi. Host and presenters include: Veronica Contreras, and Jaime Becerril. CLICK HERE for the full list of commentators. (Telemundo)…

…Paul Pierce, former NBA Finals MVP and 10-time All-Star, is joining the NBA Countdown team for pre-game and halftime shows throughout the NBA Finals on ABC. Pierce will join fellow former NBA Finals MVP Chauncey Billups, analyst Jalen Rose and host Michelle Beadle to form this year’s quartet. This is the second consecutive season that Pierce has contributed to ABC’s and ESPN’s NBA Finals coverage. In addition, Pierce will make regular appearances on ESPN’s The Jump with host Rachel Nichols throughout the NBA Finals. Pierce will first appear on The Jump May 17, at 3 p.m. ET and he will also contribute to ESPN’s SportsCenter coverage through the NBA Finals. NBA Countdown and The Jump will take their shows on the road for live, on-site telecasts during the NBA Finals. NBA Countdown will air prior to NBA Finals game broadcasts, while The Jump will air live at 3 p.m., Monday-Friday, on ESPN. (ESPN)…

……Pac-12 Networks announces that veteran football analyst Yogi Roth and veteran basketball analyst Steve Lavin, both signed multiyear extensions. The Network will retain two of its top talent in football and men’s basketball. Roth will continue to provide commentary for the Pac-12 Networks’ football telecasts along with in-studio appearances on Pac-12 Sports Report and special football programming. Roth will continue as a producer on Pac-12 Networks’ docu-series The Drive. Lavin will continue to provide commentary too, during the Networks’ coverage of men’s basketball. Prior to his work at Pac-12, Roth was a coach and member of Pete Carroll’s staff at USC. Lavin joined Pac-12 Networks in 2015 as a game analyst. Lavin’s perspective as an analyst is shaped by 20 years of Division I coaching experience with stints at Purdue University, UCLA and St. John’s University. In a combined 11 years as a men’s basketball head coach at UCLA and St. John’s, Lavin Led teams to 10 postseasons. He joined the UCLA staff in 1991 as an assistant coach. (Pac-12)…

…SportsCenter continues its emphasis on personality-driven programs with some lineup changes. Longtime SportsCenter anchors Steve Levy, Kenny Mayne, John Anderson and John Buccigross have signed new deals to continue with ESPN and be the hosts of the 11 pm.m ET. For the first time in nearly a decade, Mayne will anchor from ESPN’s Bristol, Conn., studios on a recurring basis beginning June 5. Two of the four will host most weeknight editions of the program as well as some weekends. Also returning to Bristol will be Sage Steele, who signed a new multiyear deal and will anchor SportsCenter from 7-10 a.m. ET Monday-Thursday on SportsCenter. He will also continue to lead SportsCenter on the Road coverage for major events. As part of the new deal, Hannah Storm will have a new role, including hosting prime-time specials and priving high impact journalistic pieces to key properties such as E:60 and SportsCenter. Sarina Morales, formerly a contributor to SportsCenter:AM, is now contributing to all editions of SportsCenter as a Fan Correspondent. (ESPN Media)…

…SEC Network’s Laura Rutledge has been tabbed as new host of the national network’s traveling pre-game show, SEC Nation, feat. Tebow, Marimcus Spears, and Paul Finebaum. Rutledge was a reporter on SEC Nation last season and hosted the network’s studio show SEC Now year-round. She will replace the show’s previous host, Maria Taylor. Rutledge joined ESPN and began working on SEC Network in 2014. She has covered a wide range of college sports as sideline reporter including football, basketball, softball and baseball. In addition to traveling with SEC Nation last fall, Rutledge was the sideline reporter for ESPN’s Thursdays Night Football Game. She also hosted more than 200 SEC Now shows and became an unofficial co-host on The Paul Finebaum Show, joining Finebaum in-studio several days a week. (ESPN)…

…David Ross, a World Series Champion with the 2013 Boston Red Sox and the 2016 Chicago Cubs Ross, a World Series Champion with the 2013 Boston Red Sox and the 2016 Chicago Cubs. Ross will join play-by-play commentator Jon Sciambi and analyst Aaron Boone to provide analysis as the Boston Red Sox visit the National League Central-leading St. Louis Cardinals. ESPN has also announced it has signed Ross to a multiyear deal at the start of the season (ESPN)….

…ESPN’s Bomani Jones, host of ESPN Radio’s The Right Time with Bomani Jones, and Pablo Torre, senior writer for ESPN The Magazine and ESPN.com, will host a newly created one-hour live program premiering Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018 on ESPN from noon – 1 p.m. ET. More details about the show will be announced at a later date. The program will also be streamed live on the ESPN app and WatchESPN across all devices and platforms. ESPN has signed Torre to a multiyear extension which will also afford him the opportunity to continue making regular appearances across a variety of shows and platforms including television shows Around the Horn, Pardon the Interruption, SportsNation, The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz and Highly Questionable. He will also continue writing for ESPN The Magazine and ESPN.com as well as regularly participate in ESPN’s “The Basketball Analogy” podcast. Torre joined ESPN in 2012…