Behind the Mic: ESPN Brings Back A-Rod and Vasgersian for SNB; Lindsey Vonn to Call Skiing for NBC Sports

Behind the Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, including new deals, departures, and assignments compiled from press releases and reports around the industry. In this week’s edition, ESPN Re-Signs Alex Rodriguez, Matt Vasgersian for Sunday Night Baseball Team, Lindsey Vonn will join NBC Sports’ alpine skiing telecasts this weekend, Long-time Sportsnet personality Sid Seixeiro is leaving Tim & Sid to join Breakfast Television on Citytv, Trey Wingo will call the action from the first two rounds of the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, and more.

ESPN Re-Signs Alex Rodriguez, Matt Vasgersian for Sunday Night Baseball Team

ESPN announced its broadcast team for the 2021 season of Sunday Night Baseball presented by Taco Bell: the exclusive, national Major League Baseball game of the week. The team of World Series Champion and analyst Alex Rodriguez, play-by-play voice Matt Vasgersian, and reporter Buster Olney will return for their second season as a trio and their fourth season together overall. (ESPN)

Lindsey Vonn Joins NBC Sports Alpine Ski Commentary Team This Weekend

Lindsey Vonn, the winningest woman in alpine skiing World Cup history, will join NBC Sports’ alpine skiing telecasts this Saturday and Sunday on Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA. Vonn makes her on-air debut as an analyst with NBC Sports’ lead alpine skiing commentator Dan Hicks for the women’s downhill and Super-G events in Crans Montana, Switzerland. (NBC)

Sid Seixeiro Joins Citytv’s Breakfast Television as New Co-Host

Long-time Sportsnet personality Sid Seixeiro is leaving Tim & Sid to join Breakfast Television on Citytv as the morning show’s new co-host. Beginning March 10, Seixeiro will wake up audiences alongside current co-host and fan favorite Dina Pugliese and the rest of the BT family – Devo Brown, Frank Ferragine (aka Frankie Flowers), Stephanie Henry, Melanie Ng, Nicole Servinis and Tammie Sutherland. (Sportsnet)

Former ESPN star Trey Wingo will return to calling golf for PGA Tour Live

Trey Wingo, a longtime fixture at ESPN, will call the action from the first two rounds of the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, January 28 and 29. The 57-year-old TV veteran left ESPN at the end of 2020 after a 23-year-run, most recently as co-host of the sports talk radio show “Golic and Wingo.” (Golfweek)

David Feherty’s golf talk program to end after 10 years and nearly 150 guests

Jesse Washington Agrees to Multi-Year Extension with ESPN’s The Undefeated

The Undefeated, ESPN’s content initiative exploring the intersection of sports, race and culture, has reached a multi-year contract extension with senior writer Jesse Washington to continue as one of the platform’s leading narrative journalists. Washington, who joined ESPN in January 2015 as one of the founding writers who launched the platform, has been a significant contributor the past five years. (ESPN)

Ted Leitner retires from SD radio after 41 years

Ted Leitner, for 41 years the beloved play-by-play radio voice of the Padres known as “Uncle Teddy,” will transition to the role of team ambassador, moving away from the booth, the team announced. Leitner’s radio partner Jesse Agler will assume the role of full-time radio play-by-play man, with Tony Gwynn Jr. joining the booth as a full-time analyst. (San Diego Padres)

Urban Meyer officially leaves Fox to become head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars

Urban Meyer is officially back in the coaching ranks as head coach of the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars. Meyer, 56, spent two seasons in the broadcast studio this time around. He retired from his role as Ohio State’s head coach after the 2019 Rose Bowl, and joined Fox Sports and Big Ten Network not long after that, working on Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff. (Awful Announcing)

NBC Sports Announces NHL Commentators for 2020-21 Season

NBC Sports announced its team of more than 20 game and studio commentators for its coverage of the 2020-21 NHL regular season prior to the puck dropping. NBC Sports will utilize nearly 15 play-by-play commentators and analysts throughout the 2020-21 season. Kenny Albert, Brendan Burke and John Forslund will headline the group of play-by-play commentators. Eddie Olczyk, Brian Boucher, Pierre McGuire and AJ Mleczko will lead NBC Sports’ game analyst team, all appearing on the season’s opening night Wednesday Night Hockey tripleheader. U.S. Olympic gold medalist Kendall Coyne Schofield will take on a recurring role as a game analyst this season. In addition, many analysts, such as Olczyk, Anson Carter and Keith Jones, will contribute to both game and studio coverage during the year. In some instances, game commentary will originate from remote locations, including NBC Sports’ International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Conn. (NBC Sports)

As part of the announcement NBC announced today that Mike Milbury won’t be back after 14 years of covering hockey. (USA Today)