Behind the Mic: NBC Sports Spreads Super Bowl LVI Talent Over Eight L.A. Locations; Turner Sports Signs Exclusive Deal With Draymond Green

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, NBC Sports unveils their on-air talent for next month’s Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles, Turner Sports reaches an exclusive multiyear agreement with Draymond Green, long-time SportsCenter reporter Mark Schwarz is retiring after 32 years, and NBC Sports’ Premier League Studio Show will be live from SoFi Stadium throughout Super Bowl week.

NBC Sports’s Star-Studded Cast To Present Super Bowl LVI, Headlining Biggest Day in Sports on “Super Gold Sunday”

NBC Sports’ presentation of Super Bowl LVI includes a star-studded commentating team as Los Angeles hosts its first Super Bowl in nearly three decades from SoFi Stadium on Sunday, Feb. 13, on NBC, Telemundo, and Peacock. Super Bowl LVI marks the network’s 20th Super Bowl broadcast, and the first on Peacock. Telemundo will be the first Spanish-language broadcast network to air the Super Bowl.

In all, a record 27 hosts, analysts, and commentators will be in eight locations around Los Angeles and at SoFi Stadium for Super Bowl Sunday.

On Feb. 13, Super Bowl LVI and 2022 Winter Olympic Games converge across NBC Sports to create “Super Gold Sunday” – the biggest day in sports media history – featuring the awarding of the Lombardi Trophy in Los Angeles and multiple gold medal events in Beijing.

Al Michaels, the play-by-play voice for NBC’s Sunday Night Football, calls Super Bowl LVI on NBC and Peacock. This marks Michaels’ 11th Super Bowl play-by-play assignment – tied for the most ever for a television commentator, joining former CBS and FOX announcer Pat Summerall (11).

Joining Michaels are 16-time Emmy Award-winner Cris Collinsworth (analyst), who played in two Super Bowls as a member of the Cincinnati Bengals; four-time Sports Emmy Award-winner Michele Tafoya and Kathryn Tappen (sideline reporters); and three-time Super Bowl referee Terry McAulay (rules analyst). This marks the fifth Super Bowl assignment for Collinsworth and Tafoya, and the first game assignment for both Tappen and McAulay.

The Super Bowl LVI Pregame Show features host Mike Tirico, who will make a hosting double as he will anchor the Olympic primetime show in Beijing beginning Thursday, Feb. 3. He will also host NBC Sports’ Super Bowl halftime show and handle the Lombardi Trophy presentation after the game. Tirico’s first broadcast from SoFi Stadium will be the Friday, Feb. 11 Olympic primetime show on NBC and Peacock, where he will host from a special outdoor set.

Maria Taylor makes her Super Bowl hosting debut, starting Sunday’s pregame show at the famed Santa Monica Pier, before heading to the field at SoFi Stadium. At halftime, she will provide viewers with a “moments-away” look at what’s to come in the Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show from backstage and on-field locations. After the game, Taylor will anchor from the main set at SoFi Stadium.

Super Bowl XLIV MVP Drew Brees makes his Super Bowl television debut on the Super Bowl pregame show alongside Football Night in America teammates and fellow Super Bowl champions Tony Dungy and Rodney Harrison. Dungy won a Super Bowl as a player with the Pittsburgh Steelers (XIII) and as the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts (XLI). Harrison won two Super Bowls with the New England Patriots (XXXVIII and XXXIX).

Former NFL quarterback Chris Simms, whose father was MVP of Super Bowl XXI as quarterback of the New York Giants, joins Taylor at Santa Monica Pier before making his way to SoFi Stadium, while Jac Collinsworth makes his Super Bowl debut, working on the field alongside Harrison.

NBC Sports insiders Mike Florio and Peter King are covering their 13th and 38th Super Bowls, respectively. Florio will report on all the news surrounding Super Bowl LVI from on-location in Los Angeles, while King will present a feature and additional commentary. Steve Kornacki, NBC News’ celebrated political correspondent, will make his “Super Sunday” debut on the Super Bowl pregame show.

Throughout the pregame show, Michael Holley and Michael Smith from Peacock’s Brother From Another will report from the AFC and NFC team hotels, and Access Hollywood’s Kit Hoover will take viewers inside the NFL Tailgate at SoFi Stadium.

NBC Sports’ Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Rutledge Wood will embark on a “Super SoCal Adventure,” bringing viewers to various landmarks throughout Los Angeles leading up to the game.

Coverage will be led by Emmy-Award winner, Miguel Gurwitz, along with Ana Jurka, Karim Mendiburu, and special guest Rolando Cantu, a former Arizona Cardinals offensive lineman. Carlos Mauricio Ramirez will handle play-by-play and Jorge Andres will provide game analysis. In addition, Andres Cantor will make an appearance on NBC Sports’ Super Bowl pregame show.

NBC Sports’ coverage of Super Bowl LVI is led by executive producer Fred Gaudelli and director Drew Esocoff, who will work their seventh Super Bowl together. NBC Sports’ Super Bowl LVI Pregame coverage is produced by Tommy Roy and Matt Casey, and directed by Pierre Moossa. Sam Flood is the executive producer of NBC Sports.

Turner Sports Reaches Exclusive Multiyear Agreement with Draymond Green

Draymond Green, a three-time NBA Champion and three-time NBA All-Star with the Golden State Warriors, will join Turner Sports in an exclusive, multi-year agreement. The unique arrangement will include Green making appearances on TNT’s Inside the NBA, among additional content initiatives throughout the Turner Sports and Bleacher Report portfolio, as an active player.

As his schedule aligns, Green will join the Sports Emmy Award winning studio team of Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kenny Smith as an analyst, making select appearances – a combination of remote contributions and, at times, in person – throughout the season. Green will also contribute to various other programs, special projects and content initiatives.

He has previously contributed to Inside the NBA as a guest analyst, along with offering commentary during TNT’s The Arena, an in-depth storytelling franchise created to provide a thought-provoking forum for topics occurring both on and off the court. Green has also conducted one-on-one interviews with fellow NBA stars, such as former teammate Kevin Durant, for Bleacher Report.

As an active standout with the Golden State Warriors, Green has won three NBA Championships and he has been named to three NBA All-Star teams as a member of the franchise. He was the NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2017 and he has been honored as a member of the NBA All-Defensive First Team four times throughout his career.

Prior to being drafted in the NBA, Green was a star at Michigan State, earning Big Ten Player of the Year honors in 2012. He was also the Big Ten Tournament MVP that same year. His No. 23 has since been retired by Michigan State.

Mark Schwarz, SportsCenter‘s Longest-Tenured Reporter, Retiring After 32 Years

Monday, Jan. 31 will mark the end of an era at SportsCenter as Mark Schwarz, ESPN’s longest-tenured reporter, retires after 32 years on the job. In an ESPN career that began in 1990, Schwarz has covered nearly everything across the spectrum of sports. From big events to personality stories, Schwarz has been there, bringing information to ESPN viewers.  Over the past year, he has most often been seen on the 6 p.m. ET edition of SportsCenter, reporting on a news topic of the day for the “SC Report.”

ESPN Front Row has more on this announcement.

NBC Sports’ Premier League Studio Show To Be Presented Live From SoFi Stadium Throughout Super Bowl Week

In less than two weeks, NBC Sports’ Premier League studio show will hit the road for seven days of programming between Feb. 8-20.

First, from Feb. 8-13, the studio shows will be presented live from a set outside SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles – home of Super Bowl LVI on NBC, Peacock and Telemundo on Feb. 13. Arlo White will host the shows alongside analysts Robbie Earle, Robbie Mustoe, and Tim Howard.

The following weekend, White will host Feb. 19-20 shows from Sky Sports studios in the U.K. alongside Lee Dixon and Graeme Le Saux – his regular match commentary partners.

Rebecca Lowe will serve as NBC’s daytime host throughout the 2022 Winter Games. From Feb. 2-20, NBC Sports International Broadcast Center in Stamford, CT will be utilizing all studios for Winter Games coverage.

The first week of remote coverage marks NBC Sports’ second Premier League trip to the Los Angeles area this season. This February also marks the second time NBC Sports’ Premier League studio show will broadcast live from the Super Bowl – after making the trip to Arizona prior to Super Bowl XLIX in 2015.