Behind The Mic: Derek Jeter Joins ‘MLB on FOX’; AT&T Sportsnet and ROOT Sports Hosts All Female Broadcast

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, AT&T SportsNet and ROOT Sports will have theirfirst all-female broadcast; Brandon Gaudin to be new voice of play-by-play for Atlanta Braves on Bally Sports Regional Networks.

On Saturday, March 11, AT&T SportsNet and ROOT Sports Will Have its First Ever All-Female Broadcast.

The broadcast team will include women from across the AT&T SportsNet and ROOT Sports family. Jenny Cavnar (Colorado Rockies) will serve as the play-by-play announcer with Angie Mentink (Seattle Mariners) joining her in the booth as an analyst. Sideline reporter duties will be handled by Jen Mueller (Seattle Mariners) and Julia Morales (Houston Astros).  The all-female broadcast will extend behind the camera with women from the AT&T SportsNet production team including Game Producer Alison Vigil, and Game Director Erica Ferrero.

Yankees Legend Derek Jeter Joins ‘MLB on FOX’ Crew for 2023 Season

During FOX SUPER BOWL LVII PREGAME, FOX Sports announced the addition of Hall of Famer and five-time World Series champion Derek Jeter to its FOX MLB studio coverage.

Jeter was given a FOX Sports MLB jersey from his former teammate and FOX Sports MLB analyst Alex Rodriguez.

Affectionately known as “The Captain,” Jeter spent his entire 20-year MLB career with the New York Yankees, winning five World Series titles, five Gold Gloves and five Silver Sluggers and earning 14 All-Star selections. He recorded 3,465 career hits and a .310 batting average and was the 1996 AL Rookie of the Year and the 2000 World Series MVP. His No. 2 jersey was retired by the Yankees.

The former superstar shortstop owns MLB playoff records for games played (158), runs scored (111), hits (200), total bases (302), singles (143) and doubles (32).

Jeter was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2021 after receiving 396 of 397 (99.7%) possible votes, the second-highest percentage ever and the highest by a position player. Last February, he resigned as the CEO of the Marlins following four years in that role. Miami broke a 16-year playoff drought under his watch.

Brandon Gaudin to be New Play-by-Play Voice of Atlanta Braves Baseball on the Bally Sports Regional Networks.

Bally Sports South and Bally Sports Southeast hires Brandon Gaudin to be its new play-by-play announcer for Atlanta Braves telecasts beginning with the 2023 MLB season.

“Today is the realization of a childhood dream,” says Gaudin. “I get to be behind the mic for the team I grew up idolizing. And the team who fostered my love for both sports and broadcasting. I’m grateful to both the Braves and Bally Sports for this incredible opportunity. I cannot wait to work alongside this team and talented broadcast crew.”

Gaudin has worked as a play-by-play broadcaster for FOX Sports and the Big Ten Network for the last seven years, broadcasting MLB, NFL and college football and basketball games.

“Brandon is the perfect fit for what we were looking for as the new voice of the Atlanta Braves on Bally Sports,” says Jeff Genthner, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Bally Sports South and Bally Sports Southeast. “His proven qualifications as a national broadcaster, coupled with his passion for the Atlanta Braves and city of Atlanta make him an excellent fit for our broadcast team. We are excited to welcome him to Bally Sports.”

“We welcome Brandon into the Braves family as well as our broadcast booth,” says Derek Schiller, Atlanta Braves President and CEO. “The Braves have had a legendary lineup of broadcasters throughout our history and we are excited to find someone who is familiar with our past from growing up a Braves fan and respecting those who came before him.”

Gaudin also serves as the play-by-play voice of Madden NFL for EA Sports, a position he has held since the video game’s “Madden NFL 17” title.

Atlanta natives might recognize him from his three years as the Voice of the Yellow Jackets, calling football, men’s basketball and baseball games at Georgia Tech from 2013-16 before moving on to network television. He has been an Atlanta resident ever since.

A native of Evansville, Indiana, Gaudin graduated as the “Most Outstanding Communications Student” in Butler University’s class of 2006. After college, he began his professional career broadcasting Minor League Baseball in the Los Angeles Angels organization.

Mike Tirico and Danica Patrick Return to NBC Sports’ Coverage of 107^TH Indianapolis 500 Presented by Gainbridge

With less than 100 days until the 107th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on NBC and Peacock, NBC Sports announced today that Mike Tirico and Danica Patrick will return to its coverage of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sun., May 28.

Tirico made his debut as NBC Sports’ host of the Indianapolis 500 during its inaugural broadcast in 2019 and has served in the same role each year. Patrick, who earned a top-five finish in the 2005 Indianapolis 500 and boasts six career top-ten finishes in the event, has previously served as a studio analyst during NBC Sports’ pre-race coverage and as an analyst on the Peacock Pit Box alongside pit lane for NBC Sports’ Indy 500 broadcasts.

NBC Sports’ lead NTT INDYCAR SERIES broadcast booth of Leigh Diffey (play-by-play), Townsend Bell (analyst) and James Hinchcliffe (analyst) will have the call of the 107th Running of the Indianapolis 500 on NBC and Peacock. Additional commentators contributing to NBC Sports’ Indy 500 coverage will be announced soon.

NBC Sports Celebrates Greatest Spectacle in Racing With Countdown of Top 10 Indianapolis 500s of All-Time

NBC Sports will honor the rich history of the Indianapolis 500 by counting down the Top 10 Indianapolis 500s of All-Time, as voted on by an esteemed panel of former drivers, broadcasters and INDYCAR historians. The members of the committee will be announced soon.

The Top 10 list will be revealed throughout the first portion of NBC Sports’ exclusive coverage of the 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES as well as across its social and digital platforms, culminating with the announcement of the No. 1 Indianapolis 500 of all-time on the weekend of this year’s race.

The committee will use a variety of criteria to determine the rankings, including the quality of the racing, memorable moments, the strength of the field, and the race’s historical impact.

2023 Season Coverage Begins at ST. Petersburg on March 5

NBC Sports’ exclusive coverage of the 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES begins Sunday, March 5, at noon ET on NBC and Peacock with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, the first of seven consecutive races on the NBC Broadcast Network to begin the 2023 season. Click here for more information.

2022 is Most-Watched Indycar Season in Six Years & Most-Watched Across NBC Sports On Record

Last year, NBC Sports’ coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES delivered the most-watched INDYCAR season in six years (since 2016) and NBC Sports’ most-watched season on record, an increase of 5% compared to 2021.

Reporter Sherree Burruss Joins NFL Network

Veteran reporter and host Sherree Burruss has joined NFL Network as an on-air reporter, it was announced today.

In her role, Burruss will provide content on multiple platforms across NFL Network and the NFL app, covering stories across the league nationally and contributing news and reports on shows year-round.

Burruss will make her NFL Network debut on Wednesday, February 22 on NFL Now, providing a live report from New Orleans ahead of the second annual HBCU Legacy Bowl on Saturday, February 25 at 4:00 PM ET. For the game, Burruss will serve as sideline reporter, joining play-by-play announcer Steve Wyche, and analysts Charles Davis and Bucky Brooks on the call.

Prior to joining NFL Network, Burruss most recently served as lead sideline reporter for CBS Sports Network and anchor for CBS Sports HQ, primarily covering college football and college basketball. Additionally, she spent two seasons on NFL sidelines reporting on games for CBS.

Burruss joined CBS Sports Network from NBC 4 in the Washington, D.C. area where she worked as a sporter reporter and anchor, covering professional and collegiate sports around the nation’s capital.

Burruss is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and currently lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband and daughter.