Behind The Mic: FOX Sports and NBC Sports Unveil USFL Broadcast and Announcing Teams
Story Highlights
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, Blue Jays Alek Manoah to join MLB Central as a weekly correspondent, Carli Lloyd is FOX Sport’s newest analyst for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
FOX Sports Welcomes Carli Lloyd As Its Newest Analyst for FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023
FOX Sports announces one of the all-time best players in United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) history, Carli Lloyd, will join the network’s broadcast team as an analyst.
David Neal, Executive Producer of FIFA World Cup on FOX and Vice President of Production for FOX Sports, tabbed Lloyd’s addition as a victory for viewers as the network ramps up preparations for the FIFA Women’s World Cup from Thursday, July 20, to Sunday, Aug. 20.
“There is only one Carli Lloyd, and we’re thrilled she’ll be joining FOX Sports in the Land Down Under for the biggest Women’s World Cup to date,” says Neal. “With the United States playing for a historic third consecutive title and fifth star above their crest, Carli’s experience just a short time ago as a teammate and competitor on the world’s biggest stage promises to shine across our dedicated coverage of the tournament.”
“I’m excited to officially be on board for the summer and back with FOX Sports after the fantastic experience with the broadcast team at the men’s World Cup a few months ago,” says Lloyd. “This will be my first World Cup since the amazing run we had in France in 2019, and I’m really looking forward to channeling those memories and sharing my insights when the tournament kicks off in July.”
Lloyd made her FOX Sports debut as a studio analyst on the network’s soccer coverage in April of last year before becoming a featured member of the broadcast team at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. The FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 is Lloyd’s first FIFA Women’s World Cup since scoring three goals across seven appearances as co-captain of the champion USWNT at the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019.
Lloyd’s legendary international career spanned 17 years and concluded with 316 caps, good for second all-time in U.S. and world history. She represented the U.S. on the pitch across three different decades, including four World Cups and four Olympics, and played in more World Cup and Olympic matches than any other player in USWNT history. A two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup Champion, two-time Olympic gold medalist and back-to-back FIFA Women’s Player of the Year in 2015 and 2016, Lloyd retired from the game in October 2021 as the highest scoring midfielder in U.S. history with 128 career goals, ranking fourth all-time for the USWNT.
FOX Sports’ complete broadcast team, broadcast schedule, production plans, digital offerings and more will be unveiled in the months ahead in the lead up to the start of the tournament.
FOX Sports’ inaugural coverage of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015 won two Sports Emmys, including Outstanding Technical Team Studio and Outstanding Production Design/Art Direction. The FIFA World Cup Russia 2018, earned FOX Sports a Sports Emmy for Outstanding Trans-Media Sports Coverage and its presentation of the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019 scored two Sports Emmys, including Outstanding Technical Team Studio and Outstanding Sports Promotional Announcement. Less than six months ago, FOX Sports’ coverage of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 posted record-breaking audiences and was recently nominated for several national awards.
FOX Sports Unveils 2023 USFL On FOX Broadcast Team For Season 2
FOX Sports unveils its 2023 USFL broadcast roster, featuring the return of veteran broadcaster and Emmy Award-winner Curt Menefee alongside critically acclaimed analyst Joel Klatt. In addition, esteemed play-by-play announcer Kevin Kugler, celebrated analyst Mark Sanchez, along with a duo of sideline analysts, and former quarterbacks Brock Huard and Devin Gardner will contribute to the network’s comprehensive USFL coverage.
Menefee hosts FOX NFL SUNDAY, the No. 1 NFL pregame show for 29 straight years. Klatt, FOX Sports’ lead college football analyst, calls the network’s top college football games on BIG NOON SATURDAY, which delivered the most-watched regular season game and college football window across any network for the second consecutive season.
Kugler provides play-by-play for the NFL, MLB and college basketball for the network. Sanchez enters his second season as a USFL analyst bringing his experience as a starting quarterback in the NFL. Huard, an established broadcaster in both television and radio, will provide viewers with a unique perspective during games. Gardner, an Emmy Award winner, and star quarterback at the University of Michigan, will be seen on the sidelines reporting the latest stories and injuries updates during games.
FOX USFL Doubleheader Opener
Three new cities host USFL games this season including Memphis, Detroit, and Canton, along with last year’s hub in Birmingham. Season 2 for the USFL begins with the Philadelphia Stars taking on the Memphis Showboats from Memphis and the New Jersey Generals battling the defending champion Birmingham Stallions in Birmingham on Saturday, April 15 beginning at 4:30 PM ET on FOX.
The 2023 USFL 10-week regular season will run through mid-June airing on FOX and FS1, followed by playoff games and the final championship set for Sunday, July 2 from Canton, Ohio on FOX.
2023 USFL Television Schedule
Week 1
Saturday, April 15
Philadelphia Stars at Memphis Showboats
4:30 PM ET – FOX
New Jersey Generals at Birmingham Stallions
7:30 PM ET – FOX
Sunday, April 16
Pittsburgh Maulers at New Orleans Breakers
6:30 PM ET – FS1
Week 2
Saturday, April 22
Memphis Showboats at Birmingham Stallions
7:00 PM ET – FOX
Sunday, April 23
Michigan Panthers at Philadelphia Stars
7:00 PM ET – FS1
Week 3
Saturday, April 29
Memphis Showboats at Houston Gamblers
7:00 PM ET – FOX
Sunday, April 30
New Jersey Generals at Michigan Panthers
4:00 PM ET – FOX
Week 4
Saturday May 6
Houston Gamblers at Philadelphia Stars
1:00 PM ET – FOX
Sunday, May 7
Birmingham Stallions at Pittsburgh Maulers
6:30 PM ET – FS1
Week 5
Saturday, May 13
Houston Gamblers at Birmingham Stallions
4:00 PM ET – FOX
Sunday, May 14
Memphis Showboats at New Orleans Breakers
3:00 PM ET – FOX
Week 6
Saturday May 20
Birmingham Stallions at Michigan Panthers
4:00 PM ET – FOX
Sunday, May 21
New Orleans Breakers at Philadelphia Stars
12:00 PM ET – FS1
New Jersey Generals at Houston Gamblers
4:00 PM ET – FOX
Week 7
Saturday, May 27
Birmingham Stallions at New Orleans Breakers
4:00 PM ET – FOX
Philadelphia Stars at Pittsburgh Maulers
9:00 PM ET – FS1
Sunday, May 28
Michigan Panthers at New Jersey Generals
5:30 PM ET – FS1
Week 8
Sunday, June 4
Memphis Showboats at New Jersey Generals
1:00 PM ET – FOX
Michigan Panthers at New Orleans Breakers
4:00 PM ET – FOX
Week 9
Saturday, June 10
Michigan Panthers at Pittsburgh Maulers
12:00 PM ET – FOX
Sunday, June 11
Philadelphia Stars at New Jersey Generals
7:00 PM ET – FOX
Week 10
Saturday, June 17
Birmingham Stallions at Memphis Showboats
4:00 PM ET – FOX
Sunday, June 18
New Orleans Breakers at Houston Gamblers
4:00 PM ET – FS1
Philadelphia Stars at Michigan Panthers
7:00 PM ET – FOX
Playoffs
Saturday, June 24
Sunday, June 25 (FOX)
Championship Game
Sunday, July 2
NBC Sports Announces Commentators For 2023 USFL Season
NBC Sports announces its commentators for the 2023 USFL season, which kicked off with four games. NBC Sports’ season opener was on Sunday, April 16, at noon ET on NBC and Peacock where the Michigan Panthers faced the Houston Gamblers at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis, Tenn.
NBC Sports’ Jac Collinsworth and Paul Burmeister returned to handle USFL play-by-play duties for a second season.
NBC Sports’ team of USFL analysts include former Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett, former NFL fullback and NFL Network analyst Michael Robinson and New Orleans Saints defensive end and seven-time Pro Bowler Cameron Jordan, who all return from last year’s inaugural season. Arizona Cardinals quarterback Colt McCoy, two-time Pro Bowl tight end Kyle Rudolph, and former NFL defensive lineman Anthony Herron will also serve as analysts throughout the year.
The NBC Sports sideline reporters for the 2023 USFL season are Zora Stephenson, Corey Robinson, Lewis Johnson, and Caroline Pineda.
Play-by-Play Commentators
- Jac Collinsworth: Collinsworth’s wide-ranging assignments at NBC Sports include play-by-play for Notre Dame Football and co-hosting Football Night in America and Peacock Sunday Night Football Final.
- Paul Burmeister: Burmeister, a former Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback, has handled play-by-play duties for NBC Sports’ coverage of the All-American Bowl, Bayou Classic, and Atlantic 10 basketball. Burmeister is also the radio play-by-play voice of Notre Dame Football.
Analysts
- Jason Garrett: Garrett is a studio analyst for Football Night in America and a game analyst for NBC Sports’ coverage of Notre Dame Football. Following his 14-year NFL playing career where he was a member of three Super Bowl-winning teams with the Dallas Cowboys, Garrett served as the head coach of the Cowboys from 2010-19, where he ranks second in team history in wins by a head coach.
- Michael Robinson: A 13-year NFL veteran who currently is an NFL Network analyst, Robinson won Super Bowl XLVIII with the Seahawks and earned Pro Bowl honors in 2011.
- Cameron Jordan: Currently a defensive end for the New Orleans Saints, Jordan is a seven-time Pro-Bowl selection and earned first team All-Pro honors in 2017. Jordan ranks second all-time in sacks by a Saints player (115.5).
- Colt McCoy: A 12-year NFL veteran, McCoy plays quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals and started six games for the team over the past two seasons. McCoy was a Heisman Trophy finalist and Maxwell Award winner in 2009 while at University of Texas.
- Kyle Rudolph: A 12-year NFL veteran, Rudolph is a two-time Pro-Bowl selection and is the Minnesota Vikings all-time leader in touchdowns by a tight end with 48.
- Anthony Herron: Herron, a former NFL defensive lineman, serves as an analyst on NBC Sports’ college football coverage, including the All-American Bowl, Bayou Classic, and HBCU Pigskin Showdown.
Sideline Reporters
- Zora Stephenson: Stephenson serves as a sideline reporter for NBC Sports’ coverage of Notre Dame Football and was the play-by-play voice for the inaugural Citi Shamrock Classic women’s college basketball game. She also worked as an NBC Olympics Twitter host during the Beijing Winter Games.
- Corey Robinson: A former Notre Dame wide receiver, Robinson works as a host and reporter across a variety of NBC Sports properties, including as an analyst on Atlantic 10 basketball, host of the ND on NBC Podcast, and assignments on the past two Olympic Games.
- Lewis Johnson: Johnson is a reporter for NBC Sports’ coverage of track & field and has worked on 12 Olympic Games and five Paralympics. He has also served as a sideline reporter for NBC Sports’ college football coverage, including the All-American Bowl and Bayou Classic.
- Caroline Pineda: Pineda was a sideline reporter for Atlantic 10 basketball this past season after working on NBC’s Sunday Night Football production team in 2022. An alumna of Notre Dame, she has also reported from the Fighting Irish’s Blue-Gold game and Football Pro Day.
NBC Sports and FOX Sports, the USFL’s official media partners, will combine to present all 43 games live during the 2023 season. 2023 features 29 games on the NBC and FOX broadcast networks, which is a six-game increase from the league’s inaugural season. NBC Sports will present 18 games across NBC and Peacock (11) and USA Network and Peacock (7). FOX Sports will carry 25 games split between FOX (18) and FS1 (7).
Matthew Berry To Join NBC Sports’ Kentucky Derby Team
NBC Sports football analyst Matthew Berry will join the network’s coverage of the 149th Kentucky Derby, Sat., May 6, at Noon ET on NBC and Peacock, offering his unique insight on horse racing’s biggest event. “Handicapping 101 with Matthew Berry” will provide a lighthearted look at the basics of betting the races.
A celebrated fantasy sports commentator and industry pioneer, Berry will lead a special edition of Fantasy Football Happy Hour on Peacock live from Churchill Downs on Thurs., May 4, at 4 p.m. ET. He will be joined by Jay Croucher, Connor Rogers, and special guest Drew Dinsick.
“Being at the Kentucky Derby is a sports bucket list moment for me as a long-time fan and viewer of the race,” Berry says. “Getting to do my show from historic Churchill Downs and then be a part of NBC’s coverage of The 149th Kentucky Derby is awesome. I promise to wait till I’m off air to start in on the mint juleps.”
Ahead of this week’s NFL Draft, Berry’s Fantasy Football Happy Hour on Peacock (Wednesday at 6 p.m. ET) will look ahead to the impact draft picks will have on the fantasy football landscape next season. During the draft, Berry, along with co-hosts Croucher and Rogers from the Fantasy Football Happy Hour set in Stamford, will provide instant video analysis and reactions for select offensive player draft picks on the NBC NFL YouTube channel, NBCSports.com, and NBCSportsEDGE.com; their discussion will also be available as a podcast to be released overnight.
During the NFL season, Berry hosts Fantasy Football Happy Hour and serves as an analyst on Football Night in America – the most watched weekly studio show in sports, which averaged 7.2 million viewers last season. The Fantasy Football Happy Hour podcast debuted at #1 for sports podcasts and in the top 10 overall on iTunes; it continues to be one of the top sports podcasts on both iTunes and Spotify. Berry also hosts Fantasy Football Pregame with Matthew Berry on Peacock and CNBC, providing the latest fantasy football news and advice to help viewers set their lineups before the early games kick off just after 1 p.m. ET on Sundays. Twice last season, FFP made road trips ahead of eagerly anticipated NBC Sunday Night Football games (Oct. 16 for Cowboys at Eagles, and Oct. 30 for Packers at Bills).
Blue Jays All-Star Alek Manoah to Serve As Weekly Correspondent on MLB Network’s “MLB Central”
Toronto Blue Jays All-Star pitcher Alek Manoah will serve as a weekly correspondent on MLB Network’s morning program MLB Central presented by Hyundai this season. Manoah will make his MLB Central debut with co-hosts Robert Flores, Mark DeRosa and Lauren Shehadi tomorrow, April 4th at 10:30 a.m. ET. This will mark the first time an active MLB player will serve as a regular correspondent on an MLB Network program. Each week, Manoah will break down his performance, the latest with the Blue Jays, and observations on teams and players from around MLB.
“I couldn’t be more fired up to have Alek join us regularly this season,” says DeRosa. “His fun and fiery personality can only make the show better and take us inside the dugout, which is what our fans want.”
“I love talking about the game and I’m a big fan of MLB Central, so I jumped at the chance when this opportunity came up,” says Manoah. “It will be a different experience for me, but one I’m incredibly excited about.”
Following Manoah’s weekly appearance on MLB Central, he will appear in a recurring content series on MLB social platforms. Launched in 2015, MLB Central offers an informative, irreverent and humorous look at the game, covering the previous night’s action and the slate of games ahead. MLB stars past and present have joined MLB Central over the years, including Sandy Alcántara, Nolan Arenado, Jacob deGrom, Bryce Harper, Hall of Famer Jack Morris, Clayton Kershaw, Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr., Justin Verlander and Adam Wainwright.
Manoah, a 2022 MLB All-Star finished third in American League Cy Young Award voting last season after going 16-7 with a 2.24 ERA and 180 strikeouts across 196.2 innings pitched. Manoah has a 25-9 (.735) career win-loss record, a 2.71 career ERA with a 153 career ERA+. Ranked 57th on MLB Network’s Top 100 Players Right Now presented by Topps Now countdown this offseason, which marked his debut on the series, Manoah has been named the September AL Rookie of the Month in both 2021 and 2022. Manoah was drafted by the Blue Jays in the first round, 11th overall, in the 2019 MLB June Amateur Draft out of West Virginia, where he played three seasons.
