Slated to co-host the Opening Ceremony, NBC’s Savannah Guthrie is instead skipping the Olympic Games. In other news, ESPN has added an injured player to its Euro 2016 coverage, and NBC has announced the analysts for its Olympic golf coverage.
Guthrie Staying Home
- NBC Today Show co-host Savannah Guthrie announced Tuesday that she will not be attending the Olympic Games in Rio, as previously scheduled, because she is pregnant and concerned about the Zika virus. Guthrie had been slated to co-host the Opening Ceremony. As Sports Business Journal reported late last month, NBC has told staffers that they can “stay in the U.S. without fear of losing their job” if “they are too concerned about the potential for contracting the virus.” (CNN Money)
ESPN Has Kompany
- Injured Belgian soccer player Vincent Kompany has joined ESPN as a studio analyst for the Euro 2016 soccer tournament. Kompany, who would be playing in the tournament if not for an injury suffered during the Premier League season, will also contribute to tournament coverage on the BBC in the United Kingdom. (ESPN Media Zone)
NBC Announces Rio Foursome
- Former LPGA star Annika Sorenstam will serve as a lead analyst on NBC Sports’ coverage of the Olympic women’s golf tournament, it was announced Tuesday, rotating with Judy Rankin. For the men’s tournament, NBC’s lead golf analyst Johnny Miller will work alongside CBS Sports’ Nick Faldo. With Dan Hicks covering swimming, Terry Gannon and Steve Sands will handle play-by-play for both tournaments. (NBC Sports Group Press Box)
