TNT’s NBA studio team will call a game together on Christmas night. In other news, NBC announced another trio of Olympics broadcasters, ESPN has pulled Teddy Atlas from ringside, and Kurt Warner will work a pair of NBC-produced NFL games.
TNT Studio Team Working Christmas Game
TNT’s NBA studio team of Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal will call the network’s Christmas night Timberwolves-Lakers game, Turner Sports announced Thursday. The quartet will also handle their usual pregame, halftime and postgame duties.
Johnson, Smith and Barkley last called a game together in 2010. O’Neal was still in the NBA at the time. Since then, both Barkley and O’Neal have worked the occasional game, but never together. [Turner Sports PR]
Feherty, Boldon, Carillo, to Work Winter Olympics
NBC Sports announced Thursday that analysts David Feherty, Ato Boldon and Mary Carillo will serve as correspondents during its coverage of next year’s Winter Olympics. It will be Carillo’s eighth Winter Olympics, Boldon’s second, and Feherty’s first. As correspondents, the trio will “explore the culture, people, and traditions” of host nation South Korea. [NBC Sports PR 12.14]
ESPN Reportedly Pulls Atlas From Ringside
ESPN has demoted boxing analyst Teddy Atlas from ringside analysis to the studio, The Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday. According to sources cited by the Times, the decision stemmed from Atlas’ criticism of judges — and even co-analyst Mark Kriegel — in previous broadcasts. Atlas, who has three years remaining on his ESPN contract, told the Times that he does not expect the decision to be reversed. For its part, ESPN said the move was part of its “new approach with boxing” that necessitated “different talent lineups.” [LAT 12.13 via Sports Business Daily 12.14]
Warner to Replace Collinsworth on Final NFL Network Games
NFL Network analyst Kurt Warner will replace Cris Collinsworth on the final NBC-produced games in this season’s Thursday Night Football package, Bears-Lions on Saturday and Steelers-Texans on Christmas. Warner, who last served as a game analyst with FOX in 2010, will work alongside Mike Tirico. Both games conflict with Collinsworth’s Sunday Night Football duties. [NBC Sports PR 12.13]
