The Detroit Tigers’ broadcast team is out for the season after brawling earlier in the week. Also: Chris Berman‘s new role and news on Mark Jones and Jemele Hill.
Tigers Announcers Out for Season After Fight
Detroit Tigers play-by-play voice Mario Impemba and analyst Rod Allen will not return to the broadcast booth for the remainder of the season after they engaged in an off-air altercation following a Tuesday broadcast. Impemba and Allen have been working Tigers games together since the 2003 season. [Detroit Free-Press 9.7]
Berman Back, Back, Back, Back (Somewhat)
ESPN broadcaster Chris Berman made his return to SportsCenter on Friday as the host of a weekly segment highlighting NFL rivalries. According to Sports Illustrated, the segments — titled “Berman’s Blast” — are scheduled to run the first five weeks of the season, with more editions possible later in the year.
As previously reported by multiple outlets, ESPN wanted Berman to take on a larger role, including hosting some Sunday editions of SportsCenter. [SI.com 9.6 via Sports Business Daily 9.7]
Jones Off Huskies Broadcasts
ESPN will not assign play-by-play voice Mark Jones to Washington Huskies football games after he mocked the team on his personal Twitter account, the Seattle Times reported Monday. The Pac-12 called Jones’ comment “inappropriate” in a statement to the Times and said it addressed his tweet with ESPN. Last season, Jones called Huskies coach Chris Petersen “irascible and somewhat cantakerous” during a Washington broadcast. [Seattle Times 9.3]
ESPN, Hill, Talked Possible Roles Before Buyout
The New York Post reported this week that ESPN offered Jemele Hill a regular role on “Highly Questionable” and the now-canceled “SportsNation” before the sides ultimately agreed to a $6.25 million buyout. According to the report, ESPN and Hill also discussed a larger role on The Undefeated, including some work that would have appeared on ESPN Plus. Though earlier reports had her time with ESPN ending September 1, Hill reportedly remains under contract through September 15. She made her final on-air appearance August 31. [NYP 9.4]
