Rob Gronkowski is headed to TV with Fox Sports. Also: ESPN and FOX have reportedly decided on their XFL broadcast teams; College Gameday is headed to Ireland next season; ESPN has reached deals a pair of ex-NBAers.
Gronk joins Fox as NFL analyst
Former New England Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski has joined Fox Sports as an NFL analyst, it was announced Tuesday. Fox did not specify a role for Gronkowski in its announcement, but the New York Post reported that he will start out in the studio, with game analysis a possibility.
Gronkowski, who retired from football in the offseason, will debut this week on the FOX Thursday Night Football pregame show. [Fox Sports, NYP 10.8]
Levy, Menefee, to be lead XFL voices for ESPN, FOX
ESPN will name Steve Levy, Dan Orlovsky and Pat McAfee as its lead XFL broadcast team, the New York Post reported Tuesday. The XFL assignment is the latest foray into football play-by-play for Levy, who became a regular college football voice for ESPN/ABC in 2016 and called the late game of ESPN’s Monday Night Football doubleheader this year.
According to the same report, Fox Sports will use Fox NFL Sunday host Curt Menefee on play-by-play. Menefee most recently did play-by-play for a pair of NFL games on NFL Network last season. Gus Johnson was reportedly passed over for XFL duty because it would conflict with his college basketball work.
Menefee will work alongside Johnson’s college football partner Joel Klatt [NYP 10.8]
Gameday headed to Ireland for ND-Navy next year
ESPN’s College Gameday will open next season from Dublin, Ireland for the “week zero” Notre Dame-Navy game on August 29, it was announced Saturday. Gameday will take place at the special time of 11 AM ET, immediately preceding the 2 PM game on ESPN. It will be the first edition of the show to take place outside of the United States. [ESPN PR 10.5]
Boozer, Perkins, joining ESPN nets
Former NBA and Duke men’s basketball player Carlos Boozer has joined ESPN’s ACC Network as a college basketball studio analyst, it was announced Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the network has also reached a multi-year deal with former Celtics C Kendrick Perkins, according to the Boston Globe. Perkins will now work exclusively for ESPN after splitting time with FS1 last season. [ESPN PR 10.8, Boston Globe 10.8]
