Cris Carter is off of his FS1 show amidst reported conflict with his bosses; LaPhonso Ellis is joining ESPN’s basketball College Gameday; Fox Sports is interested in adding a rules analyst to its MLB coverage; NBC’s Olympic producer has left the company.
Carter off FS1 show amidst conflict with execs
FS1 First Things First co-host Cris Carter has been absent from the show since last Wednesday amidst conflict with Fox Sports executives about his role, Front Office Sports reported Monday. Carter, an ESPN NFL analyst from 2008-15, has not been used on FOX Thursday Night Football coverage, despite working in the same studio where the pregame show is based. According to the report, he had a “bad” confrontation with his bosses on the topic last week.
The Big Lead was first to report Carter’s absence, characterizing it on Sunday as a suspension pending an investigation. [Front Office Sport 11.4]
Ellis replacing Williams on basketball Gameday
ESPN college basketball analyst LaPhonso Ellis is replacing Jay Williams on the basketball edition of College Gameday, it was announced Monday. The news was first reported by the New York Post last month.
Ellis, who is in his tenth year with ESPN, will work alongside the returning Rece Davis, Jay Bilas and Seth Greenberg. [ESPN PR 11.4, NYP 10.23]
Fox looking into rules analyst for MLB
Fox Sports is interested in using a rules analyst on its Major League Baseball coverage, company executive Brad Zager told The Athletic in a piece published Monday. Since Fox’s hire of Mike Pereira in 2010, the rules analyst role has become increasingly common in sports television, but not on baseball broadcasts.
Zager said Fox will begin discussions with MLB on the possibility this offseason. [The Athletic 11.4]
NBC Olympic producer Bell exits
NBC Olympics producer Jim Bell has departed the company and NBC has not yet picked a successor for next year’s Summer Games, Sports Business Daily reported Monday. Bell had been in the role since 2012, replacing Dick Ebersol.
Bell, a former Today Show executive producer, ramped up the presence of Today personnel on NBC’s Olympic broadcasts, including adding Ryan Seacrest as a late night host. When then-Olympic host Bob Costas fell ill during the 2014 Games, then-Today hosts Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira filled in. [Sports Business Daily 11.4]
