FOX is keeping its announcers in the studio for NASCAR’s planned return. Also: MLB owners have officially approved a restart plan; UConn football is headed to CBSSN; and more.
FOX NASCAR announcers to call races remotely
The NASCAR on FOX broadcast team of Mike Joy and Jeff Gordon will call the upcoming Darlington and Charlotte races remotely from Fox Sports’ Charlotte studios, Sports Business Daily reported Monday. Per the report, the decision is due to cramped on-site press boxes that do not allow enough separation between announcers, researchers and staff. Joy and Gordon called the recent NASCAR iRacing events from the same studio.
FOX will have some camera operators on site, but also plans to use an expanded number of drones to capture the action. [Sports Business Daily 5.11]
MLB owners approve restart plan
Major League Baseball owners on Monday officially approved a proposed plan to restart the season that would include a June spring training, early July opening day, an 82-game regular season schedule, and an expanded 14-team playoff field. The details are mostly unchanged from what The Athletic reported on Saturday.
As has been reported for weeks, MLB is planning to have teams play in their home stadiums, though the league is prepared for teams to play in alternate locations if they are unable to gain approval from local governments. [ESPN.com 5.11]
CBSSN to air UConn home football games
CBS Sports has reached a multi-year deal to serve as the exclusive broadcaster of UConn home football games. Under the deal, CBSSN will televise four Huskies games this season and then all home games in the subsequent three. UConn, which had been a member of the American Athletic Conference, is now an independent. [CBS Sports PR]
