News: NBA & NFL Countdown, Wingo and more

New York, NY - September 3, 2020 - South Street Seaport Studios: The rooftop set of NFL Countdown (Photo by Allen Kee / ESPN Images)

ESPN’s NBA and NFL “Countdown” shows are moving into a new rooftop locale. Plus: Trey Wingo is reportedly done at ESPN; College Gameday has set its first road show locale; a pair of NBC NFL studio analysts will be working remotely this year.

ESPN NBA, NFL studio shows relocating to rooftop NY studio

In a pandemic-related move, the ESPN studio shows NBA Countdown, Sunday NFL Countdown and Monday Night Countdown will originate from a new, climate-controlled rooftop set atop ESPN’s New York production center, it was announced Tuesday.

Notably, NBA Countdown will originate from New York for both the NBA’s Eastern Conference Finals and NBA Finals, rather than travel to the league’s “bubble” site at Walt Disney World in Orlando.

ESPN’s original plan for the season was to have The Jump precede its NBA Finals broadcasts. It was not immediately clear what role The Jump will now have in finals coverage. [ESPN PR 9.8]

Trey Wingo’s ESPN career reportedly over

ESPN is parting ways with host Trey Wingo, the New York Post reported last week, ending his 23-year tenure with the company. Wingo lost his role as co-host of ESPN Radio’s morning show at the end of last month and his only remaining role with the company was as host of its NFL Draft coverage. Per the Post, Wingo’s preferred landing spot is NFL Network, but his “overtures … have been unsuccessful thus far.” [NYP 9.4]

ESPN’s Gameday sets first road show for Wake Forest

ESPN’s College Gameday is scheduled to travel to Wake Forest for its first road show of the season on Saturday. The show would originate on-field at the 50-yard line with cardboard cutouts and virtual fans substituting for the crowds of students that would typically serve as its background. Gameday opened its season last weekend with host Rece Davis in ESPN’s Bristol studios and the show’s analysts appearing remotely. [ESPN PR 9.5, Greensboro.com 9.7]

NBC’s Harrison, Florio, to work remotely this season

NBC’s Rodney Harrison and Mike Florio will contribute to Football Night in America remotely from their respective homes, it was announced Monday. Mike Tirico, Tony Dungy and Chris Simms will be in-studio and Liam McHugh on-site.

Harrison and Florio join Fox NFL Sunday analyst Jimmy Johnson in working from home this season. [NBC Sports PR]

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Comments 1

Nate Johnson says:

6 years ago

With their being no studio team from New York appearing in the bubble, that makes me wonder if TNT will make it to the bubble. Kenny Smith said in the report months ago the NBA wanted the Inside crew their for the Western Conference Finals, but after seeing this post I wonder if that holds true now. Lastly, I’m curious if these decisions from ESPN alone because it seems like the NBA is okay bringing in family members/visitors to the bubble (be if they’re quarantined for a week and tested everyday), but it’s been okay for media members to come back and forth. If it is from ESPN, then I believe they want to have Get Up! and First Take also working from the rooftop that way they’re slowly moving on from primary remote coverage.

I always saw Rodney Harrison as the other guy to Tony Dungy on NBC. It seems that Tony Dungy has been their main analyst and used Harrison as another voice or person on set. The fact that Simms is in studio over Harrison could reveal that NBC sees Simms as a priority analyst over Harrison now. I wouldn’t take it that far, because I’m sure personal situation made that become a determination, but I wouldn’t be surprised if later this decade we see more roles from Simms on NBC’s football than Rodney Harrison. Add in the current New Orleans Saints starting QB to the mix and with Cris Collinsworth either continuing calling SNF or returning to the studio, future looks murky for Harrison.

Trey Wingo situation is one of those where you can’t ask to leave a position you agreed to do in order to get a position of old back in return. Granted, I thought his work last NFL Draft was terrific and you may have to put that on his greatest achievement along with him hosting 9/11 Sportscenter with Bob Ley. With that said, he’s not entitled to get all he wants even if he worked there for nearly a quarter of a century. To those that may ask if he’s better or more qualified than Ponder, Kolber, or Rutledge, that’s another topic and debate, but the point is that you agreed to do a morning show with a buddy of yours and realize that contracts are expiring of the two and yall want to do different things along with ESPN themselves. It doesn’t seem “mutual” at all.

I would support him going on the NFLN, but the only role I could see him work in is maybe NFL Gamday Prime (formerly, NFL Gameday Final. Will they change the show name since Deion gone?). Chris Rose has had the host role of NFL Gameday Final/Prime for quite some time so that’s a challenge to take over him. Rich Eisen is still the top person on NFLN and should do NFL Draft coverage and NFL Gameday Morning. Colleen Wolfe does NFLN TNF pre-game and postgame show. So, I’m not sure how he can fit anywhere on NFLN. Best bet for Wingo is just wait and see. 2021 will be here before we know it, and that is when things will become more clearer.