Al Michaels will be absent from Sunday Night Football yet again this weekend, but this time due to COVID-19. Also: news on the NFL media deals, Major League Baseball’s schedule and more.
Tirico replacing Michaels this weekend over COVID-19
NBC Sports said Friday that Mike Tirico will handle play-by-play for Browns-Giants on Sunday Night Football this weekend, as Al Michaels “has not been cleared to work” for reasons related to COVID-19. In a statement, Michaels said he feels fine and has no symptoms or elevated temperature. Sunday will mark the fourth time in NBC’s last five games that Tirico has filled in for Michaels, though the previous occurrences were pre-planned “bye weeks” and not COVID-related.
Tirico was originally scheduled to call Saturday’s Panthers-Packers game for NFL Network and will now be replaced by Joe Davis.
In related news, ESPN SportsCenter anchor Scott Van Pelt said Thursday that he has tested positive for COVID-19 and will be absent from his show for the time being. Van Pelt last anchored Tuesday. His Midnight ET SportsCenter has been replaced by regular editions of the show the past two nights. [NBC Sports PR 12.18, NFL PR 12.18, ESPN PR]
Report: NFL looking to keep status quo in next media deals
The NFL is trending toward maintaining its current television line-up of Sunday afternoon games on CBS and FOX, Sunday night games on NBC and Monday night games on ESPN, the New York Post reported this week. Per the report, the Monday night package could be modified to include more ABC simulcasts, late season flexible scheduling, and inclusion in the Super Bowl rotation.
Thursday Night Football would be an exception to the status quo. As Sports Business Journal first reported earlier this week, the networks have told the NFL that they are not interested in the package. According to the Post, Amazon — which currently has non-exclusive streaming rights to TNF — may be a favorite to acquire the rights.
Upon consummation, the new deals are expected to last ten years and “far exceed” $10 billion/year in total value, per the Post. The league currently generates close to $8 billion/year from its national media partners. [NYP 12.16]
As MLB weighs delay, Yankees absent from ESPN’s early Sunday night schedule
ESPN released its partial Sunday Night Baseball schedule on Friday, with White Sox-Angels set to start things off on April 4. The schedule release comes as Major League Baseball owners are reportedly considering delaying the start of next season to May in a bid to have all players vaccinated against COVID-19 by Spring Training. Perhaps owing to the uncertainty regarding baseball’s early schedule, neither the Yankees nor the Red Sox are scheduled to appear on a Sunday night game in April or May. [ESPN PR 12.18]
Plus: SportsCenter anchors, Spielman, Teixeira, Eagle
ESPN announced this week that Elle Duncan will be replacing Sage Steele on the 6 PM ET edition of SportsCenter starting next year. Steele will move to the Noon edition. … NFL analyst Chris Spielman has left Fox Sports effective immediately to join the Lions’ front-office. He will be replaced on game telecasts by Brock Huard. … ESPN MLB analyst Mark Teixeira said this week that he is leaving the network at the end of February, forgoing the final year of his contract. … Broadcaster Noah Eagle, the Clippers’ radio voice and son of Ian, is scheduled to call Nickelodeon’s NFL Wild Card game broadcast in January, working alongside Nate Burleson. [ESPN PR 12.15, NYP 12.16, Awful Announcing 12.15, CBS Sports PR]
