Another round of NBC Olympics additions includes ESPN’s Jessica Mendoza, Turner’s Candace Parker, and — reportedly — new free agent Kenny Mayne. Plus: Robert Griffin III could have a future in TV; IndyCar may end up staying with NBC; Peacock is set to air live, national Major League Baseball this weekend.
NBC’s latest Olympic additions include Mendoza, Parker, Mayne
NBC on Wednesday named ESPN’s Jessica Mendoza as a reporter for its planned coverage of the Tokyo Summer Olympics, marking her first Olympics for NBC. She previously covered the 2010 Games for Yahoo! Sports. Mendoza joins a roster of reporters that also consists of NBC regulars Rutledge Wood, Tanith White and Apolo Ohno, newcomers Gus Kenworthy, Naoko Funayama and Corey Robinson (son of former Spurs C David), and NBC News personnel.
In other Olympic-related news, NBC said Tuesday that it has hired Turner’s Candace Parker, ESPN’s Vince Carter and former ESPN analyst Kara Lawson as on-site analysts for the Olympic basketball tournament. It also plans to bring back 2012 Olympic basketball voice — and the voice of the Warriors on NBC Sports Bay Area — Bob Fitzgerald on play-by-play.
Other basketball announcers include ESPN’s Monica McNutt and Fran Fraschilla and the previously-announced Kate Scott, who are set to work from NBC Sports’ Connecticut studios.
Finally, in a move that has not yet been officially announced, former ESPN SportsCenter anchor Kenny Mayne is set to co-host a nightly Olympic recap show on Peacock alongside former ESPN colleague Cari Champion. Front Office Sports reported the news Monday and it was all-but-confirmed by Mayne himself in an interview on Tuesday. The show would mark Mayne’s first assignment since leaving ESPN last month. [NBC Sports PR; Fubo TV via Awful Announcing 6.16; Front Office Sports 6.16]
RGIII wows networks, per report
NFL QB Robert Griffin III is being pursued by both ESPN and Fox Sports for on-air roles, according to multiple reports. Per the New York Post, Griffin “really excelled” in auditions for both networks, which were reportedly “blown away” by his performance.
The Post also reported that ESPN college football analyst Mark Sanchez has an offer from Fox to become an NFL game analyst, filling a vacancy left when Chris Spielman — who left ESPN’s college coverage to become a Fox NFL analyst in 2018 — departed to join the Lions front office. [NYP 6.16]
IndyCar now expected to stay with NBC
Sports Business Journal reported earlier this week that IndyCar is now expected to remain with NBC Sports, a marked shift from previous reporting that had NBC ready to walk away at the end of its expiring contract. Per the report, NBC and IndyCar have held “productive” talks of late, though no deal is imminent.
Notably, the report states that other networks have shown little interest in acquiring IndyCar. CBS had previously been mentioned as a potential landing spot, but CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus said last week that the network has no room for the series. [SBJ 6.14]
Plus: Everett, Peacock, WNBA, ESPYs
ESPN SportsCenter anchor Neil Everett could depart the network this summer, per Front Office Sports. Everett’s contract is expiring. … NBC’s Peacock is scheduled to stream all three games of this weekend’s Phillies-Giants Major League Baseball series for free nationwide, marking the first national baseball broadcasts on an NBC platform since 2000. NBC Sports Bay Area Giants voice Jon Miller would call the games, working alongside his Giants colleague Mike Krukow and NBC Sports Philadelphia Phillies analysts John Kruk and Jimmy Rollins. … The WNBA this week said that it plans to hold an All-Star Game on Wednesday, July 14, marking just the second such exhibition since sports went dark last year. The NBA held an All-Star Game in February. The WNBA game is set to air on ESPN in primetime. … ESPN announced Wednesday that the ESPY Awards will return to ABC this year. The show is scheduled for Saturday, July 10, with actor Anthony Mackie hosting. [Front Office Sports 6.14, MLB 6.14, ESPN PR 6.16]
