The NBA season is officially set to begin in mid-October, a return to what had been the norm. Plus: Kevin Negandhi is set to host ABC’s NBA Draft coverage, Adam Schefter is reportedly in the running to host ESPN’s new Manning brother edition of MNF, and more.
NBA sets dates for next season, including Play-in return
The NBA officially announced Tuesday that next season is scheduled to begin Tuesday, October 19, a return to the usual mid-October start that had been the norm prior to the league calendar being thrown out of whack in March of last year. The season would run until Sunday, April 10, with the Play-in Tournament returning from April 12-15. The NBA Playoffs would then begin Saturday, April 16 and the NBA Finals on Thursday, June 2, running through a potential Game 7 on Sunday, June 19. The NBA Draft would follow on Thursday, June 23.
The just-completed NBA season began December 22 and ran through July 20, while the previous season began as scheduled but was halted for four months — resuming less than a year ago (July 30) and running through last October 11. [NBA]
Neghandi to host ABC’s NBA Draft coverage
ESPN SportsCenter anchor Kevin Neghandi is set to host ABC’s coverage of Thursday’s NBA Draft, his first NBA hosting assignment for the company. Neghandi will be joined by analysts Jalen Rose and Chiney Ogwumike with reporter Malika Andrews. ESPN’s usual NBA Draft coverage will feature host Rece Davis — returning for a tenth-straight year — alongside analysts Jay Bilas, Kendrick Perkins and Mike Schmitz. Rachel Nichols, whom ESPN took off of its NBA Finals coverage at the last minute, is also scheduled to be part of the coverage. [ESPN PR 7.27]
Schefter in running to host Manning-focused MNF
ESPN NFL reporter Adam Schefter is a top candidate to host ESPN’s new, Manning brothers-focused presentation of Monday Night Football, Front Office Sports reported Tuesday. Per the report, ESPN is still looking at its options and has not made any decisions. As previously noted, Peyton Manning and his brother Eli will headline an alternate presentation of MNF on ESPN2 ten times per season for the next three years, starting with Week 1 of this season. [Front Office Sports 7.27]
Plus: Arizona Bowl, Bomani, LaLiga, Taylor
College football’s Arizona Bowl will air exclusively on the Barstool Sports website and app starting this season, with Barstool taking over branding of the game, it was announced Tuesday. The game aired on the CBS broadcast network last year and CBS Sports Network previously. … ESPN’s Bomani Jones has been named a contributor to the new HBO series “Back on the Record with Bob Costas.” … ABC is scheduled to air FC Barcelona’s first game of the coming LaLiga season on Sunday, August 15, marking the first LaLiga match ever on U.S. broadcast television. … Maria Taylor, whose move to NBC became official on Friday, will serve as a host and correspondent for NBC’s Football Night in America NFL pregame show beginning this season and work on the company’s Super Bowl coverage in February. [MWC 7.27, Jones/Twitter 7.26 via Awful Announcing 7.26; ESPN PR 7.22; NBC Sports PR]
