The NFL confirmed it will not play midweek games on Christmas day. Plus: Kevin Kisner to call two PGA Tour events for NBC; UNC radio analyst Eric Montross passes away from cancer; John Ourand departs SBJ for Puck; Nicole Briscoe signs ESPN extension; C.J. Nitkowski departs Rangers, joins Braves.
NFL will not play on every Christmas
NFL executive vice president for media distribution Hans Schroeder confirmed to The Athletic that the league has no plans to play Christmas day games in years where the holiday falls on Tuesday or Wednesday. Schroeder told The Athletic, “We want to focus on the run to the playoffs and for that competitive equity to really shine through. I don’t think we’re going to look at Tuesday or Wednesday football.” Christmas will fall on a Wednesday in 2024.
This season will mark the end of a four year streak of Christmas day games for the NFL. Triple-headers have been scheduled for both 2022 and 2023, which Schroeder says the league is a fan of. The NFL will presumably pick up where they left off in 2025 when Christmas falls on a Thursday. (The Athletic, 12.18)
Kevin Kisner to call PGA Tour events for NBC
PGA Tour veteran Kevin Kisner will fill the lead analyst seat for NBC’s coverage of The Sentry Tournament of Champions and WM Phoenix Open, two high-profile early season PGA Tour stops. Kisner will fill the role vacated by Paul Azinger, who departed the network after the two sides failed to reach a contract extension last month.
NBC has not yet announced a permanent replacement for Azinger in the lead chair next to play-by-play announcer Dan Hicks. Earlier this month, the network tried out Paul McGinley during the Hero World Challenge. Curt Byrum also contributed analysis at the Hero, and will return for The Sentry when the PGA Tour kicks off the 2024 season on January 4th. (NBC, 12.17)
UNC radio announcer Eric Montross passes away
Former University of North Carolina basketball player and eight season NBA veteran Eric Montross died Sunday, his family announced Monday morning. Montross served as a radio analyst for UNC basketball for 18 seasons, replacing Mick Mixon in 2005 after he took a job as play-by-play announcer for the Carolina Panthers. Since 2011, Montross has called games alongside partner Jones Angell.
Additionally, Montross served as an analyst for Westwood One coverage of college basketball calling early round NCAA Tournament games for a national audience. (UNC, 12.18)
Plus: Ourand, Briscoe, Nitkowski
— Puck News announced it will begin covering the business of sports with John Ourand serving as resident insider. Ourand has served as a media reporter for Sports Business Journal since 2006, and will depart the publication at the end of the year. (Puck News, 12.18, SBJ 12.18)
— ESPN announced Nicole Briscoe has signed a new multi-year contract where she will continue to host SportsCenter and Baseball Tonight. Briscoe will also expand her role covering motorsports, serving as host and pit reporter for Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) and reporting on Formula 1 races in the U.S. (ESPN, 12.18)
— Texas Rangers game analyst C.J. Nitkowski announced Monday he will depart the organization after seven years in the booth. He will join the Atlanta Braves’ broadcast team as current analyst Jeff Francouer looks to reduce his role. Nitkowski is jumping from one Bally Sports property to another, leaving Bally Sports Southwest to call Braves games on Bally Sports South and Bally Sports Southeast. (Nitkowski, 12.18, Bally Sports South, 12.18)
