ESPN basketball analyst Jay Bilas is set to make his NBA playoff debut, while longtime sideline reporter Cassidy Hubbarth made her exit Wednesday night. Plus: the remaining Pac-12 schools are reportedly set to remain primarily with CW this season; an update on one of the Fox Sports lawsuits.
Bilas set for NBA playoff debut, Hubbarth bids farewell
ESPN basketball analyst Jay Bilas is scheduled to call Saturday’s Timberwolves-Lakers NBA playoff game for ABC, marking his first NBA playoff assignment. Bilas, who joined ESPN’s NBA roster this season, will work alongside play-by-play voice Mark Jones.
It is not unprecedented for college basketball analysts to call NBA playoff games, with Bill Raftery and Len Elmore having done so on several occasions in the distant past. ESPN once floated having Dick Vitale call its NBA conference final coverage in 2004.
In related news, Wednesday’s Heat-Bulls NBA Play-In Tournament game was the final ESPN NBA broadcast for sideline reporter Cassidy Hubbarth, who ESPN confirmed on-air is heading to Amazon next season. Hubbarth’s move to Amazon has not been officially announced, but was reported earlier this year by Andrew Marchand of The Athletic.
“Pac-2” reportedly set to run it back with CW
The two current members of the Pac-12, Oregon State and Washington State, are expected to reach a new deal with CW to carry most of their home games in the coming season, according to independent reporter John Canzano. CW would air nine of the schools’ combined 13 home games, with the remaining four set for as yet undetermined “major” networks.
Last season, all-but-two of the schools’ home games aired on CW, the exceptions having aired on FOX.
The Pac-12, which is set to expand to at least seven teams after this season, is also negotiating a broader media rights deal for the 2026-2031 seasons. Per Canzano, network partners for the coming season could also be involved in the longer-term deal.
Fox reportedly enters mediation with hairstylist
Fox Sports last month entered mediation with the former hairstylist who is suing the company and multiple current and former employees, Front Office Sports reported Wednesday, and the sides are said to be in settlement discussions. The lawsuit in question accused Fox Sports executive Charlie Dixon and former host Skip Bayless of sexual harassment and current host Joy Taylor of fostering a hostile work environment.
Fox is also facing a separate lawsuit from former host Julie Stewart-Binks that alleges sexual assault by Dixon.
