Tony Dungy confirms his departure from “Football Night in America”; Mike Fratello will call an NBA game on Peacock on Monday; and a PWHL game will air on national television for the first time. Plus news on Eric Hosmer, Fran Fraschilla, Comcast Xfinity and Roku.
Dungy confirms FNIA departure after 17 years
NBC Sports analyst Tony Dungy confirmed via social media that he will not be back on “Football Night in America” next season, ending his tenure on the program after 17 years. Dungy last appeared on coverage of Super Bowl LX alongside analysts Rodney Harrison, Devin McCourty, Jason Garrett and Chris Simms. All of those analyst contracts expired following the Super Bowl, according to Mark Puleo of The Athletic.
Dungy worked as an on-site analyst for “Football Night in America” and “Peacock Sunday Night Football Final” last season with Harrison and co-host Jac Collinsworth. “It’s disappointing news, but I want to thank my NBC family for making the last 17 years so special. I’ll have lasting memories of my time there, especially with Rodney Harrison who has become a tremendous friend.”
Puleo’s colleague Andrew Marchand had previously reported that Dungy was “likely out as a regular” on the pregame show and that many of the “FNIA” studio analyst contracts expired after the Super Bowl. Marchand also reported that NBC could “take the show fully on the road next season and slim down its cast.” It remains unknown if any other regular members of the show will not be back next season.
Dungy was tied with Harrison as the longest-tenured member of the “FNIA” cast, joining the program in 2009 after retiring as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. He wrote Thursday that he is unsure whether his next step will be in football, broadcasting or becoming “more involved in church and community outreach.” Dungy won a Super Bowl championship as an NFL player and coach, and he became a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016.
Fratello broadcasting Peacock NBA game Monday
Former NBC Sports NBA analyst Mike Fratello will call Monday’s Lakers-Rockets game on Peacock, it was announced Thursday. Fratello, who currently works as an analyst for Clippers games on FanDuel Sports Network SoCal, will work alongside play-by-play announcer Noah Eagle and courtside reporter Ashley ShahAhmadi. The appearance is a one-off for Fratello, but there may be other occurrences ahead this season, Sports Media Watch has learned.
Fratello appeared on NBC’s NBA throwback game last week alongside Bob Costas, Doug Collins and Jim Gray. It was the first time he had been on a national NBA broadcast since calling a play-in matchup on TNT in Marv Albert‘s farewell tour five years ago. Albert nicknamed Fratello the “Czar of the Telestrator” when they worked together on NBC NBA broadcasts in the early 1990s.
After calling the NBA Finals in 1993, Fratello returned to the sidelines as head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers for the next six years. He reunited with Albert at Turner Sports in 1999 and later returned to NBC as a studio analyst.
While Fratello and Eagle overlapped for four seasons covering the LA Clippers, they were not a regular broadcast duo, working together on one game telecast when Eagle filled in for usual play-by-play voice Brian Sieman. Earlier in his career, Fratello worked with Ian Eagle, Noah’s father, on YES Network broadcasts of Brooklyn Nets basketball.
PWHL to air nationally for first time on ION
The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) will make its U.S. national television debut later this month, it was announced Thursday. Scripps-owned ION will broadcast the New York Sirens-Montreal Victoire game on March 28 at 1 PM ET, which is taking place from Little Caesars Arena in Detroit as part of the PWHL Takeover Tour. Ally Financial is helping to underwrite the game broadcast on ION, according to a report by Austin Karp and Alex Silverman of Sports Business Journal.
The PWHL said that the game will be accessible to over 126 million households through the network’s various means of dissemination. Amy Scheer, EVP of business operations for the PWHL, said in a statement that the forthcoming broadcast is “a truly historic moment for [the PWHL],” underscoring efforts to bring on new fans by augmenting the league’s reach and exposure.
ION has expanded its sports footprint in recent years through media rights deals with leagues such as the NWSL and WNBA. Scripps Sports president Brian Lawlor said that there is “mutual interest to continue to grow the relationship” and did not qualify this game “as a test run.”
Since its launch in 2024, PWHL games have aired on various outlets in the United States, some of which include NESN, MSG Networks, SportsNet Pittsburgh and FanDuel Sports Network North. Some games have also been televised over the air this season under partnerships with companies such as Gray Media, Fox, Paramount and Tegna. PWHL matchups are also streamed free through the league’s official website and YouTube channel, which will remain the case for the game on ION.
Plus: Eric Hosmer, Fran Fraschilla, Comcast Xfinity, Roku
- After making guest appearances on MLB Network last season, former 1B Eric Hosmer is now joining the league-owned outlet as an analyst and will debut ahead of Opening Night on the “MLB Central” and “MLB Now” studio programs. Hosmer, who won a World Series championship as a member of the Kansas City Royals in 2015, will also be contributing to the team’s local broadcasts throughout the season, along with pregame/postgame coverage of “Friday Night Baseball” on Apple TV. Outside of his television work, Hosmer co-founded MoonBall Media with Anthony Seratelli and launched the “Diggin’ Deep” podcast in 2024.
- Former college basketball head coach Fran Fraschilla is returning to cover March Madness for Westwood One after a two-year absence. Fraschilla, who is calling the Big 12 MCBB quarterfinal games on Thursday for ESPN, is slated to broadcast games from Houston with play-by-play announcer Spero Dedes. Westwood One is airing all games within the tournament, which will conclude with the championship featuring the broadcast team of Kevin Kugler, Robbie Hummel, P.J. Carlesimo and Andy Katz for the second consecutive year.
- Comcast Xfinity will offer coverage of The Players Championship in “RealTime4K” for the first time in a collaboration with NBC Sports and Versant-owned Golf Channel. The cable provider will also feature a hub for the tournament featuring coverage from NBC, Peacock, Golf Channel and ESPN Unlimited that can be accessed through the voice remote.
- The MoonPay X Games League, a new X Games-affiliated entity featuring action sports athletes, will be available to stream for free on the Roku Sports Channel under a multiyear rights deal, it was announced Tuesday. The new league will begin with its first summer season this year before transitioning to the winter season next year. Roku will be covering all of the events, some of which include BMX and skateboarding, along with the league’s draft at Cosm Los Angeles on Thursday.
