- Dick Ebersol: The NBC Sports chief is apparently rumored to be stepping down after the Beijing Olympics. Portfolio reports Today Show executive producer Jim Bell is “widely thought to be the leading candidate” to replace Ebersol, who has run NBC Sports since 1989.
- Bob Costas: The NBC host will be leaving the studio more often during the network’s coverage of the upcoming Olympics. Costas will make more appearances at Olympic venues, as he did during NBC’s coverage of the swimming and gymnastics trials and last month’s U.S. Open.
- Jeremy Schaap and George Smith: The reporters will be the only on-air personnel ESPN will send to the Beijing Olympics. Schaap and Smith will be part of an eight-person ESPN crew — rightsholder NBC has 2,900 on hand — that will face several restrictions, including a ban on bringing recording equipment into official venues.
