ESPN’s college football studio teams will have a different look this season. In other news, former ESPN analyst Ray Lewis has added a second analyst job this summer, and Big Ten Network’s Lisa Byington is set to make her debut as a football play-by-play voice.
Slew of Changes to ESPN CFB Studio Coverage
- Kevin Negandhi will replace Stan Verrett as ABC’s college football studio host this season, a role held by the late John Saunders from 1992 until his death last year. Negandhi will be joined by Booger McFarland, who is moving up from SEC Network to replace the laid off Mark May. Mack Brown will be the only returning member of that studio team. In related news, Jesse Palmer is joining ESPN’s Thursday-Saturday studio team, replacing the laid off Danny Kanell alongside the returning Adnan Virk and Joey Galloway. [ESPN PR 7.25]
Ray Lewis Adds Second Analyst Job
- Fox Sports broadcaster Ray Lewis has joined the cast of Showtime’s Inside the NFL this season, Awful Announcing reported Wednesday. The new role comes just over a month after Lewis joined Fox Sports. Per the report, it is not clear how his new role will affect his other new role. Lewis, who worked for ESPN from 2013 through last year, is replacing Brandon Marshall on the show. [Awful Announcing 7.26]
BTN’s Byington to Make Football PxP Debut
- Big Ten Network broadcaster Lisa Byington will handle play-by-play for the September 16 Bowling Green-Northwestern college football game, it was announced this week, her first football play-by-play assignment. Byington typically works the sidelines on football and men’s basketball games, though she does have previous play-by-play experience on women’s basketball. Byington’s assignment will come within days of Beth Mowins‘ NFL play-by-play debut on ESPN’s Monday Night Football. [Sports Business Daily 7.25]
