The usual Fox NFL studio teams will be absent on Sunday out of an “abundance of caution.” Plus: the Sinclair RSNs will be renamed after a casino chain, Jim Nantz wants a raise, and more.
Fox NFL studio teams off this week out of “abundance of caution”
The regular Fox NFL studio teams will be absent Sunday out of an “abundance of caution” presumably related to COVID-19, it was announced Saturday. Chris Myers will host both Fox NFL Kickoff and Fox NFL Sunday, replacing usual hosts Charissa Thompson and Curt Menefee, with Charles Woodson and Reggie Bush the only in-studio analysts. All other analysts will appear remotely.
The move comes two weeks after Fox pulled its Big Noon Saturday Kickoff team for COVID-related reasons. Analyst Urban Meyer later disclosed that he had tested positive. [Fox Sports PR 11.21]
Sinclair RSNs to be renamed after casino chain
The Sinclair-owned, Fox-branded regional sports networks will be renamed after the Bally’s casino chain after the companies struck a ten-year naming rights deal last week. The New York Post was first to report the news. Under the deal, Bally’s content will be integrated into game broadcasts. Per the Post, the end goal is “for viewers to eventually be able to bet on games … directly from their TVs.”
The Fox RSNs were initially sold to Disney as part of that company’s $71.3 billion acquisition of most 21st Century Fox assets. In order to gain approval for the sale, Disney was forced to divest the RSNs, with Sinclair beating out Liberty Media and the BIG3 to purchase the networks. [Sinclair/Ballys 11.18, NYP 11.18]
Nantz reportedly looking for big raise
The New York Post reported last week that CBS play-by-play voice Jim Nantz is seeking to dramatically increase his $6.5 million/year salary in his next deal. Per the Post, Nantz currently makes less than his FOX counterpart Joe Buck ($10.5M/year) and NBC’s Mike Tirico (~$10M/year), to say nothing of his NFL broadcast partner Tony Romo ($17.5M/year). Nantz is under contract through next summer. [NYP 11.18]
Plus: Ruocco, MLB, Champions Classic
ESPN last week announced that Ryan Ruocco will take over as its lead women’s college basketball play-by-play voice, replacing Adam Amin, who departed for Fox earlier this year. Ruocco is also ESPN’s lead WNBA voice. … ESPN plans to open its 2021 Major League Baseball schedule with an April 1 quadruple-header of Blue Jays-Yankees (1 PM ET), Dodgers-Rockies (4 PM), Mets-Nationals (7 PM) and Astros-A’s (10 PM). White Sox-Angels would lead off the Sunday Night Baseball schedule April 4. … College basketball’s Champions Classic has been scheduled for December 1, with Duke hosting Michigan State at home (7:30 PM ET) followed by Kentucky-Kansas from Indianapolis (9:30 PM). The event was one of the ESPN-owned tournaments originally scheduled for a Walt Disney World “bubble” until plans fell apart earlier this month. [ESPN PR 11.20, 11.19, 11.18]
