ESPN has set a Marvel-themed NBA simulcast for next month. Plus: ESPN’s Monday Night Football team is reportedly returning intact, Bob Costas has a new show, and more.
ESPN to air Marvel-themed NBA simulcast
ESPN said Friday that it plans to televise a special, Marvel Comics-themed simulcast of the scheduled May 3 Warriors-Pelicans NBA game. The alternate broadcast, scheduled to air on ESPN2 and ESPN+, would include “an original Marvel story” featuring superhero cameos and “Marvel Hero points” tied to player performance. Within the Marvel narrative — wherein the superheroes are observing the game in an effort to recruit athletes to join their ranks — the player with the most “Marvel Hero points” would “earn the right to train and fight alongside [The Avengers].”
Regular NBA broadcasters Ryan Ruocco and Richard Jefferson are set to call the simulcast alongside Marvel-affiliated writer Angélique Roché. Coverage would include special graphics and animations. As one would assume, ESPN and Marvel are Disney corporate siblings.
ESPN previously aired a sports betting-themed NBA simulcast on ESPN2 and ESPN+ April 14. Notably, the two simulcasts mark the first live NBA games ever on ESPN+. [ESPN PR 4.23]
MNF trio reportedly returning
ESPN is bringing back its Monday Night Football broadcast team of Steve Levy, Louis Riddick and Brian Griese for a second season, Richard Deitsch of The Athletic said Friday — marking the first time in four years that the MNF booth is returning intact. [Richard Deitsch/Twitter 4.23]
Costas gets new HBO show
HBO announced Friday that it will debut a new Bob Costas-hosted interview show later this spring. Titled “Back on the Record with Bob Costas,” the show would air four times a year. Costas previously hosted the similarly-titled “On the Record with Bob Costas” and “Costas Now” on HBO before leaving for MLB Network in 2009. Despite his new role, he will keep his MLB Network position. [Hollywood Reporter 4.23]
Plus: Edelman, Hyland, Peacock, WSOP
Recently retired New England Patriots WR Julian Edelman has joined the cast of “Inside the NFL,” it was announced this week. … NBC Sports this week named veteran producer Rob Hyland — currently the coordinating producer of Football Night in America, Notre Dame football and Triple Crown horse racing — the producer of its primetime Olympics coverage. … In other Olympic-related news, NBC said Tuesday that Peacock will carry live coverage of the Tokyo Summer Olympics each morning from 6-11 AM ET. … CBS Sports has reached a multi-year deal to acquire rights to the World Series of Poker starting this year. Under the deal, CBS Sports Network will carry 15 hours of Main Event coverage and 36 hours of additional events per year. Paramount+ will also have an as-yet-unspecified role. The WSOP previously aired on ESPN since 2002. [Showtime PR via The Futon Critic 4.21; NBC Sports PR 4.19, 4.20; CBS Sports PR]
