The latest drama from ESPN’s NBA studio team. Plus: another ESPN college football analyst is headed to Fox, Pierre McGuire will not be on NHL TV broadcasts next season, and Dan Dakich will soon be back on ESPN.
Taylor to work NBA Finals to conclusion, Williams will not
The New York Post and The Athletic reported Friday that ESPN NBA studio host Maria Taylor has reached an agreement to remain with the network through the end of the current NBA Finals, which will conclude Tuesday at the earliest — the day her ESPN contract expires. Per the Post and Front Office Sports, Taylor is close to a deal to join NBC Sports.
While Taylor plans to finish the NBA Finals, the same cannot be said of her NBA studio colleague Jay Williams. He said Friday that he has tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss the remaining games of the series. [NYP 7.16, The Athletic 7.16]
Fox adds ESPN’s Sanchez, loses Gonzalez
Fox Sports announced this week that it has hired ESPN college football studio analyst Mark Sanchez to serve as an NFL game analyst. Sanchez, who had been with ESPN since 2019, will also contribute to the suite of FS1 daily talk shows. The New York Post first reported the move.
Sanchez is just the latest member of the ESPN college football team to join Fox Sports. His former ABC studio colleague Jonathan Vilma joined Fox last year, and Brock Huard and Chris Spielman made the move in prior years.
In other Fox NFL news, studio analyst Tony Gonzalez is leaving to focus on his acting career, per Front Office Sports. [Fox Sports PR, Front Office Sports 7.15]
No more Pierre on NHL TV
Pierre McGuire, a prominent NBC NHL analyst during the network’s full sixteen-year tenure carrying the league, has returned to the league as senior vice president of player development for the Ottawa Senators. Reporting in The Athletic indicated that the NHL’s two new rights partners — ESPN and Turner — were not interested in McGuire’s services. In addition to NBC, McGuire worked for Canada’s TSN from 1999-11. [NHL.com 7.12]
Dakich back on ESPN next week
ESPN college basketball analyst Dan Dakich, who earlier this year expressed doubt that the company will retain him for next season, is slated to work ESPN’s coverage of The Basketball Tournament next week. The role does not necessarily indicate anything about his status going forward, as non-ESPN personnel like Hawks voice Bob Rathbun and Fox Sports reporter Jen Hale regularly work the event. [ESPN PR 7.14]
