Michele Tafoya’s looming exit from Sunday Night Football, and sports TV, is official. Plus: other news.
Tafoya officially leaving SNF after Super Bowl
NBC Sports officially announced Tuesday that Michele Tafoya will leave her role as sideline reporter on Sunday Night Football after this year’s Super Bowl. Tafoya had been the sideline reporter for SNF since 2011 after a previous run on Monday Night Football from its final two seasons on ABC (2004-05) through its first five seasons on ESPN (2006-10).
In a conference call Tuesday, Tafoya said she is leaving to spend more time with her family and pursue an as-yet-unmentioned opportunity outside of the sports space. Tafoya made a much-publicized appearance on “The View” late last year. In Tuesday’s call, she indicated that she enjoyed the opportunity to discuss topics outside of sports. When asked specifically if that kind of programming is in her future, she said “I think the safest answer to that is yes.”
Contrary to speculation that her looming departure from SNF had anything to do with her “View” appearance, Tafoya said her move had been “in the works for a few years.”
Michaels-Amazon talks in “advanced stage”
Talks between Amazon and NBC Sunday Night Football voice Al Michaels are in an “advanced stage,” the New York Post said Tuesday. Michaels has long been mentioned as the lead candidate to call Thursday Night Football games for Amazon next season, and his longtime executive producer on SNF Fred Gaudelli is also said to be joining that package.
Per the Post, Amazon is also looking into the possibility of adding Marshawn Lynch for its studio programming.
Apple in talks for MLB package
The New York Post reported Monday that Apple is in serious talks to acquire the package of weeknight Major League Baseball games once carried by ESPN. MLB has been seeking a digital platform for those games and at one point last year was said to be in discussions with Barstool Sports.
Plus: Belmont, Aussie, SVP, Rosaforte
FOX announced last week that it has acquired horse racing’s Belmont Stakes in an eight-year deal that begins in 2023. The move marks the second time since it began airing the Triple Crown in 2001 that NBC has relinquished rights to the final leg in the series. … For the second-straight year, ESPN will keep the bulk of its Australian Open broadcasters remote in Bristol, Connecticut, with only Australian natives Rennae Stubbs and Darren Cahill on-site. … ESPN SportsCenter anchor Scott Van Pelt was absent from Monday’s post-National Championship edition after suffering a heart-related scare earlier in the day, he said on his Twitter account Monday night. … Longtime Golf reporter Tim Rosaforte died Tuesday at age 66. He had been suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
