Sports TV News

Matt Vasgersian Exits Sunday Night Baseball

“I decided to call it a wrap on Sunday Night Baseball.“

Published

7 months ago

October 7, 2021

ESPN will need to make a new plan for its premier baseball broadcast in the 2022 MLB season. Matt Vasgersian has told ESPN executives that he is leaving the play-by-play position on Sunday Night Baseball, making the AL Wild Card Game his final game for ESPN on Tuesday.

After 4 years teamed with Alex Rodriguez on Sunday Night Baseball, Vasgersian wants to focus on new and pending deals with the MLB Network and potentially continue to expand on his role on the Los Angeles Angels’ regional telecasts.

“I decided to call it a wrap on Sunday Night Baseball,” Vasgersian said when reached by the New York Post. “I can’t do everything I enjoy with MLB Network and the Angels, while still being away for nearly 30 weekends a year.”

Alex Rodriguez’s contract is coming to an end with ESPN, and while Rodriguez comes with his fair share of critics, ESPN is expected to want to bring him back next season.

Some potential replacements for Vasgersian next season include Boog Sciambi, Karl Ravech, Jason Benetti, Michael Kay, Ryan Ruocco and Dave Flemming according to Marchand.

Next year, ESPN’s regular-season load will be considerably lighter, making the jockeying to be the new voice of Sunday Night Baseball potentially more intense. ESPN will not have weekly Monday or Wednesday games next season, as the focus will shift to Sundays and select marquee games.

Reice Shipley

Reice Shipley is a daily news writer and social media assistant for BSM. He is a graduate of Ithaca University, contributor to the Syracuse Mets, and aspires to work behind the scenes in sports media in the future. He can be found on Twitter @Reice_Shipley18 or you may reach him by email at RShipley@ithaca.edu.

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Cris Collinsworth Wonders If Tom Brady Knows Broadcasting Is a Hard Job

“It’s a seven day a week job. For somebody that has reached where he’s reached in the NFL and made that kind of money, I’m honestly really surprised.”

Published

7 hours ago

May 11, 2022

Ricky Keeler

Many in the sports media industry were surprised by the news that Tom Brady will join FOX Sports as the lead NFL analyst when he eventually decides to end his playing career. That includes the current lead analyst of NBC’s Sunday Night Football telecasts, Cris Collinsworth.

“I’m a little surprised,” he said on the latest episode of The Cris Collinsworth Podcast. “There’s no amount of money they could throw at him that would have influenced him. He’s going to still be working weekends for half the year no matter what it is.”

Collinsworth mentioned that he hears from most people and they ask him what the TV life is like when they are thinking about getting into the industry. Tom Brady was not one of those people. He hopes the GOAT knows what he is in for.

“It’s hard. I’m working on the airplane when I’m flying home from the other game. I’m working on the next game. It’s a seven day a week job. For somebody that has reached where he’s reached in the NFL and made that kind of money, I’m honestly really surprised. I guess the money now has gotten to the point where it’s of interest to everybody.”

While some might be unsure about how Brady will do in the FOX NFL booth with Kevin Burkhardt, count Collinsworth in as one of those people who think Brady will do a great job.

“I think he’ll be fantastic. Every conversation I have ever had with him about the game of football, you always go oh, I didn’t know. He’s always been pretty open and honest with us. He has a real personal side to the game…He’s got it all, but I’ve got to say I am surprised.”

Ricky Keeler

Ricky Keeler is a reporter for BSM with a primary focus on sports media podcasts and national personalities. He is also an active podcaster with an interest in pursuing a career in sports media. You can find him on Twitter @Rickinator555 or reach him by email at RickJKeeler@gmail.com.

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Sports TV News

Sunday Night Baseball Viewership Up On ESPN

“Telecasts are averaging 1.73 million viewers.”

Published

13 hours ago

May 11, 2022

Jordan Bondurant

The first month of the 2022 MLB regular season has concluded and ESPN is celebrating an uptick in viewership for Sunday Night Baseball.

The network announced on Tuesday that viewership for Sunday Night Baseball is up 4% compared to this time last year. In addition to that, compared to the 2020 full season average, ratings are up 40%.

Telecasts are averaging 1.73 million viewers. The Dodgers/Cubs game on May 8 averaged 1.781 million and peaked at over 2.1 million viewers during the 8-8:15 p.m. window.

Karl Ravech, Eduardo Perez and David Cone comprise the Sunday Night Baseball broadcast booth, with Buster Olney contributing reports.

Jordan Bondurant

Jordan Bondurant is a features reporter for Barrett News Media. He also works for ABC8 News and Newsradio WRVA and 910 The Fan in Richmond, Virginia. His prior experiences include working for the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the Danville Register & Bee, Virginia Lawyers Weekly and iHeartradio Richmond. He can be reached by email at Jordan.E.Bondurant@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @J__Bondurant.

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Sports TV News

Nickelodeon Gets Christmas Day NFL Game

“This will be the network’s first regular season game.”

Published

14 hours ago

May 11, 2022

BSM Staff

The NFL’s Christmas triple header will include a little slime this year. The afternoon game between the Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams and Denver Broncos will be simulcast on CBS and Nickelodeon.

Nickelodeon has ramped up its NFL presence each year since 2020. The network has aired a kid-friendly broadcast of a Wild Card Round playoff game each of the last two seasons. Last year’s tile between the 49ers and Cowboys drew an audience of 41 million.

Before the start of last season, the studio show NFL Slimetime debuted. This will be the network’s first regular season game.

Kickoff is set for 4:30 pm Eastern on Christmas Day. No details of what Nickelodeon’s coverage may include are available yet. Nate Burleson, Noah Eagle and Nickelodeon star Gabrielle Nevaeh Green have been on the call of the network’s previous NFL broadcasts.