Hall of Fame NBA coach and broadcaster Dr. Jack Ramsay has passed away. Dr. Ramsay died after a long battle with cancer over the past decade. Dr. Ramsay coached the Portland Trailblazers to their only title in 1977. In the last 2 decades he is one of the most respected analysts working on Miami Heat and then ESPN and ESPN Radio broadcasts. He was a World War II Navy serviceman and inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 1992. Ramsay passed at the age of 89. [ESPN]
Kevin Burkardt will be joining FOX Sports full time in 2015. Burkhardt has been a torrid rise in the broadcasting ranks receiving an NFL Playoff assignment in his first year, bypassing veterans Kenny Albert and Thom Brennaman. Burkhardt is currently the new studio host for MLB on FOX's pregame show and is expected to work College Basketball assignments this fall. Burkhard is still under contract with SNY as the field reporter for the New York Mets through this season. [NY Post]
FOX Sports 1's Crowd Gone Wild hosted by Regis Phibin has been cancelled. The program was highly promoted in the heels of FS1's August 2013 launch, but from its inception struggled in ratings. The show will end in May. With the show's departure, the Mike Francesca Show will receive an extra hour running from 1 p.m to 5 p.m. [Fang's Bites]
FOX Sports have announced they will simulcast WFAN's The Mike Francesca Show. Francesca, who's popular New York based show ended its 11 year run on the YES Network in February will be back in the air starting Monday, March 24th. The show will air on FOX Sports 1 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and conclude on FOX Sports 2 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The Sports Pope of New York's former radio partner Chris Russo will also return to TV, as his Sirius XM High Heat will be air on MLB Network, starting opening day, March 31st at noon.
[Source: FOX Sports; Awful Announcing]
The long rumored changes in ESPN's College Football broadcast is coming to form as Brent Musburger is now the lead analyst for ESPN's SEC TV coverage this fall. The hall of fame legend will team with Jesse Palmer for the SEC Game of the Week (or technically, the second best game after CBS). The move appears to put in motion for either Chris Fowler or Rece Davis to be the new face of ESPN's College Football coverage with Kirk Herbstreit.
[Source: ESPN Media Zone; The Big Lead]
Rick Reilly has retired his ESPN.com column. The award winning, but controversial writer will end his run on the World Wide Leader's website on July 1st. Reilly will become a contributor to Monday Night Football, Sunday NFL Countdown and SportsCenter with human interest features and on air story telling. Reilly who signed an extension last May, has been dogged by accusations of mailing in his columns and blatantly self plagiarizing columns he has written in the past. Reilly will release a new book in May, a collection of his writings on ESPN.com.
[Source: ESPN Front Row, Deadspin]
- Bob Costas will sit out Tuesday's prime time coverage of the Winter Games. Costas has been going through persistent discomfort due to pink since Saturday. The noticeable ailment forced the host to wear glasses to start the games as his left eye looked red and swollen. Yesterday the right eye begin experiencing discomfort, forcing NBC's Olympic producer Jim Bell to go with Today Show host Matt Lauer. Costas is expected back for tomorrow's broadcast, but they are prepared to go with Lauer for two nights.
- The musical chairs of syndicated radio continues, with Newsday's Neil Best reporting WFAN's Mike Francesca Show will move to FOX Sports 1. No official announcement or time has been announced, but it is anticipated the show will debut on FS1 during March's NCAA Tournament. Francesca's radio show was fixture on the YES Network, up until this year when ESPN Radio host and New York Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay took over the spot earlier this month.
- Comcast Philadelphia have announced that former Phillies Matt Stairs and Jaime Moyer have joined thier broadcast for the 2014 season. Both will replace Chris Wheeler and Gary Matthews who were let go by Comcast earlier this year. The new analysts will join play by play man Tom McCarthy who will be returning for his 7th season.
- NBCSN announced they will launch NASCAR America starting Monday, February 24. NASCAR Amrerica will be the networks daily 30 minute programs in anticipation to NBC's increasing coverage of auto racing in the next two years. NBC and NBCSN take over Formula 1 racing for 2014 and will co-host NASCAR coverage with FOX Sports. Rick Allen will host NBC's studio in Bristol, Ct, while Turner's Marty Snider and Kelly Stavist will host from Charlotte, NC. It will debut the day after FOX's coverage of the Daytona 500.
- ESPN and the YES Network have come to agreement in simulcasting The Michael Kay Show. Kay, the radio host for ESPN and main play by play announcer for the New York Yankee's television network, along with Don LaGreca will air live starting Monday, February 3rd and run 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Kay will replace WFAN's Mike Francesa's radio Show, which ended its 10 year run on YES last month.
- FOX Sports have announced that FOX News Channel's personality Bill O'Reilly of the 'The O'Reilly Factor' will interview U.S. President Barack Obama on Super Bowl Sunday. This will be the second time O'Reilly will interview Obama in the traditional Super Bowl segment between the President and the host network's main news host. The interview will air during the FOX Super Bowl Sunday pregame show at approximately 4:30 p.m. More taped portions of the interview will air the following night on FNC.
- In other Super Bowl News, FOX Sports, NFL Network, CBS Sports Network and ESPN have all announced their daily coverage of Super Bowl Media Week. Each network will air almost round the clock coverage on television, radio and internet platforms reporting of news and notes leading up the game on February 2.
Click on the link of each network for a copy of their official release: FOX Sports 1, ESPN, CBS Sports Network, NFL Network.
