Behind the Mic: Jim Nantz To Stay at CBS Under New Deal, Fox Sports Gets Set for 2021 MLB Season With Deep On-Air Team By Kristian Hernandez, Associate Editor
Wednesday, March 31, 2021 - 4:06 pm
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Behind the Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, including new deals, departures, and assignments compiled from press releases and reports around the industry. In this week's edition, Jim Nantz will stay at CBS on a new Fox Sports reveals its MLB broadcast teams for the 2021 season, ESPN and ABC reveal their on-air teams for the 2021 NFL Draft in Cleveland, and more.
Jim Nantz Stays at CBS With New Deal Jim Nantz will be staying at CBS. According to SportsBusiness Journal's John Ourand, the network's top announcer signed a new deal to stay at the network for an undisclosed number of years, according to both CBS Sports and Nantz's agent Sandy Montag.
During his 35-year run at CBS, Nantz has developed into the network's top voice on the NFL, golf including The Masters and college basketball. Nantz has been open about his desire to remain the voice of the Masters, specifically, for at least another decade. (SportsBusiness Journal)
Fox Sports Names Starting Lineup for 2021 Major League Baseball Regular Season Fox Sports takes the field for its 26th season of Major League Baseball coverage with Judy Boyd, Senior Vice President of Remote Production, and Kent Camera, Senior Vice President of Studio Production, delivering the lineup card for the 2021 Fox MLB roster of on-air announcers and analysts.
The network's lead broadcast duo of Emmy Award-winning announcer Joe Buck and first-ballot Hall of Famer John Smoltz team with two-time Emmy Award-winning reporter Ken Rosenthal as the 2020 NL East champion Atlanta Braves travel to Philadelphia to take on the Phillies Saturday, April 3, at 4:00 PM ET on FS1. In the second half of the division-matchup doubleheader, veteran broadcaster Adam Amin and 1992 NL Rookie of the Year Eric Karros call the action when the 2020 World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers take on the Colorado Rockies at 8:00 PM ET on FS1.
Throughout the season, announcers Kevin Burkhardt, Joe Davis, Aaron Goldsmith, and Len Kasper are joined by World Series catcher A.J. Pierzynski and Emmy Award-winning reporter Tom Verducci in contributing to Fox MLB game coverage.
In the Fox Sports studio, Burkhardt and Karros are joined by versatile host Chris Myers, World Series champion pitcher Dontrelle Willis, and Hall of Famer Frank Thomas for select events. Burkhardt, Willis, and Thomas are at the desk for Saturday's pregame at 3:00 PM ET on FS1.
World Series champions Alex Rodriguez and David Ortiz join the studio for special events and Fox's coverage of the MLB Postseason.
Award-winning feature reporter Tom Rinaldi makes his Fox MLB debut with an essay on the promise of renewal that comes with Opening Day during Saturday's pregame.
Set to broadcast a network record of more than 40 MLB games this regular season, Fox Deportes opens this season's coverage simultaneously on Saturday, April 3 as veteran baseball broadcasters Carlos Alvarez and Jaime Motta call the NL East matchup between the Braves and Phillies at 4:00 PM ET. Later that evening, the network's lead baseball duo of renowned play-by-play announcer Adrian Garcia Marquez and former MLB infielder and Mexico National Team manager Edgar Gonzalez bring viewers the Dodgers vs. Rockies at 8:00 PM ET. (Fox Sports)
ESPN and ABC Announce Commentator Teams for the 2021 NFL Draft in Cleveland
The Walt Disney Company's team of veteran hosts, analysts, and insiders will present the 2021 NFL Draft live coast-to-coast from Cleveland beginning Thursday, April 29, at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on ESPN and ABC. For the third consecutive year, ESPN and ABC will provide distinct prime-time presentations on Day 1 and 2. ESPN will again offer the traditional draft telecast - a combination of X's and O's analysis, player highlights and storytelling - while ABC, featuring the eleven-time Sports Emmy Award-winning College GameDay Built by The Home Depot crew, will cover the event with an emphasis on the individual journeys of NFL Draft prospects.
On ESPN, Mike Greenberg will debut as host mere months ahead of his 25th company anniversary. Greenberg will lead ESPN's 42nd NFL Draft on Day 1 and 2 with senior NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr., covering his 38th draft, and NFL analysts Louis Riddick, his seventh, and Booger McFarland, his third. ESPN's event coverage will also feature Senior NFL Insiders Chris Mortensen, covering his 31st draft, and Adam Schefter, his 12th, and NFL host Suzy Kolber, who will cover the event for the 18th year and interview draftees.
On ABC, 25-year company veteran Rece Davis, who recently signed an ESPN extension, and Maria Taylor, a leading voice across college sports and on NBA Countdown, will co-host the prime-time broadcasts on Day 1 and 2. Davis will cover the event with college football analysts Kirk Herbstreit and Desmond Howard, returning for their fourth draft, and senior NFL Draft analyst Todd McShay, his 12th. From a nearby set, Taylor, covering her fourth draft, will anchor with college football analyst and third-year draft commentator Jesse Palmer. College football analyst David Pollack, returning for his fourth draft, will also provide insights alongside his College GameDay teammates.
On Day 3, Davis will host the 2021 NFL Draft on ESPN and ABC with Kiper, McShay, Riddick, Mortensen, and Schefter.
On ESPN Radio, Dari Nowkhah will host with NFL Front Office Insider Mike Tannenbaum, ESPN Radio's Bart Scott (Day 1 and 2), NFL Draft analyst Jim Nagy (Day 3), and reporter Ian Fitzsimmons.
On ESPN Deportes, Eduardo Varela and Pablo Viruega will provide event coverage in Spani
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Behind the Mic: Jim Nantz To Stay at CBS Under New Deal, Fox Sports Gets Set for 2021 MLB Season With Deep On-Air Team By Kristian Hernandez, Associate Editor 
