Behind the Mic: Fox Sports Discloses 2018 NFL Broadcasting Teams; Stadium Grabs 3 Marquee Names By Kristian Hernandez, Assistant Editor Tuesday, August 21, 2018 - 8:00 am
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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, Fox Sports unveils their broadcast teams for the 2018 NFL season, Stadium signs three stellar reporters to their line of talent, Mike Tirico will host NBC's NFL pre game show, CBS Sports releases their teams for the college football season, Joe Buck re-ups his contract for three years, Jim Mora joins ESPN as a college football analyst along re-signed Joey Galloway and Emmanuel Acho, Victor Cruz joins ESPN after retiring from his NFL career, The NFL Network acquires Mike Giardi and MJ Acosta, Sportsnet New York signs Bart Scott for NFL coverage, Andre Ward will now be a member of ESPN's boxing division, Andrew Hawkins agrees to a new deal with ESPN to increase their digital footprint, Tim Howard and Stuart Holden highlight B/R Football's coverage of the UEFA Champions League, and the SEC Network adds Alyssa Lang.
Fox Sports announced its broadcast teams for the network's 25th season of NFL coverage. This season, the Fox NFL lineup includes seven esteemed on-air teams featuring a notable blend of experienced and new personalities. The announcement was made by John Entz, President of Production and Executive Producer, Fox Sports.
Emmy Award-winning play-by-play announcer Joe Buck and Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman return for their 17th season as Fox Sports' lead NFL broadcast team. Erin Andrews joins the league's longest-tenured duo for her sixth season of reporting. Buck, Aikman, and Andrews will open Week 1 with Fox's first edition of America's Game of the Week, as the Carolina Panthers face the Dallas Cowboys in a conference battle from Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 9 at 4:25 PM ET. Buck, Aikman, Andrews, reporter Kristina Pink, and Fox NFL rules analyst Mike Pereira comprise the NFL's Thursday Night Football presented by Bud Light broadcast team. The team will call Thursday Night Football games broadcast on Fox and simulcast via NFL Network between Weeks 4-15 (excluding Thanksgiving night). The games also will be streamed on Amazon Prime and distributed in Spanish on Fox Deportes.
Fox Sports play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt teams with Charles Davis and veteran reporter Pam Oliver. Oliver, a 2018 Gracie Award recipient, enters her 24th season of Fox NFL coverage. The trio opens the season Sunday, Sept. 9 at U.S. Bank Stadium as the San Francisco 49ers visit the Minnesota Vikings at 1:00 PM ET.
Mark Schlereth, a three-time Super Bowl Champion, returns with longtime play-by-play announcer Dick Stockton and reporter Jennifer Hale. Stockton, Schlereth, and Hale call the Seattle Seahawks at Denver Broncos matchup from Mile High Stadium Week 1 at 4:25 PM ET. Kenny Albert and five-time Pro Bowl cornerback Rond Barber partner again in 2018. Barber's twin brother, three-time Pro Bowl running back Tiki Barber, joins Rond and Albert from the sidelines for Weeks 1 and 2. Last fall, the Barbers became the first twin brothers to call an NFL game for broadcast television when they joined Albert in the Fox booth for the Giants at Bucs game, a meeting of their former teams.
Long time play-by-play caller Chris Myers once again teams with analyst Daryl Moose Johnston and reporter Laura Okmin. Each has more than a decade of NFL game experience with Fox Sports. Myers, Johnston, and Okmin call the NFC South matchup pairing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the New Orleans Saints in Week 1 at 1:00 PM ET.
Thom Brennaman, analyst Chris Spielman, and reporter Shannon Spake call the 4:25 PM ET Week 1 matchup between the Washington Redskins and the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium. Longtime play-by-play announcer Sam Rosen completes the Fox Sports Week 1 roster alongside NFL Hall of Famer and game analyst Cris Carter and reporter Sarah Kustok. Rosen, Carter, and Kustok call the Tennessee Titans matchup against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium at 1:00 PM ET. Former Rams and Titans head coach Jeff Fisher will make his Fox Sports debut in Week 4 when he pairs with play-by-play announcer Dan Hellie and reporter Karyn Bryan as the New York Jets travel to the Jacksonville Jaguars at 1:00 PM ET.
Impressively, Albert, Brennaman, Buck, and Stockton have all been with Fox dating back to the network's inception in 1994. They all called games in the first NFL on Fox season and will be back again in 2018.
Former NFL Vice Presidents of Officiating Dean Blandino will also serve as a rules analyst throughout the season - providing rules analysis and proficiency on some of the most important calls of the week.
Fox NFL Kickoff welcomes fans each Sunday at 11:00 AM ET on Fox throughout the season. The one-hour pregame show is hosted by Charissa Thompson along with 14-time NFL Pro Bowler and studio analyst Tony Gonzalez, four-time NFL Pro Bowler Michael Vick, Colin Cowherd, Super Bowl winning-defensive coordinator Dave Wannstedt, and Cooper Manning, who contributes weekly segments. Peter Schrager will join the cast most weeks, with the exemption of four games in which he will be reporting from the sidelines.
Fox NFL Sunday, America's top NFL pregame show for the last 25 seasons, immediately follows at 12:00 PM ET. Hosts Terry Bradshaw and Curt Menefee, and analysts Howie Long, Jimmy Johnson, and Michael Strahan drive the one-hour program. Premier NFL insider Jay Glazer, comedic prognosticator Rob Riggle, and rules analysts Pereira and Blandino also contribute
Stadium, the first 24/7 multi-platform
