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, Jason Benetti to become the NBC Sports play-by-play voice for Sunday Night Baseball; Jimmy Rollins and Jeff Francoeur renew TNT Sports contracts; and more.ESPN Adds Six Standout Journalists from The Washington Post
ESPN is significantly strengthening its journalism operation with the hiring of six accomplished reporters from The Washington Post, underscoring the company's continued investment in original reporting, newsgathering, investigations and enterprise storytelling.
The journalists - collectively bringing more than 100 years of industry experience and recipients of numerous major industry awards - will join ESPN's newsgathering, investigative and enterprise teams over the coming weeks.
Adding these six outstanding journalists and the reputation of The Washington Post will enhance an ESPN team that is already the best in the business, says Jimmy Pitaro, ESPN Chairman. We are proud to advance our robust commitment to journalism, which is core to our mission of serving sports fans. Today's news strengthens our position as the place to turn for the latest and most in-depth sports news, reporting and feature stories across every platform.
The journalists joining ESPN's Investigative, Enterprise and Digital Journalism Unit:
Kent Babb - Formerly a sports features and enterprise writer at the Post, Babb will write and report across all sports for ESPN. Babb has earned multiple Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE) awards, been featured in multiple editions of The Year's Best Sportswriting series, is a former reporter for the Kansas City Star and The State (Columbia, S.C.), and the author of two books.
Kareem Copeland - Copeland has covered the WNBA, NBA, college basketball, the Washington Commanders, other NFL assignments, additional collegiate sports and the Olympics. Prior to the Post, he reported for the Associated Press. At ESPN, he will be based in the Midwest covering women's college basketball and the WNBA.
Chuck Culpepper - Culpepper has covered college football and basketball, golf and tennis majors, the Olympics, World Cups, Super Bowls and more for multiple outlets. Culpepper's work has been featured several times in The Year's Best Sportswriting anthology series. A multiple winner of APSE awards and an author, Culpepper's versatile skill set will be used across all sports and events at ESPN.
Robert Klemko - Klemko was part of a Pulitzer Prize winning team at the Post in 2024 for a series that covered the rise of the AR 15 rifle. After covering the NFL for Sports Illustrated and USA Today, he reported on policing, immigration and covered the Russian invasion of Ukraine at the Post. At ESPN, Klemko will focus on sports related crime, investigations and major scandals working mostly in the investigative wing of the larger unit.
Tom Schad - Schad, most recently the Washington Commanders beat reporter for the Post, will be a general assignment reporter who focuses on enterprise, quick-turn, investigative and data journalism for ESPN. A multiple APSE award-winner, his previous experience includes roles at USA Today, the Memphis Commercial Appeal and The Washington Times.
Ben Strauss - Strauss, previously the Post's sports media and sports business reporter, will focus on sports business enterprise and investigative journalism for ESPN. A co author of a book about the NCAA, Strauss has earned APSE recognition and previously reported for Politico and The New York Times.
Their reporting will appear across ESPN's platforms, including ESPN.com, the ESPN App, SportsCenter, ESPN Audio podcasts, and additional ESPN programming.
Jason Benetti Joins NBC Sports as Play-By-Play Voice of Sunday Night Baseball on NBC and Peacock
Jason Benetti, a critically acclaimed Major League Baseball voice for the past 15 years, is joining NBC Sports to handle play-by-play for the new Sunday Night Baseball primetime package on NBC and Peacock, it was announced today.
Benetti debuts in his new role on Thursday, March 26, at Dodger Stadium, as the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers host the Arizona Diamondbacks, with coverage beginning at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock in the only primetime game on MLB's Opening Day presented by Adobe. Benetti previously served as the play-by-play voice for NBC Sports' presentation of MLB Sunday Leadoff on Peacock in 2022 and called baseball for NBC Sports during the Tokyo Olympics.
After Jason finished the 2022 baseball season with us, we told him that if we ever got MLB back, he'd be our first call, says Sam Flood, NBC Sports Executive Producer. Jason is one of the best play-by-play announcers in the business and we're thrilled to have him back on a full-time basis with NBC Sports, beginning with Sunday Night Baseball.
I am thrilled to be rejoining the NBC Sports family, Benetti says. Rick Cordella, Sam Flood and the whole team at NBC all have a deep appreciation for live sports. It's a true honor to be part of the dawn of Sunday Night Baseball at NBC Sports. Each week is going to be a new, unique experience with analysts who all have different viewpoints on the game of baseball.
For each telecast, Benetti will be paired with analysts with connections to each participating team.
This spring, Benetti begins his third season as the TV voice of the Detroit Tigers, following eight years calling Chicago White Sox games on NBC Sports Chicago.
On the national stage, Benetti most recently worked at Fox Sports (since 2022), contributing to the network's live coverage of MLB, NFL, college football, and college basketball. Previously, he called MLB games for ESPN and E
