Fox Sports is poised to grab the NFL’s “Thursday Night Football” game package, with an announcement expected as early as today. Now the big question for Fox is: Who will call these games?
Fox doesn’t want to use its No. 1 announce team of Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Erin Andrews for all of the new Thursday Night games, sources told Sporting News. That team will continue to call Sunday afternoon games, which draw a much better schedule and more viewers. To avoid burnout, Fox would prefer its top team work only the best Thursday Night matchups.
“Fox doesn’t want to waste them on [bad] games,” said a source. “If Fox gets Patriots vs. Broncos, then you get Aikman and Buck.”
That might open the door for the current No. 2 announce team of Kevin Burkhardt, Charles Davis and Pam Oliver to call the Thursday prime time games. Or Fox could try to make a splashy outside hire by bringing in a newcomer like retired Cardinals coach Bruce Arians.
Don’t overlook Panthers tight end Greg Olsen, who worked a game for Fox with Burkhardt, Davis and Oliver during his team’s bye week on Nov. 19. Olsen will be part of ESPN’s Super Bowl coverage this week in Minneapolis. He’s clearly interested in a TV gig once his playing career ends, as are several other players and coaches.
Fox took a gamble on former Bears quarterback Jay Cutler by naming the TV rookie their No. 2 color analyst behind Aikman last season. Cutler jilted the company by returning to the playing field with the Dolphins. Beyond him, Mark Schlereth, who joined Fox last year from ESPN, is viewed as an up-and-coming game analyst.
A few years ago, the NFL mandated that TNF rights-holders CBS Sports and NBC Sports use their first-string announce teams of Jim Nantz, Phil Simms, Tracy Wolfson and Al Michael, Cris Collinsworth and Michele Tafoya for both Thursday and Sunday games.
But the league has loosened up on that policy, allowing NBC to use Mike Tirico with Collinsworth instead of Michaels. Working two games in four days burns out both broadcasters and production crews. Fox and the NFL declined to comment Wednesday morning.
“The Fox deal has zero promises on talent. [The announce team] will depend on the quality of the game,” said one source.
Sources: Fox will have 11 Thursday Night NFL games, sharing with NFL Network and a digital partner. Fox will have expanded mobile rights. The TNF digital package (i.e, Amazon’s) still is up for sale.
— John Ourand (@Ourand_SBJ) January 31, 2018
Here’s a look at Fox’s 2017 NFL announce teams:
— Buck, Aikman, Andrews
— Burkhardt, Davis, Oliver
— Kenny Albert, Ronde Barber and Kristina Pink
— Chris Myers, Daryl Johnston and Laura Okmin
— Dick Stockton, Mark Schlereth and Shannon Spake
— Thom Brennaman, Chris Spielman and Peter Schrager
— Sam Rosen, David Diehl and Jennifer Hale
The company submitted a higher bid than the $45 million per game that CBS and NBC paid during the 2017 season, according to Bloomberg.
Media reporter John Ourand of SportsBusiness Journal reported Fox will get 11 TNF games, sharing the property with the league’s own NFL Network and a digital partner. The TNF digital package currently held by Amazon is still up for grabs, according to Ourand.
With NFL TV ratings falling 10% during the 2017 regular season, TNF is not as hot a commodity as it used to be. Still, the NFL remains TV’s most powerful and reliable draw. The addition of TNF would provide a nice shot in the arm for Fox, noted Bloomberg. Fox ranks last among broadcast networks in total audience and is tied for second among viewers aged 18 to 49.
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