Sports broadcasting’s game of musical chairs is continuing this week.
NBC revealed in a statement that they have selected Mike Tirico as the replacement for Al Michaels. After spending the last 15 years with NBC, Michaels left for a rival network with the expiration of his NBC contract.
“When Mike joined NBC Sports in 2016, it was our plan for him to become our primetime Olympics host and the play-by-play voice of ‘Sunday Night Football,’” said NBC Sports chairman Pete Bevacqua said of Tirico in the statement, according to Variety. “We are excited to have Mike join Cris Collinsworth full-time in the booth this season.”
The 55-year-old Tirico is well-known to sports fans. In addition to his work for NBC over the last six years, Tirico was also the play-by-play announcer for ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” from 2006 to 2015.
Viewers already got a taste of what Tirico will be like on “Sunday Night Football” for NBC. Thus, the transition from Michaels to Tirico should hopefully be a pretty seamless one.
Photo: Aug 26, 2018; Arlington, TX, USA; Network television commentator Al Michaels before the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Arizona Cardinals at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
