A mere 73 years young, Brent Musbuger has signed a new deal with ESPN that will keep him as ESPN/ABC’s main college football play-by-play man for at least two more seasons. Under the new contract, he and Kirk Herbstreit will call the final two BCS Championship Games before the new playoff system takes effect.
Musburger has been with ESPN/ABC since 1990 after being unceremoniously fired by CBS during the Final Four. Since then, Brent has hosted Monday Night Football, called the Little League World Series, hosted the Pan Am Games in Cuba in 1991, hosted the Indianapolis 500 as well as the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
USA Today’s Michael Hiestand reports that this is a two year deal and that means Brent will be 75 when the contract is up. A man who created the NFL studio host position and has never won a Sports Emmy will be back calling marquee college football games this season and that’s a good thing.
The ESPN press release.
Brent Musburger Re-signs with ESPN
Veteran broadcaster Brent Musburger – one of the most recognized and prominent voices in sports televising, working numerous top events in a four-decade career – has signed a multiyear extension with ESPN.
“There are few sports moments better than turning on an event and hearing the signature ‘you are looking live’ open from Brent Musburger,” said Mark Gross, ESPN senior vice president and executive producer, production. “Brent is a leader in this industry among his peers and will continue to be the voice of many of our top telecasts.”
Musburger will continue to serve as a play-by-play commentator for multiple sports across ESPN and ABC. He primarily works college sports for ESPN, calling the weekly Saturday Night Football series on ABC, a role he has held since its debut in 2006, and several bowl games a year, highlighted by the BCS National Championship. He is also the announcer on an extensive schedule of men’s college basketball, most recently working ESPN’s Big 12 Big Monday telecasts.
“I couldn’t be happier about staying at ESPN,” said Musburger. “It was never a consideration for me to move on from here. The people I work for and with are some of the best in the industry. I love the atmosphere at college events and surrounding myself around college athletes. Hey, that’s how I stay young.”
For ABC and ESPN, Musburger has also hosted and/or called play-by-play for the NBA, golf, IRL races, Little League World Series and the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He also hosted Super Bowl XXV’s pre-game and half-time shows, the 1991 Pan Am Games from Cuba and NASCAR Nextel Cup races on ESPN and ABC during the 2007 season.
Musburger joined ABC in May 1990 after 15 years as CBS Sports’ primary host and play-by-play commentator, appearing on The NFL Today, the NCAA Final Four, tennis’ U.S. Open, the NBA and the Masters.
As is its recent custom with rehiring announcements, ESPN has a Front Row PR podcast to promote this move. This edition has Kirk Herbstreit talking with Brent about the decision to return.
That’s all.
