This from ESPN. We learn that college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit has signed a nine year contract extension with ESPN to continue calling games and remain on the show that brought him fame and fortune, College GameDay.
Herbstreit joined ESPN’s College GameDay in 1995, replacing Craig James, to form the best pregame show panel in television with host Chris Fowler and Lee Corso. Together, they’ll go into their 18th season, one of the longest tenures for a pregame cast.
He’s been an analyst for ESPN/ABC for the past seven years and he’ll be teamed with Brent Musburger once again this season mostly for ABC’s Saturday Night Football series.
With the new contract extension, this ensures that Herbstreit will be on the announcing team that will call the National College Football Playoff including one semifinal and the National Championship Game. This will begin with the 2014-15 season. He will call this season’s Rose Bowl and BCS National Game.
And he’s adding some new duties as he and ESPN Radio Hack Colin Cowherd will appear on the Tuesday edition of College Football Live as they will discuss the week’s news in the sport.
Here’s the ESPN announcement.
Kirk Herbstreit Signs Extension with ESPN Through 2022Veteran college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit will remain with ESPN through 2022. The two-time Sports Emmy Award-winner for Best Studio Analyst (2010 & 2011) will continue to call ABC’s Saturday Night Football package and make weekly appearances on a variety of ESPN shows including ESPN College GameDay – where he enters his 18th season as co-analyst – and College Football Live. Having called the past seven Rose Bowls and six BCS National Championships, he will again be in the booth for this year’s editions. When the new College Football Playoff commences in 2015, he will call one National Semifinal and the National Championship Game each year. In addition, he will continue to make contributions to various award shows and provide analysis across ESPN platforms such as SportsCenter, ESPN.com and ESPN The Magazine.
New this fall, Herbstreit’s weekly Tuesday appearance on College Football Live will tap into his talk radio roots, pairing him with ESPN Radio’s Colin Cowherd (The Herd with Colin Cowherd, M-F 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.). The two will offer insights and commentary on the week’s hottest topics.
“Kirk Herbstreit is synonymous with college football’s biggest stage and moments. He is at the top of his game and he’s ours into the next decade. We’re thrilled,” said John Wildhack, ESPN executive vice president, production.
Herbstreit said, “I’ve always felt that ESPN and ABC are the home of college football and even more so now that they have the College Football Playoff for 12 years. Considering the opportunities that lay ahead and the great people I get to work with every day, it was an easy decision to stay with the company that gave me my start.”
College GameDay colleague, Lee Corso, who Herbstreit has sat alongside since his first ESPN screen test in 1995, said, “ESPN and College GameDay are better because of Kirk. He is not only a talented analyst, he is an even better person, family man and an asset to ESPN, and I am proud of all he has accomplished. To him I say, ‘Not so fast my friend…’ I look forward to working next to Kirk beyond my 86th birthday!”
Herbstreit is a very good studio analyst and his Emmy Awards are proof of his quality work. I haven’t been enamored with his game work.
At least we’re guaranteed of Herbie on College GameDay for many years to come.
