This is a patented Deitsch Bomb from Richard Deitsch of Sports Illustrated. He breaks news that Gus Johnson has stepped down as the #1 voice for soccer. Speaking with Johnson, Deitsch reports several factors came into play in what Johnson and Fox Sports President Eric Shanks are calling a mutual decision.
Johnson told Deitsch that he called Shanks and informed him that he could not give the sport the attention it deserved given his schedule college football and basketball. Johnson said his decision was influenced by the death of his mother due to ovarian cancer and his impending nuptials next year.
He added, “What I realized about calling soccer and especially international soccer, I needed to do 35-40 games just to get my bars up and my chops going. Because of my schedule, I never had a chance to get that kind of experience and work in. I always felt like I was cramming, and I don’t think that’s a good thing. If I am not the best I can be, I did not think it was something I should continue to do.”
Johnson was scheduled to call next year’s Women’s World Cup in Canada and he admitted that he was coming in cold to the women’s side of the sport, “I don’t want to do my company a disservice, and more importantly, I don’t want to do the sport a disservice. I feel more comfortable with the men and learning the women felt like a new language. Down the road if I can get some rest and healing, I am not opposed to going back to do some soccer. Maybe not at the same pace as the No. 1 guy, but I’d love to be on the team.”
When Johnson was named as the number one voice for soccer, it was met with derision by hardcore soccer fans. And while he did improve from his first games, it wasn’t to the level of experienced soccer voices and especially to where he could be considered a lead announcer. While Shanks felt Johnson could get to that level, Gus would have needed plenty of reps on international soccer and MLS which Fox will begin airing next year. However, with Johnson’s schedule of basketball and football games, he would not have been able to reach the heights as an Ian Darke, Martin Tyler, Jon Champion or even an Adrian Healey, Arlo White, Phil Schoen or Derek Rae.
So this leaves Fox with a vacancy. The experienced Tyler immediately comes to mind for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. He has a relationship with Fox through Sky Sports and has called the UEFA Champions League Final for Sky which Fox has picked up before using Johnson on the game.
As for the Women’s World Cup, Deitsch writes that Fox may use a different #1 voice for that event and another for the Men’s WC in ’18.
Right now, Fox does have a little time to find its voice and fill its bench. We’ll see the names as we get closer to the Women’s World Cup qualifiers.
