Doug Collins is headed for TNT and there is a strong possibility that Al Michaels will be ABC's new NBA play-by-play announcer. That and this report from The Los Angeles Times' Larry Stewart
TNT announced late Thursday that Collins had signed a five-year contract, dropping a monkey wrench into ABC's plan, which was to pair Michaels with Collins.
A partner for Michaels, assuming he accepts the NBA assignment ABC is expected to offer him? Bill Walton and/or Tom Tolbert, who worked with Brad Nessler on the ABC team last season, are possibilities.
But first comes the chore of convincing Michaels, the play-by-play announcer on "Monday Night Football" since 1986, to add to his workload.
There have been only preliminary talks regarding Michaels and the NBA, but there is little question he will get the job if he wants it.
TNT did not say who Collins' broadcast partners would be. It seems likely he'll be part of a three-man team.
"The way we look at it, we now have two A-plus teams," said Jeff Behnke, senior vice president of production for Turner Sports.
TNT's play-by-play announcers are Marv Albert and Kevin Harlan, and the game commentators are Mike Fratello, John Thompson, Steve Kerr, who was signed last week, and now Collins.
Collins said he was not concerned about who he'll work with.
"For me, the company I'll be working for is more important," he said from Wilmington, N.C., where he was vacationing with his family.
Collins worked for Turner Sports for six seasons, 1989 to '94, before moving on to NBC and then back into coaching with the Washington Wizards, who fired him after last season.
"I've always said I could never repay Turner for what they did for me early in my career," he said. "I had just been fired in Chicago [by the Bulls] and they stepped up to the plate. I'll never forget that, and I'm very comfortable with the people there.
"It would have been nice to work the NBA Finals, but we have the NBA All-Star game and the Western Conference finals."
Collins had an offer from ABC-ESPN that would have made him the lead NBA commentator. Losing him was a big blow to ABC-ESPN.
Now the focus there is on getting Michaels on board. That and this report from The Los Angeles Times' Larry Stewart
Pushing for it are Mike Pearl, a veteran who three weeks ago took over as ABC Sports' executive producer, and Mark Shapiro, ESPN's youthful but powerful production chief.
"Al is the voice and face of ABC Sports," Shapiro said. "We'd be foolish not to reach out to Al to get a feel on his availability and interest."
Pearl, who declined to offer any specifics, said he and Shapiro would sit down soon to talk about NBA on-air talent.
This is Pearl's second stint at ABC, after tenures at CBS and TNT. Pearl worked with Michaels in the 1980s on "Wide World of Sports," the Olympics and college football.
So it's logical that Pearl would want Michaels to be ABC's lead play-by-play announcer. Shapiro might be more inclined than Pearl to stick with Nessler. Shapiro was involved in Nessler's getting the top job going into last season, ABC's first under a new contract with the NBA.
Pearl came to ABC from TNT, where the NBA coverage, which includes the production, announcing and studio show, is widely regarded as superior to ABC's. Pearl has an edict to improve ABC's NBA coverage, and Michaels and Collins were at the top of his list.
But with Collins no longer available, Pearl and Shapiro will have to come up with a different plan. Both were interviewed before TNT made its late-hour announcement, and neither could be reached Thursday night.
Pearl and Shapiro work as a team because ESPN, besides producing its own NBA coverage, also produces ABC's.
George Bodenheimer, the president of ESPN and ABC Sports, has the final say on any changes. But he will more than likely go along with what his lead production people recommend.
Pearl said he and Shapiro had talked, but only by phone.
"We haven't talked much about talent," Pearl said. "That isn't something you talk about on the phone."
Michaels said he knew nothing of an NBA assignment.
"This is news to me," he said. "No one has talked to me, so I really don't have any comment."
Two sources said he and Pearl would be meeting soon.
If ABC persuades Michaels to take the NBA job, he will work only ABC telecasts. That means Nessler could end up as ESPN's lead play-by-play announcer. That and this report from The Los Angeles Times' Larry Stewart
http://www.sportsbusinessnews.com/index.asp?story_id=29073
TNT announced late Thursday that Collins had signed a five-year contract, dropping a monkey wrench into ABC's plan, which was to pair Michaels with Collins.
A partner for Michaels, assuming he accepts the NBA assignment ABC is expected to offer him? Bill Walton and/or Tom Tolbert, who worked with Brad Nessler on the ABC team last season, are possibilities.
But first comes the chore of convincing Michaels, the play-by-play announcer on "Monday Night Football" since 1986, to add to his workload.
There have been only preliminary talks regarding Michaels and the NBA, but there is little question he will get the job if he wants it.
TNT did not say who Collins' broadcast partners would be. It seems likely he'll be part of a three-man team.
"The way we look at it, we now have two A-plus teams," said Jeff Behnke, senior vice president of production for Turner Sports.
TNT's play-by-play announcers are Marv Albert and Kevin Harlan, and the game commentators are Mike Fratello, John Thompson, Steve Kerr, who was signed last week, and now Collins.
Collins said he was not concerned about who he'll work with.
"For me, the company I'll be working for is more important," he said from Wilmington, N.C., where he was vacationing with his family.
Collins worked for Turner Sports for six seasons, 1989 to '94, before moving on to NBC and then back into coaching with the Washington Wizards, who fired him after last season.
"I've always said I could never repay Turner for what they did for me early in my career," he said. "I had just been fired in Chicago [by the Bulls] and they stepped up to the plate. I'll never forget that, and I'm very comfortable with the people there.
"It would have been nice to work the NBA Finals, but we have the NBA All-Star game and the Western Conference finals."
Collins had an offer from ABC-ESPN that would have made him the lead NBA commentator. Losing him was a big blow to ABC-ESPN.
Now the focus there is on getting Michaels on board. That and this report from The Los Angeles Times' Larry Stewart
Pushing for it are Mike Pearl, a veteran who three weeks ago took over as ABC Sports' executive producer, and Mark Shapiro, ESPN's youthful but powerful production chief.
"Al is the voice and face of ABC Sports," Shapiro said. "We'd be foolish not to reach out to Al to get a feel on his availability and interest."
Pearl, who declined to offer any specifics, said he and Shapiro would sit down soon to talk about NBA on-air talent.
This is Pearl's second stint at ABC, after tenures at CBS and TNT. Pearl worked with Michaels in the 1980s on "Wide World of Sports," the Olympics and college football.
So it's logical that Pearl would want Michaels to be ABC's lead play-by-play announcer. Shapiro might be more inclined than Pearl to stick with Nessler. Shapiro was involved in Nessler's getting the top job going into last season, ABC's first under a new contract with the NBA.
Pearl came to ABC from TNT, where the NBA coverage, which includes the production, announcing and studio show, is widely regarded as superior to ABC's. Pearl has an edict to improve ABC's NBA coverage, and Michaels and Collins were at the top of his list.
But with Collins no longer available, Pearl and Shapiro will have to come up with a different plan. Both were interviewed before TNT made its late-hour announcement, and neither could be reached Thursday night.
Pearl and Shapiro work as a team because ESPN, besides producing its own NBA coverage, also produces ABC's.
George Bodenheimer, the president of ESPN and ABC Sports, has the final say on any changes. But he will more than likely go along with what his lead production people recommend.
Pearl said he and Shapiro had talked, but only by phone.
"We haven't talked much about talent," Pearl said. "That isn't something you talk about on the phone."
Michaels said he knew nothing of an NBA assignment.
"This is news to me," he said. "No one has talked to me, so I really don't have any comment."
Two sources said he and Pearl would be meeting soon.
If ABC persuades Michaels to take the NBA job, he will work only ABC telecasts. That means Nessler could end up as ESPN's lead play-by-play announcer. That and this report from The Los Angeles Times' Larry Stewart
http://www.sportsbusinessnews.com/index.asp?story_id=29073
