Mike Tirico is officially leaving ESPN for NBC Sports. Sam Flood, executive producer for NBC Sports, announced the move Monday in a conference call with Tirico and reporters.
News of Tirico’s move leaked last month. In confirming, Flood said that Tirico will officially join NBC Sports July 1.
Though Flood said that NBC Sports would not yet specify a role for the broadcaster, Tirico did indicate that he will be involved in coverage of soccer and golf, as well as coverage of the upcoming Summer Olympics. Asked how the opportunity to cover the Olympics factored into his decision to jump to NBC, Tirico said, “Top of the list. Watching the Olympics as a kid was one of the reasons I wanted to do this.”
Tirico is also expected to be involved in NBC’s football coverage. In addition to its “Sunday Night Football” package, NBC will broadcast five “Thursday Night Football” games next season as part of a new deal with the NFL.
“Of course calling the NFL is a big deal, but the Olympics is a big deal, and NBC has multiple primetim NFL packages, so there are opportunities that are going to be there hopefully for a very long stay at NBC.”
NBC’s “Thursday Night Football” rights extend through the next two seasons and its “Sunday Night Football” rights through 2021. NBC holds U.S. broadcast rights for the Olympics through 2032.
Bob Costas, NBC’s lead Olympics broadcaster, is 64 years old. Al Michaels, the play-by-play announcer on “Sunday Night Football,” is 71. Tirico is 49.
“He is an elite play by play [announcer] and host,” Flood said of Tirico. “Those two skills give us a versatile talent that can do just about anything in our shop, and we’re excited by that. IIn the last 25 years at ESPN and ABC, he’s worked virtually every major property for them and his work speaks for itself. It’s always a big event if Mike shows up at it.”
