Marv Albert, who was dropped by NBC in '97 following a
"misdemeanor assault conviction," has been rehired as NBC
Sports' lead NBA announcer starting with the 2000-01 season,
according to USA TODAY's Rudy Martzke. The move follows
Tuesday's announcement that NBC's Bob Costas has reached a
two-year, $2.2M deal with HBO Sports to host a "'Nightline-
like' sports issues show." Costas, who is serving as NBC's
lead NBA announcer, will "continue to host NBC's five
Olympics and contribute to NBA coverage after this season"
(USA TODAY, 12/15). NBC Sports Chair Dick Ebersol said
yesterday that Costas' "duties for the 2000 Olympics in
Sydney and his preparation for the 2002 Winter Games in Salt
Lake City prevent him from devoting enough time to the NBA"
(BLOOMBERG NEWS, 12/15). Starting in 2000-01, Costas' NBA
duties "will be limited to interviews during the semifinals
and finals of the league playoffs" (N.Y. TIMES, 12/15).
Albert, who was scheduled to do some games for NBC this
season after he returned to the net in June, will make his
season debut December 25 and is "expected" to be paired with
Bill Walton (N.Y. POST, 12/15). DAILY VARIETY's Michael
Schneider writes that Albert's career has "experienced a
remarkable revival after his admission" in '97 to the
misdemeanor assault charge (DAILY VARIETY, 12/15).
HBO SHOW TO FOCUS ON ISSUES: HBO Sports Senior VP Ross
Greenburg, on the new sports show with Costas: "It will deal
not only with breaking news, but some of the key issues. We
will draw on Bob's skills an interviewer, essayist, humorist
and journalist" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 12/15).
