Menu
Media

Musburger, Palmer Named Lead SEC Net Announcers, Given Contract Extensions

Play-by-play announcer Brent Musburger and analyst Jesse Palmer will be the lead announcers for the ESPN-owned SEC Network. Their first assignment will be the Aug. 28 Texas A&M-South Carolina game. Musburger and Palmer also will call multiple college football bowl games on ESPN. Musburger signed a multi-year contract extension with ESPN and in addition to calling one of three games the net broadcasts each Saturday, he will remain a play-by-play announcer for Big 12 basketball games on ESPN's networks. Palmer also reached a new agreement with ESPN in which he will continue as an analyst on the net's "Thursday Night College Football" package (ESPN).

SPREADING THE WEALTH: In Birmingham, Jon Solomon wrote the SEC Network could eventually "double TV revenue for each school," but how much money the network makes is "predicated on how wide the distribution is." That bigger payoff "isn't here yet, and no one knows how quickly ESPN will get full distribution for the channel." Solomon noted the SEC Network is "already committed to be in approximately 20 million homes when it launches" Aug. 14, but even SEC Commissioner Mike Slive is "preaching caution." Slive said, "The network has significant revenue potential, but it's premature to try to project until you know more about distribution." Vanderbilt AD David Williams said that he is budgeting about a 30% "increase in revenue" for '14-15, with "about a $300,000 increase from broadcast networks." The budgets "come as many SEC athletics departments are investing money to build up their capability to produce games." Schools are being "asked to produce games for the digital component of the SEC Network." Auburn AD Jay Jacobs said he is budgeting "very conservatively" for '14-15 television revenue. However, Jacobs added that he is spending approximately $3.5M for "a new control room, fiber that runs to venues, and equipment." To get full distribution "at the rates they want, the SEC and ESPN are banking on rabid SEC fans to demand their cable and satellite operators pay for the channel." Mississippi State AD Scott Stricklin: "We need to announce as many programming events as soon as possible. I think that helps every fan base to get focused, if you will, if you know there's a game I'm going to miss if I don't have the SEC Network" (AL.com, 3/11).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 18, 2024

Sports Business Awards nominees unveiled; NWSL's historic opening weekend and takeaways from CFP deal

ESPN’s Jay Bilas, BTN’s Meghan McKeown, and a deep dive into AppleTV+’s The Dynasty

On this week’s Sports Media Podcast from the New York Post and Sports Business Journal, ESPN’s Jay Bilas talks all things NCAA. Big Ten Network’s Meghan McKeown shares her insight into the Caitlin Clark craze. The Boston Globe’s Chad Finn chats all things Bean Town. And SBJ’s Xavier Hunter drops in to share his findings on how the NWSL is making a social media push.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2014/03/12/Media/SEC-Net.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2014/03/12/Media/SEC-Net.aspx

CLOSE