Fox Sports' Michael Strahan is "on the verge of tackling a new job -- co-host of ABC’s 'Good Morning America,'" according to a source cited by Kaplan & Hutchinson of the N.Y. DAILY NEWS. The source said that Strahan was "hammering out the final details of a contract that would make him a permanent member of the breakfast show’s crew." Under the proposed arrangement, Strahan "would do double duty at ABC, keeping his gig as co-host of 'Live with Kelly & Michael.'" The source said that the deal has been "in the works for months and has nothing to do with the sudden departure of Josh Elliott." ABC brass has been "wooing Strahan to join the show since he substituted" for Robin Roberts on the show last year "when she was out on sick leave." The source said that Strahan’s "GMA" deal could be announced "as early as this week" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 4/2). A Fox Sports spokesperson said if Strahan's "GMA" position becomes official, "his role is not expected to change on the Fox NFL Sunday pregame show" (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 4/1). On Long Island, Verne Gay writes Strahan has been "a success at 'Live,' and ABC is scrambling to do whatever it can to blunt" NBC's moves -- "paying fortunes to people in an attempt to dismember the winning team" (NEWSDAY, 4/2). DEADLINE.com's Lisa de Moraes noted Strahan's "GMA" deal "brings some testosterone to the morning show which, with Elliott’s exit and the recent departure of Sam Champion for The Weather Channel, left co-host George Stephanopoulos on Monday looking like a guest on 'The View'" (DEADLINE.com, 4/1).
COMPETITION HEATS UP: In N.Y., Garvey, Niemietz & Cartwright cite sources as saying that Elliott’s decision to leave “GMA” was "not motivated by money but by the possibility of 'a bigger job down the road' at NBC -- which should have both Matt Lauer and Bob Costas worried." Elliott’s weekend exit "caught executives by surprise, but they had a plan if he bolted." A source said that Elliott "jumped at the chance to be involved in live sports again." The source added most news people “would underestimate the opportunity to be a part of highly rated events like ‘Sunday Night Football’ and the Olympics" (NYDAILYNEWS.com, 4/1).
