CBS is moving Tracy Wolfson from her role as the sideline reporter for SEC football games "to a lead sideline reporter role for the network's upcoming NFL Thursday Night Football primetime package," according to Richard Deitsch of SI.com. Wolfson will work with Jim Nantz and Phil Simms on the Thursday games, as well as "on the Sundays that CBS' No. 1 NFL crew works." She is "expected to continue her role as the lead reporter" for both CBS and Turner during the NCAA men's basketball tournament. CBS' Allie LaForce will be promoted to Wolfson's former SEC role this fall, where she will work with Verne Lundquist and Gary Danielson. The assignment "continues a dizzying rise" for LaForce. CBS Sports management has been "pushing LaForce's star for the past couple of months." She had a "very good NCAA tournament, asking smart and pointed questions and showing versatility with the content of her interviews" (SI.com, 4/6).
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION: In N.Y., Bob Raissman reported it appears a pregame show for CBS' Thursday NFL package "will air from the site of the game" in an attempt to "make the whole Thursday night thing special." There likely will be both CBS and NFL Network analysts "at the desk." The NFL "may have requested the guaranteed presence of some NFLN analysts" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 4/6).
ON PINS & NEEDLES: In this week's SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, John Ourand writes the upcoming release of the '14 NFL schedule "has created even more anticipation among the league’s TV partners, thanks to the presence of CBS’s first Thursday night package" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 4/7 issue).
