ESPN this morning announced the hiring of Katie Nolan, who will start at the net on Oct. 16. Nolan will appear on multiple platforms and will have what the net calls a prominent digital presence (ESPN). SI.com's Jimmy Traina notes Nolan last month asked "for an early release from her Fox Sports contract." Nolan's FS1 show "Garbage Time" was cancelled earlier this year amid the promise that the net was "developing a new show" for her. However, "nothing ever materialized," and she has been off-air since then (SI.com, 10/4). In N.Y., Jaclyn Hendricks notes Nolan's exact role at ESPN is unclear, but it will "clearly be more prominent than the ghost she had become" at FS1. Nolan earlier reportedly "turned down a permanent spot" on the upcoming ESPN morning show hosted by Mike Greenberg (NYPOST.com, 10/4). Major League Gaming President & CEO Pete Vlastelica, who helped launch "Garbage Time" when he was with Fox, tweeted, "The biggest congratulations in the @katienolan to ESPN story go to sports fans, who are finally getting her back."
