In Tampa, Matt Baker reports ESPN college football analyst Booger McFarland is "continuing his broadcasting rise by joining ABC's studio coverage" for the upcoming season. McFarland will "work in the ABC studio with former Texas coach Mack Brown and host Kevin Negandhi." McFarland has "spent the past three years" on SEC Network and appearing on "SportsCenter" and "Mike & Mike," among other programs. ESPN also announced that it signed college football analyst Jesse Palmer to a new contract that will see him join Joey Galloway in the "ESPN studio on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays" instead of calling games (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 7/26). Meanwhile, former Oregon coach Chip Kelly will "work ESPN2's college football coverage on Saturdays," working with Jonathan Vilma and host Chris Cotter. He will also "contribute to 'SportsCenter' on Fridays and Sundays" (SPORTINGNEWS.com, 7/25).
ON THE CUTTING EDGE: Mountain West Conference Craig Thompson discussed the conference’s media partnership with Stadium. Thompson: "It’s a dual capacity: Linear and digital." He noted the MWC's rights are currently "tied up, so we’re not going to be able to get very far on some of the linear things in the next few years." He said, "That could be an option down the road." Thompson did say there will be a "lot of Mountain West programming" on Stadium, as there is a "lot of fill time" on a 24-hour outlet (TWITTER.com, 7/25).
HIT THE CHALK: K.C.-based KCSP-AM will "no longer be the home of Kansas men's basketball and football games," ending a "previous 18-year agreement" between the school and Entercom, which owns KCSP. Entercom VP & GM Dave Alpert said that the main challenge "came in September and October when KU football would often conflict with Royals games." KU had "yet to announce a new flagship station" for its broadcasts in the city (KANSASCITY.com, 7/25)..
ROW, ROW, ROW YOUR BOAT: Minnesota football coach P.J. Fleck "will be the subject of a reality TV series on ESPNU next month called 'Being P.J. Fleck.'" He addressed the show this week and Big Ten Media Days and said, "This wasn’t something that we said: We’re going to have a reality show; let’s go find somebody to air it. They approached us, which was an honor." He added, "The title, I don’t get to pick that. ‘Being P.J. Fleck,’ that’s not a title that I would necessarily pick. But I think it’s every head coach’s job and responsibility to bring attention to their institution" (COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 7/26).
NOTES: Former NFLer Aaron Murray is "moving to the broadcast booth, joining CBS Sports Network." Murray confirmed that he "would be calling '10 games in the booth covering college.'" Murray was an "affable interview and a good talker during his four years" at the Univ. of Georgia (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 7/26)....Pac-12 Networks announced multiyear extensions for lead studio host Mike Yam, lead host and reporter Ashley Adamson, veteran reporter Lewis Johnson and veteran play-by-play announcer Roxy Bernstein (Pac-12 Networks).
