A final decision on Berman's potential role is expected to come in the next few weeksESPN IMAGES
ESPN is in talks with Chris Berman about an "expanded role for this NFL season," according to sources cited by Andrew Marchand of the N.Y. POST. The move would not be for a full-time position, though sources said that the possibility of Berman "contributing more to or even hosting" some Sunday night "SportsCenter" editions "has been broached." Sources said that there is hope that Berman could "work a quarter of the NFL season." ESPN would "want Berman for more," but the semi-retired anchor already has "made plans for some weekends." He also could "do more features and interviews" to aid "Sunday NFL Countdown." Berman's potential return coincides with ESPN Exec VP & Exec Editor/Studio Production Norby Williamson "re-emerging as the leader of the network's studio programming." Williamson has "championed some ESPN classics, including Keith Olbermann's renewed presence" on the net and a "return to a more traditional" "SportsCenter" for some hours of the day. A final decision on whether Berman will "have a role and how big it would be is due in the next few weeks" (NYPOST.com, 8/16).
TWITTER REAX: Pro Football Talk's Michael David Smith tweeted, "Berman might have the biggest spread between social media popularity and real-world popularity of anyone in sports. Write about Berman and all the feedback you get is negative. Talk to the average sports fan who's not on social media, they love him." Business Insider's Cork Gaines: "Berman is the wave at stadiums. The people who hate the wave are on Twitter. Everybody else goes to the games." The Wrap's Tim Baysinger: "Hate to break it to ya ... but I'm not sure a lack of Chris Berman was the cause of ratings declines." SI.com's Jimmy Traina: "I thought Berman made it fairly obvious he wanted to do more on the SI Media Podcast last month."
