In N.Y., Andrew Marchand reports ESPN's coverage of the XFL, which begins in February, will be "led by big names such as Steve Levy and Pat McAfee." ESPN will have a "top team" of Levy and former NFLer Greg McElroy in the booth, "joined by Tom Luginbill as a sideline analyst and Dianna Russini as a reporter." They "will do the Saturday ABC games." For Sunday's games on ABC, play-by-play announcer Tom Hart "will be joined by Joey Galloway and McAfee." McAfee will be "on the sideline" (N.Y. POST, 11/7).
FROM THE BLEACHERS: Bleacher Report is signing personality Adam Lefkoe to a multiyear contract extension that will see his role with the brand, and the WarnerMedia umbrella in general, expand. Lefkoe, who has hosted a number of shows for B/R including the new "Ditch The Playbook" series, will begin appearing on the desk of Turner’s “NBA on TNT” in January, where he will contribute analysis and commentary alongside the “Inside the NBA” crew and Turner’s NBA talent (John Aceti, THE DAILY).
AUDITION TIME: In Chicago, Phil Rosenthal noted White Sox announcer Jason Benetti, ESPN's Adam Amin and former Bulls studio host Mark Schanowski are "among the first fill-ins the Bulls have announced for TV voice Neil Funk." With Funk last month saying that this will be his "final season calling games, the backups will bear greater scrutiny as at least some will be seen as potential successors." Besides Benetti, Amin and Schanowski, CBS and Turner Sports NCAA men's tournament announcer Lisa Byington and Rams and Pac-12 Networks voice J.B. Long are "scheduled to work alongside Bulls TV analyst Stacey King." Benetti was "first up" with his call of Bulls-Hawks last night (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 11/6).
NOTES: Longtime SI NFL writer Robert Klemko is leaving the publication and "joining the Washington Post." Klemko will "transition from NFL writing, which he's done for the last six-plus years at SI, to investigative reporting with a focus on sports" (THEBIGLEAD.com, 11/6)....SNY's broadcast team for the '19-20 UConn women's basketball season will "feature veteran play-by-play announcer Allen Bestwick in his first season as the voice for the Huskies." Joining Bestwick will be former UConn player Meghan Culmo as a "game analyst and Maria Marino as the network's in-game reporter" (HARTFORD COURANT, 11/6).
