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Who do you want to see ABC, Fox and ESPN hire to do XFL games?

Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2019 4:25 pm
by LeoNY
The Big Lead had a recent article where they listed names of broadcasters that they would like to see work XFL games on Fox, ABC and ESPN.

https://twitter.com/thebiglead/status/1 ... 90944?s=20

They listed Clay Travis, Matthew Berry, Pat McAfee and Dan Katz from Barstool. I am cool with all of them.

I like the idea of each broadcast having a gambling and fantasy expert in studio.

Oliver Luck has already gone on record stating that he would like to see Joel Klatt do XFL games. Tim Brando has already thrown his hat in the ring and is in full support of the XFL. I like both Klatt and Brando.

Here is who else I would like to see work for the league.

Darren Rovell, He would be great as the league’s gambling expert. Perfect weekly guest to preview the lines and spreads.

Charles Davis and Kevin Burkhardt, they are already a good team on Fox. Davis is perfect because he knows college football and the pros. Davis has worked a lot of the college all star games that the XFL’s top brass put together.

Gus Johnson, a busy man but has great energy and passion. Pairing him up with McAfee would be utter chaos.

Kurt Warner, I think he should be involved and included in as many STL games as possible.

Bob Wischusen and Dan Orlovsky, both call games on ESPN and have studio experience as well.

Re: Who do you want to see ABC, Fox and ESPN hire to do XFL games?

Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2019 4:58 pm
by XFLInSTL
I'd like to add Maurice Jones-Drew as an option. He was solid in the AAF, consistently the best commentator, even. He's probably gaining experience so that he can move on to NFL broadcasting, but until then he's pretty good for XFL level football.

Re: Who do you want to see ABC, Fox and ESPN hire to do XFL games?

Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2019 4:58 pm
by MikeMitchell
We have covered this topic before here but I like the choices. I am a Brian Baldinger guy. I don’t think he has any affiliation with the XFL’s tv partners. I like smart football analysts who are fully invested in the concept of another pro football league. Baldinger was crushed when NFL Europe folded. He was heart broken. I would want someone like him covering or doing the games. Rather than just someone, who is looking to collect an extra paycheck who doesn’t care or even know the names of the players.

Re: Who do you want to see ABC, Fox and ESPN hire to do XFL games?

Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2019 5:03 pm
by LeoNY
XFLInSTL wrote: Thu Jul 18, 2019 4:58 pm I'd like to add Maurice Jones-Drew as an option. He was solid in the AAF, consistently the best commentator, even. He's probably gaining experience so that he can move on to NFL broadcasting, but until then he's pretty good for XFL level football.
MJD is fine but I don’t think the networks or the XFL have any interest in hiring people who are “pretty good for XFL level”.

You want to get great play by play people, great analysts, great studio hosts, great experts in gambling and fantasy football. Great personalities as well. You want every aspect of the broadcasts to be innovative and top caliber. Not just some developmental area for average broadcasters.

Re: Who do you want to see ABC, Fox and ESPN hire to do XFL games?

Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2019 5:32 pm
by Tank55
I think these two points hit the nail on the head:
MikeMitchell wrote: Thu Jul 18, 2019 4:58 pm I like smart football analysts who are fully invested in the concept of another pro football league. Baldinger was crushed when NFL Europe folded. He was heart broken. I would want someone like him covering or doing the games. Rather than just someone, who is looking to collect an extra paycheck who doesn’t care or even know the names of the players.
Definitely. It's crucial to have football junkies who knows the players and are pumped to be calling XFL games. That enthusiasm (or lack thereof) shines through.
LeoNY wrote: Thu Jul 18, 2019 5:03 pmYou want every aspect of the broadcasts to be innovative and top caliber. Not just some developmental area for average broadcasters.
Bingo. The XFL might be playing second tier football, but they're aspiring to make major league television money. They need a major league television presentation.

Re: Who do you want to see ABC, Fox and ESPN hire to do XFL games?

Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2019 5:39 pm
by Tank55
This is probably more wishful thinking than serious idea, but beloved Washington Wizards play by play man Steve Buckhantz was unceremoniously (and inexplicably) forced out after 22 seasons. Getting him involved in some form would be an easy way to score some goodwill with fans and media in the D.C. market. He's best known for basketball, but has called NFL on FOX and radio for Navy football.

Will they have local radio partners? If so, I'm upgrading this to serious idea.

Re: Who do you want to see ABC, Fox and ESPN hire to do XFL games?

Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2019 5:54 pm
by LeoNY
Tank55 wrote: Thu Jul 18, 2019 5:32 pm
LeoNY wrote: Thu Jul 18, 2019 5:03 pmYou want every aspect of the broadcasts to be innovative and top caliber. Not just some developmental area for average broadcasters.
Bingo. The XFL might be playing second tier football, but they're aspiring to make major league television money. They need a major league television presentation.
It’s possible that Fox, ABC and ESPN use the XFL as a breeding ground for up and coming on air talents that they feel are on the rise but I hope that these talents all fit that major league quality. Rather than some talents who need extra seasoning. I have no doubt that the broadcasts themselves are going to be major league. From a presentation standpoint.

Re: Who do you want to see ABC, Fox and ESPN hire to do XFL games?

Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2019 6:04 pm
by Sounder
I'll vote Gus for the Sunday Fox game......he gets excited about the two minutes warning. He does college games Fox so he's a familiar voice and already in house. For years he worked NCAA tournament games and he made me stick around for schools I couldn't care less about Makes perfect sense.

Re: Who do you want to see ABC, Fox and ESPN hire to do XFL games?

Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2019 6:07 pm
by MikeMitchell
Tank55 wrote: Thu Jul 18, 2019 5:39 pm This is probably more wishful thinking than serious idea, but beloved Washington Wizards play by play man Steve Buckhantz was unceremoniously (and inexplicably) forced out after 22 seasons. Getting him involved in some form would be an easy way to score some goodwill with fans and media in the D.C. market. He's best known for basketball, but has called NFL on FOX and radio for Navy football.

Will they have local radio partners? If so, I'm upgrading this to serious idea.
In a recent press scrum that Oliver Luck had at the Seattle Showcase. He mentioned that the league is in talks with national syndicators. So I think some form of radio type coverage will be in play. I like your idea. On the local side, you definitely want people, with whom the audience has familiarity and ties to.

Re: Who do you want to see ABC, Fox and ESPN hire to do XFL games?

Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2019 6:16 pm
by MikeMitchell
Tank55 wrote: Thu Jul 18, 2019 5:32 pm I think these two points hit the nail on the head:
MikeMitchell wrote: Thu Jul 18, 2019 4:58 pm I like smart football analysts who are fully invested in the concept of another pro football league. Baldinger was crushed when NFL Europe folded. He was heart broken. I would want someone like him covering or doing the games. Rather than just someone, who is looking to collect an extra paycheck who doesn’t care or even know the names of the players.
Definitely. It's crucial to have football junkies who knows the players and are pumped to be calling XFL games. That enthusiasm (or lack thereof) shines through.
LeoNY wrote: Thu Jul 18, 2019 5:03 pmYou want every aspect of the broadcasts to be innovative and top caliber. Not just some developmental area for average broadcasters.
Bingo. The XFL might be playing second tier football, but they're aspiring to make major league television money. They need a major league television presentation.
An excellent point by LeoNY.

Along the lines of a football analyst who has experience playing and coaching in alternative football leagues, and who also ties to the original XFL is Tom Luginbill. He is the son of former LA Xtreme Head Coach Al Luginbill.

Tom Luginbill is a college football analyst for ESPN. He also called YCF games earlier this year. He would be someone who has knowledge and has a strong belief system in the XFL concept.