XFL Broadcast Teams announced

[GDAWG]

https://xflnewsroom.com/news/espn-fox-a ... cctP5h4yfw

It’s been a huge week for XFL news. Between the Draft news and season ticket selection/pricing, there’s been a lot to talk about. We’re just now learning who will be holding down the both for the XFL from both FOX and ESPN.

According to the NY Post, Steve Levy, Dan Orlovsky and Pat McAfee will be calling the main games on ESPN, while Fox’s top team will consist of Curt Menefee and Joel Klatt.

We had heard rumors that McAfee would call the XFL going back to when he signed on with the WWE; and even more when he signed a deal with ESPN earlier this year.


McAfee and Orlovsky often to work together on “Get Up!” and ESPN hopes to build off the chemistry. Dianna Russini is expected to be on the sidelines with the top team.

From the Fox side, having Curt Menefee is going to give the league some legitimacy right off the bat. Menefee also hosts Fox’s Sunday NFL pregame show, which will be some recognition factor for potential new XFL fans while tuning in.

These broadcast teams are for the top broadcasts, so not all of the games. Since we’re learning this information now, I would assume we’ll learn who the secondary teams will be in short order.

[XFL_FAN]

https://xflnewsroom.com/news/espn-fox-a ... cctP5h4yfw

It’s been a huge week for XFL news. Between the Draft news and season ticket selection/pricing, there’s been a lot to talk about. We’re just now learning who will be holding down the both for the XFL from both FOX and ESPN.

According to the NY Post, Steve Levy, Dan Orlovsky and Pat McAfee will be calling the main games on ESPN, while Fox’s top team will consist of Curt Menefee and Joel Klatt.

We had heard rumors that McAfee would call the XFL going back to when he signed on with the WWE; and even more when he signed a deal with ESPN earlier this year.


McAfee and Orlovsky often to work together on “Get Up!” and ESPN hopes to build off the chemistry. Dianna Russini is expected to be on the sidelines with the top team.

From the Fox side, having Curt Menefee is going to give the league some legitimacy right off the bat. Menefee also hosts Fox’s Sunday NFL pregame show, which will be some recognition factor for potential new XFL fans while tuning in.

These broadcast teams are for the top broadcasts, so not all of the games. Since we’re learning this information now, I would assume we’ll learn who the secondary teams will be in short order.

Pat McAfee and Curt Menefee calling games is great for the league.

[XFLInSTL]

That's even better than I thought it could be.

[MikeMitchell]

Exactly what I suspected. Andrew Marchand for the NY Post broke the story.

Fox pursued Gus Johnson. I think his busy schedule was an issue. Love Klatt being a part of the crew. He has great knowledge of the college game and follows the draft big time. He knows all the players that people will be questioning.

McAfee and Orlovsky are two awesome young talents. Levy captaining that ship is great.

There is still the matter of two other broadcasts. There are 4 broadcasts per week

[craig]

We had a thread on this topic several months ago, and I predicted involvement for MacAfee, Orlovsky, and Levy. I think I pegged McAfee working for Fox, though.

Still second broadcast teams, studio team and sideline reporters to be named.

I'm predicting Rob Gronkoski and maybe Charles Woodson being prominent at Fox.

CB

[MGB01]

Oh this is a big deal. Matt V was an up-and-coming announcer for the Brewers, and then the Padres after the XFL (I was in SD at the time), but really was a styles clash (sorry AJ) with what XF1.0 was and not being an established name in the biz clearly hurt him in the short-term.
The less said about the rest, the better.

I know GuJo was a favorite for some but he's already spoken for through mid-March and, as I pointed out a few weeks ago, the first five Saturdays on FOX are preceded by NCAAB doubleheaders. Thought maybe since Menefee and Brock Huard already do Seahawks preseason games another pairing might be in order but Klatt is good too.

Knew it was gonna be a big month starting with Smackdown, alright WWE but since it's effectively FOX's replacement for UFC and it was part of their big FOXtober more or less, we're rolling from there.

[GregParks]

These are some nice combos. Steve Levy has transitioned well from SportsCenter to the broadcast booth doing college football games, and I think Dan Orlovsky is an up-and-coming analyst. Pat McAfee was a no-brainer addition, which I think everyone saw coming once he signed on with ESPN. I'd actually like him to play somewhat of a roving reporter during the game - on the sidelines, in the stands, in the locker room. Sort of like NBC does with Rutledge Wood on their NASCAR broadcasts.

On Fox, Curt Menefee feels like a "safe" choice, but it's a familiar voice who has a lot of experience covering the NFL for the network. I love Joel Klatt and think he's fantastic, perhaps the one I'm most excited about of the announced names today. I also think it's interesting that ESPN pulled both from its college football coverage, while Fox is using one NFL announcer and one college announcer.

[johnnyangryfuzzball]

These are some nice combos. Steve Levy has transitioned well from SportsCenter to the broadcast booth doing college football games, and I think Dan Orlovsky is an up-and-coming analyst. Pat McAfee was a no-brainer addition, which I think everyone saw coming once he signed on with ESPN. I'd actually like him to play somewhat of a roving reporter during the game - on the sidelines, in the stands, in the locker room. Sort of like NBC does with Rutledge Wood on their NASCAR broadcasts.

On Fox, Curt Menefee feels like a "safe" choice, but it's a familiar voice who has a lot of experience covering the NFL for the network. I love Joel Klatt and think he's fantastic, perhaps the one I'm most excited about of the announced names today. I also think it's interesting that ESPN pulled both from its college football coverage, while Fox is using one NFL announcer and one college announcer.

ESPN did have a sort of roving commentator last year on MNF... but it was a disaster and they abandoned it. Of course, that's the NFL, and this is the XFL, and I'm assuming you're not suggesting that they bring that contraption that Booger was riding on back.

All in all, I'm very impressed with the caliber of commentators. Steve Levy is a longtime pro at ESPN (of course I've been following him since I went to Oswego, probably the second most famous Oswego alumnus behind Al Roker) and has proven himself adept at NHL and college ball, so he'll succeed well at the XFL. Fox landing their lead NFL studio host for play-by-play is a major 'get'. That tells me they'll be carrying mostly West Coast games since that's where Curt is based.

The networks are not messing around. They are treating the XFL like a serious product and not some chinsy time-buy league.

[GregParks]

These are some nice combos. Steve Levy has transitioned well from SportsCenter to the broadcast booth doing college football games, and I think Dan Orlovsky is an up-and-coming analyst. Pat McAfee was a no-brainer addition, which I think everyone saw coming once he signed on with ESPN. I'd actually like him to play somewhat of a roving reporter during the game - on the sidelines, in the stands, in the locker room. Sort of like NBC does with Rutledge Wood on their NASCAR broadcasts.

On Fox, Curt Menefee feels like a "safe" choice, but it's a familiar voice who has a lot of experience covering the NFL for the network. I love Joel Klatt and think he's fantastic, perhaps the one I'm most excited about of the announced names today. I also think it's interesting that ESPN pulled both from its college football coverage, while Fox is using one NFL announcer and one college announcer.

Steve Levy is a longtime pro at ESPN (of course I've been following him since I went to Oswego, probably the second most famous Oswego alumnus behind Al Roker)

I went to Brockport. Took a college visit to Oswego when I was in HS. Nearly got blown over by the wind when I got out of the car. That and the horror stories about having to travel from building to building via rope when the big snowfalls hit kinda turned me off