https://deadline.com/2020/07/bob-costas-cnn-contributor-1202989634/

After a four-decade career on NBC, Costas is joining CNN to provide commentary "on a wide range of sports-related issues as the industry adapts to new challenges posed by the coronavirus and the frequent intersection of sports with larger societal issues," CNN said in a statement. Costas worked at NBC Sports from 1980 until he left by a mutual agreement to end his contract early in 2019. “Bob Costas is a legendary, respected voice across the spectrum of sports and beyond," said CNN president Jeff Zucker. "As the world continues to change amid the coronavirus pandemic, we are confident that Bob’s insightful analysis will help our viewers better understand what the future holds as the sports and teams we love evolve to meet this moment." Costas, who will continue working on MLB Network, said of joining CNN: “CNN’s willingness to devote time and attention to sports related topics, makes it a good fit for me.”

I know that internet "blind items" should often if not always be taken with a grain of salt, but in regards to Bob Costas, I can't help but remember reading a story (https://www.crazydaysandnights.net/2018/08/blind-item-12_28.html) that suggests that he was in effect, forced out NBC Sports in retaliation for tipping reporters off about Matt Lauer's harassments. Allegedly, there are people in power at NBC who think that Lauer is a "good guy" and has been given an unfair shake.

I personally don't understand why Costas would suddenly leave his spot at NBC. Costas was I believe 66-67 when he last worked for them. In the context of some of his peers like Al Michaels, Doc Emerick, Greg Gumbel, Dick Stockton, and Marv Albert, Costas is still younger than them. And yet, those names that I mentioned are still actively working. Vin Scully, who did the baseball Game of the Week with Bob Costas back in the '80s, called the Dodgers games until he was about 88 years old. The late, great Dick Enberg was I believe, in his early 80s, when he officially retired from broadcasting in 2016.

Plus, Costas was kind of murky when he initially discussed his future at NBC. He initially said that he would've essentially been like Tom Brokaw has been to the news division ever since he stepped down from anchoring the evening news program in 2004. In other words, Costas would sort of become an "elder statesman", who would occasionally pop up in important events or programs as a contributor/panelist, but never as the central host.

I think that Bob Costas' fate was sealed when they hired Mike Tirico from ESPN. Tirico has for all intents and purposes, succeeded Bob Costas as the "face of NBC Sports". He replaced him as the prime time anchor for their Olympic telecast as well as the main host for their Sunday Night Football coverage.