John Madden heads to NBC in 2006 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Miss Golden · 06-15-2005, 10:33 PM

John Madden scrambles to NBC
Football color analyst to move to his 4th network to join NBC's 'Sunday Night Football' team in '06.

June 15, 2005: 3:06 PM EDT

John Madden, right, is leaving ABC and his "Monday Night Football" partner Al Michaels for his fourth network as an NFL commentator.

NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - John Madden is moving to NBC when the network resumes broadcasting National Football League games in the 2006-07 season, the network announced Wednesday.

Madden, who has already worked doing NFL broadcasts at the three other major networks, will join the "Sunday Night Football" broadcasts on NBC, the first time that Sunday night show will be on broadcast television.

Madden has been part of the team at ABC's "Monday Night Football" for the past three seasons and ABC confirmed that he will stay as part of the ABC team for the 2005-06 season, broadcasting the upcoming season's Super Bowl when ABC airs it.

But after this coming season "Monday Night Football" will move to ESPN, which like ABC is owned by media conglomerate Walt Disney Co. (Research) And neither ABC nor ESPN will be part of the rotation of networks that will get to broadcast Super Bowls during the six-year life of the NFL rights deals.

By moving to NBC Madden is set to broadcast his 11th Super Bowl on NBC in 2009.

"I have been doing this a long time and when I went to ABC to do 'Monday Night Football,' I thought I would finish my career there," said Madden in a statement released by NBC. "But when the NFL did this new television deal, I looked at 'NBC's Sunday Night Football' package, and I thought this really fits me well."

NBC is a unit of General Electric Co. (Research) The network has generally been conservative in recent years pursuing most high-priced sports rights deals. It lost the rights to the National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball and the NFL to other networks in a five-year period beginning in 1997.

But with NBC losing its traditional lead in overall ratings, it has decided to get back in the bidding for the NFL games, agreeing to a $3.6 billion, six-year deal with the NFL in April.

Madden had originally worked for CBS in its NFL coverage, and moved to Fox for the 1994 season when the then-upstart network won the NFL rights away from CBS. Fox allowed Madden to leave for ABC in 2002 with a year left on his Fox contract.

Besides his experience as a broadcaster and NFL coach, his name graces one of the most popular video games from Electronic Arts (Research).

"John is much more than a football legend, he's an American icon," said a statement from Dick Ebersol, chairman of NBC Universal Sports. "He is the only sports television talent who resonates across all ages - kids grow up today playing his video game and watching him on TV, as their fathers grew up watching him on NFL sidelines every Sunday."

Mr. Television · 06-15-2005, 10:38 PM

Thats good news. I always liked John Madden.

TVFactFan · 06-16-2005, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nighthawk

Thats good news. I always liked John Madden.

Yup, He's the Hubie Brown of the NFL

Seinatra · 06-16-2005, 11:23 AM

Who will he be teamed with?

Miss Golden · 06-16-2005, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seinatra

Who will he be teamed with?

Well, I assumed Al Michaels, but he has been with ABC forever and he also does the NBA and other sports. Madden had only been with ABC the past 3 seasons for Monday Night Football.

dlemond · 06-16-2005, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seinatra

Who will he be teamed with?

I heard Ebersol talking on a local sports radio show and he said that they will pursue Al Michaels and that he is basically the number one choice to be the play by play announcer.

But Michaels is known for his outlandish demands and Ebersol stated that if the stipulations don't fit with NBC they have no hesitation to look elsewhere.
Knowing that a couple of the other top choices are under contract past the 2006 season, Ebersol still said they have at least 3 guys in mind that he would be more than happy with.

Most obviously, though not stated, is Marv Albert.

Bob Costas name was brought up too, but it's almost certain he will host the Sunday night show. Though Ebersol said if he wanted to, Costas could be the play by play guy.

Seinatra · 06-16-2005, 02:43 PM

Marv would be good, I would rather see Costas in the pre-game show than have to listen to his play by play.

Brian Damage · 06-18-2005, 11:44 AM

I never liked the Michaels/Madden team. I guess I was just so use to Madden/ Summerall for all those years.

In my opinion, the ESPN Sunday Night Football team is the best. Patrick/Maguire/Theisman are a great team.

06-15-2005, 10:33 PM	#1
Miss Golden Member Senior Member Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Posts: 1,231	John Madden heads to NBC in 2006 John Madden scrambles to NBC Football color analyst to move to his 4th network to join NBC's 'Sunday Night Football' team in '06. June 15, 2005: 3:06 PM EDT John Madden, right, is leaving ABC and his "Monday Night Football" partner Al Michaels for his fourth network as an NFL commentator. NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - John Madden is moving to NBC when the network resumes broadcasting National Football League games in the 2006-07 season, the network announced Wednesday. Madden, who has already worked doing NFL broadcasts at the three other major networks, will join the "Sunday Night Football" broadcasts on NBC, the first time that Sunday night show will be on broadcast television. Madden has been part of the team at ABC's "Monday Night Football" for the past three seasons and ABC confirmed that he will stay as part of the ABC team for the 2005-06 season, broadcasting the upcoming season's Super Bowl when ABC airs it. But after this coming season "Monday Night Football" will move to ESPN, which like ABC is owned by media conglomerate Walt Disney Co. (Research) And neither ABC nor ESPN will be part of the rotation of networks that will get to broadcast Super Bowls during the six-year life of the NFL rights deals. By moving to NBC Madden is set to broadcast his 11th Super Bowl on NBC in 2009. "I have been doing this a long time and when I went to ABC to do 'Monday Night Football,' I thought I would finish my career there," said Madden in a statement released by NBC. "But when the NFL did this new television deal, I looked at 'NBC's Sunday Night Football' package, and I thought this really fits me well." NBC is a unit of General Electric Co. (Research) The network has generally been conservative in recent years pursuing most high-priced sports rights deals. It lost the rights to the National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball and the NFL to other networks in a five-year period beginning in 1997. But with NBC losing its traditional lead in overall ratings, it has decided to get back in the bidding for the NFL games, agreeing to a $3.6 billion, six-year deal with the NFL in April. Madden had originally worked for CBS in its NFL coverage, and moved to Fox for the 1994 season when the then-upstart network won the NFL rights away from CBS. Fox allowed Madden to leave for ABC in 2002 with a year left on his Fox contract. Besides his experience as a broadcaster and NFL coach, his name graces one of the most popular video games from Electronic Arts (Research). "John is much more than a football legend, he's an American icon," said a statement from Dick Ebersol, chairman of NBC Universal Sports. "He is the only sports television talent who resonates across all ages - kids grow up today playing his video game and watching him on TV, as their fathers grew up watching him on NFL sidelines every Sunday."

06-15-2005, 10:38 PM	#2
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,132	Thats good news. I always liked John Madden.
	__________________ Sonny

06-16-2005, 11:23 AM	#4
Seinatra Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 29, 2004 Location: Gran Chaco Posts: 1,840	Who will he be teamed with?

06-16-2005, 02:43 PM	#7
Seinatra Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 29, 2004 Location: Gran Chaco Posts: 1,840	Marv would be good, I would rather see Costas in the pre-game show than have to listen to his play by play.

06-18-2005, 11:44 AM	#8
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	I never liked the Michaels/Madden team. I guess I was just so use to Madden/ Summerall for all those years. In my opinion, the ESPN Sunday Night Football team is the best. Patrick/Maguire/Theisman are a great team.