Jon Champion named lead NBC play-by-play voice for Premier League

Champion will replace Peter Drury, who is taking over as Sky’s main Premier League commentator in the UK

NBC Sports has announced that Jon Champion will take over as the lead play-by-play voice for the network’s Premier League coverage.

Champion joins NBC after spending 14 years at ESPN, where he most recently served as lead commentator for the network’s coverage of MLS and the U.S. men’s national team. He has also called nine World Cups, including the 2022 event for ITV.

At NBC, Champion will be assigned to the highest-profile Premier League match of the week, which takes place in the 11:30 a.m. ET window across NBC, Peacock and USA Network.

“For decades, Jon has been a distinguished voice of football matches around the world,” Pierre Moossa, coordinating producer of NBC Sports’ Premier League coverage, said in a press release. “We are excited to welcome him to our NBC Sports team and back to the Premier League.”

Champion takes over from Peter Drury, who is replacing Martin Tyler as Sky’s main Premier League commentator in the UK. Drury will still work for NBC, calling the Saturday 12:30 p.m. ET matches on NBC and Peacock.

“I’m thrilled to join NBC Sports,” Champion said. “I’ve been an avid viewer of their Premier League coverage whilst living in the U.S. for the past four years, so it is with great excitement that I return to calling the weekly drama of the world’s most exciting football competition.”

The 2023-24 Premier League season kicks off on the weekend of August 11-13. It will be NBC’s 11th season as the exclusive U.S. media home of the Premier League.

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