Tag: Kathryn Tappen

NBC mostly has same Notre Dame broadcast team for 2023

We know some of you don’t want to hear this.

Notre Dame fans who were hoping to hear new voices broadcasting home games in 2023 are out of luck. NBC Sports has announced that nearly every broadcaster from 2022 will be calling the action from South Bend as well as the season opener in Ireland. That means Jac Collinsworth on play-by-play, Jason Garrett as color commentator and Zora Stephenson reporting from the sidelines. The only difference is the departure of coverage host Kathryn Tappen, who will be on NBC’s Big Ten broadcast team.

Despite some sports media critics willing to give the broadcast team a chance in 2022, Irish fans were far more critical. After the season’s final home game, more than a few folks expressed that they were fed up with this group. Although rumors swirled about Garrett and the Stanford head coaching job, that arrangement didn’t materialize. So we’ll have mainly the same people on the call in 2023.

For those disappointed by this, remember that you’re not tuning into games to hear the announcers. They merely provide the soundtrack to what you’re saying. If you really can’t stand them, the mute button is right there on your remote. Problem solved.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89

Potential shakeup coming to NBC’s Notre Dame broadcast team?

The broadcasters you saw and heard this season might not all be back in 2023.

To put it very politely, Notre Dame fans were not pleased with NBC’s broadcasters for their team’s games this past season. Jac Collinsworth and Jason Garrett called the game action, and those were the two who received the most wrath. Not receiving quite as much were sideline reporter Zora Stephenson and coverage host Kathryn Tappen, the lone incumbent on the coverage who previously had worked the sidelines.

Now, we know of a couple of news items that could indicate a change in the personnel for NBC’s Irish coverage. Garrett is one of the finalists for the vacant head coaching job at Stanford. Meanwhile, Tappen is giving up her golf assignments to potentially take on a bigger role at the network. There is no word on whether this would affect her Irish gig, but it definitely is worth thinking about.

Irish fans wanted a change in their team’s home coverage, and they just might get it, at least partially.

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Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89

Kathryn Tappen out in latest shakeup to NBC’s golf team

More changes will be coming to NBC’s broadcast team for its coverage of the PGA Tour in 2023.

More changes will be coming to NBC’s broadcast team for its coverage of the PGA Tour in 2023.

Golfweek has learned that Kathryn Tappen, who handled post-round player interviews this season, will be replaced by a revolving door of Golf Channel talent already on site, including Cara Banks and Damon Hack. Tappen declined to comment and neither Banks nor Hack responded to messages.

An NBC spokesperson said it had no further comment beyond its previous statement that it “will be announcing any additional changes to our lineup early in the new year.”

A source told Golfweek that “it’s not good times at NBC,” and termed the move part of “significant cuts to the entire team for budgetary reasons” given the sharp increase in its PGA Tour rights fees. (Golf Channel experienced widespread layoffs in 2020 when it shuttered its headquarters in Orlando and moved staff to Stamford, Connecticut in a cost-cutting measure.)

The use of Golf Channel talent already on site for weekly coverage will allow for better cross promotion between the tournament and news departments.

Tappen filled the shoes of Steve Sands as the lead interviewer this year after being promoted to an anchor role. NBC had lost the rights to the NHL, which she had covered for 15 years, and as a result she had a gaping hole in her schedule. The golf role reunited her with Dan Hicks, whom she worked with for the past six years as a sideline reporter on Notre Dame football telecasts, and occasionally with longtime colleague Mike Tirico.

Tappen last worked on PGA Tour coverage at the Presidents Cup and wasn’t expected to be back on the air for golf until NBC picked up Tour coverage at the Honda Classic. She is scheduled to handle interviews for The Match on Saturday for TNT. A source said she is in discussions for a bigger role with NBC and has interest from TNT and ESPN, which share the current rights to the NHL’s TV deal.

Golfweek was first to report that Gary Koch and Roger Maltbie won’t have their contracts renewed. Golfweek also broke the news that Smylie Kaufman and Brad Faxon will be joining NBC.

Geoff Shackelford first reported in his newsletter, The Quadrilateral, that Tappen wouldn’t be returning in 2023.

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Notre Dame on NBC announcers for 2022 revealed

Here they are.

With less than a month before Notre Dame’s first home game of 2022, folks have been wondering who will be on the call for NBC. Mike Tirico is off the broadcasts after six years to focus on Sunday Night Football, and Drew Brees’ relationship with the network was short-lived.

Finally, we have our answer.

Notre Dame alumnus Jac Collinsworth has been paired with Jason Garrett as the new broadcast team for Irish home games. Also, Collinsworth will retain his role with Football Night in America, and Garrett is filling Brees’ role on that same program. Kathryn Tappen will remain on the coverage as the pregame and postgame host despite speculation she would move into the same role with Sunday Night Football. Zora Stephenson will be the sideline reporter.

A new broadcast team is appropriate given the new coaching era for Notre Dame, and Irish fans no doubt will be paying attention to see if this crew lives up to the standards set by Tirico and other previous announcers for the broadcasts.

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Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89

Melissa Stark replacing Michele Tafoya on Sunday Night Football

Who is replacing Michele Tafoya

NBC Sports went to an audible on replacing Michele Tafoya as its sideline reporter on Sunday Night Football.

The New York Post reports Melissa Stark gets the nod and not Kathryn Tappen, who was the presumed favorite for the gig after filling in for Tafoya last year and working one sideline in the Super Bowl.

Stark will be another new face and voice on the team as Mike Tirico takes over play-by-play for the great Al Michaels.

Michaels has moved on to Amazon, where he will be the voice for its Thursday Night Football telecasts. Advantage, Amazon.

Stark has worked for ESPN, NBC Sports, NBC on The Today Show and NFL Network.

 

NFL reveals Week 17 announcers’ schedule

What announcers will be at what sites for the Week 17 NFL games?

The finish line is in sight. The NFL is heading toward Week 17, which means there is one game left in the regular season after this weekend. What announcers will be on the call for what games? There are no Thursday or Saturday games, in case you were wondering.

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET Kickoff

Kansas City at Cincinnati, CBS: Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson

Atlanta at Buffalo, FOX: Kevin Kugler, Mark Sanchez, Laura Okmin

Tampa Bay at New York Jets, FOX: Chris Myers, Daryl Johnston, Jen Hale

Las Vegas at Indianapolis, FOX: Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma, Sara Walsh

Los Angeles Rams at Baltimore, FOX: Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olsen, Pam Oliver

Miami at Tennessee, CBS: Kevin Harlan, Trent Green, Melanie Collins

Philadelphia at Washington, FOX: Adam Amin, Mark Schlereth, Shannon Spake

NY Giants at Chicago, CBS: Spero Dedes, Jay Feely

Jacksonville at New England, CBS: Andrew Catalon, James Lofton, Sherree Burruss

4:05 ET Kickoff

Denver at Los Angeles Chargers, CBS: Ian Eagle, Charles Davis, Evan Washburn

Houston at San Francisco, CBS: Greg Gumbel, Adam Archuleta, AJ Ross

4:25 ET Kickoff

Carolina at New Orleans, FOX: Brandon Gaudin, Matt Millen

Detroit at Seattle, FOX: Gus Johnson, Aqib Talib, Megan Olivi

Arizona at Dallas, FOX: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews, Tom Rinaldi

Sunday Night Football: 8:20 ET Kickoff

Minnesota at Green Bay, NBC: Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth, Kathryn Tappen

Monday Night Football, 8:15 ET Kickoff

Cleveland at Pittsburgh, ESPN: Steve Levy, Brian Griese, Louis Riddick, Lisa Salters

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Sideline reporting shakeup coming to NBC’s Notre Dame coverage?

Could this happen?

A report from the New York Post indicates that Michelle Tafoya will leave sideline reporting after the NFL season. That means there will be a gap to fill on NBC’s Sunday Night Football coverage. While no replacement for Tafoya officially has been named, many signs point to recent fill-in Kathryn Tappen, the network’s sideline reporter for its Notre Dame coverage since 2014. That’s longer than anyone else currently on that broadcast team.

Just as the Irish are going through a coaching transition, this also could be a time of transition for their home TV partner. Mike Tirico is expected to replace Al Michaels as the Sunday Night Football play-by-play announcer next season. It certainly would be a heavy load to expect Tirico to handle both gigs at once. It already is a lot doing both the Irish and “Football Night in America” on the same weekend.

The times are changing indeed, and it’s happening in many ways.

Notre Dame football could be in cards if Maria Taylor heads to NBC

Could NBC’s Irish coverage look a little different in 2021?

Maria Taylor recently found herself in the middle of a controversy involving ESPN colleague Rachel Nichols. Consequently, she took over for Nichols as host of “NBA Countdown” for this year’s NBA Finals coverage. However, Taylor’s days with the four-letter network appear to be numbered. A report from Front Office Sports indicates that Taylor is extremely close to a deal with NBC.

The reported deal, which the source says is “at the half-yard line”, would offer Taylor a variety of opportunities. One possibility is said to be NBC’s Notre Dame football coverage. It doesn’t specify what role she would have as that obviously can’t be determined as of yet, but it does open up the discussion of who on the current broadcast team she could replace.

Kathryn Tappen has been the sideline reporter since she joined NBC in 2014. Jac Collinsworth only has one season as the pregame/halftime host under his belt. It will be worth keeping an eye on what NBC does as the 2021 season gets closer to kickoff.

Notre Dame Football on NBC Crew Will Call Bears-Packers on SNF

Since Notre Dame is on the road at North Carolina this week, Irish fans will watch the game on ABC.

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Since Notre Dame is on the road at North Carolina this week, Irish fans will watch the game on ABC. But that doesn’t mean the Notre Dame on NBC broadcast crew won’t be calling football over the weekend. In fact, they’ll be on the call for when the NFL’s oldest rivalry is renewed at Lambeau Field:

Irish fans who really like Mike Tirico in particular should appreciate him while they have the chance. Conventional wisdom is that he’s being groomed to eventually take over Sunday Night Football full-time whenever Al Michaels retires. He knocked the Irish’s upset win over Clemson out of the park, but nothing less should have been expected from him.

In the meantime, football fans who don’t watch Notre Dame will get to experience a crew they haven’t heard in 2020. Nothing less than the best is expected when covering Irish football on television, but we already knew that, didn’t we?