Buck, Aikman going from Fox to ESPN’s ‘Monday Night’ booth

NEW YORK — On the primary day of the brand new league yr, one of many NFL’s high broadcasting groups is shifting from Fox to ESPN.

ESPN introduced on Wednesday a transfer that has been within the works for almost a month — Joe Buck and Troy Aikman shall be broadcasting “Monday Night time Soccer.”

Buck and Aikman have been doing video games collectively since 2002, after they grew to become Fox’s high crew. They may tie Pat Summerall and John Madden’s report for the longest NFL sales space pairing this yr at 21 seasons.

“When you have got the chance to usher in the enduring, longest-running NFL broadcasting duo, you’re taking it, particularly at a time after we are on the cusp of a brand new period in our increasing relationship with the NFL,” stated ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro in an announcement.

“The NFL continues to ascend, and we now have extra video games than ever earlier than, offering extra alternatives for Joe, Troy and our deep roster of commentators.”

Pitaro lastly has an all-star sales space for the longtime primetime franchise. He tried to get Peyton Manning for years to affix the “Monday Night time Soccer” sales space since he retired after the 2015 season.

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Pitaro’s endurance paid off final yr when the Manningcast with Peyton and Eli Manning debuted to rave opinions. The ten-game “Monday Night time Soccer with Peyton and Eli” package deal runs by way of 2024.

Steve Levy, Brian Griese and Louis Riddick have finished the principle broadcast the previous two seasons. Griese left earlier this month to affix the San Francisco 49ers teaching workers.

The MNF sales space has had frequent adjustments since Mike Tirico left for NBC in 2016. Tirico was the play-by-play voice for 10 seasons (2006-15) and teamed with Jon Gruden for the final seven. Sean McDonough took over for Tirico for 2016 and ’17 and labored with Gruden.

After Gruden left to take over as Raiders coach and McDonough sought to maneuver again to school soccer, ESPN went with the three-man sales space of Joe Tessitore, Jason Witten and Booger McFarland in 2018. Witten struggled as an analyst and determined to return to the enjoying area in 2019.

The one steady a part of ESPN’s sales space has been Lisa Salters, who will return for her eleventh season reporting from the sidelines.

Aikman had been with Fox since 2001, however there had been rumblings the previous couple of months that the Corridor of Fame quarterback had been seeking to transfer on.

Many thought that Aikman would be part of Al Michaels at Amazon, which takes over “Thursday Night time Soccer” subsequent season. As a substitute, it’s ESPN.

“The chance to be a voice on ‘Monday Night time Soccer’, including to its legacy and being part of the way forward for the NFL on ESPN, has me motivated and reflective. As a child in California, the voices of Frank Gifford, Howard Cosell, and my mother’s private favourite, Don Meredith, echoed all through our lounge every week,” Aikman stated in an announcement. “I’m trying ahead to the subsequent a number of years with ESPN and all our new teammates.”

Buck’s Fox contract had a yr remaining, however the community allowed him to pursue the chance to stay with Aikman. Buck has a protracted historical past with “Monday Night time Soccer,” usually occurring journeys together with his father — Corridor of Fame broadcaster Jack Buck — to observe him name Monday evening video games on radio with Hank Stram.

“I by no means thought that I might find yourself there and effectively, right here he we’re. I did not see it coming and gosh, I am glad it did,” Buck stated in a video on Twitter after ESPN made the announcement.

Buck had been with Fox Sports activities because it started in 1994. He had additionally been the community’s high baseball voice and referred to as 24 World Sequence.

“Troy Aikman and Joe Buck have been part of a few of the biggest soccer moments in FOX Sports activities historical past,” Fox Sports activities CEO and government producer Eric Shanks stated. “Buck’s voice, as an authentic member of the community, has additionally been the soundtrack for a era of baseball followers. The pair will without end be part of the community’s DNA and as they embark on their subsequent chapter, we want them and our buddies at ESPN all the most effective.”

Apart from “Monday Night time Soccer”, Buck and Aikman will each contribute content material to the ESPN+ streaming service.

ESPN could have 22 video games this season, together with an unique MNF sport on ABC and a world sport on ESPN+. Including within the Week 18 doubleheader which started this previous season, ESPN could have three weeks with a number of video games this season. The package deal jumps to 25 video games starting in 2023.

ABC will even have the 2027 Tremendous Bowl, marking its return to televising the NFL’s championship sport for the primary time since 2006.

Fox might bump Kevin Burkhardt and Greg Olsen as much as the highest group or it might make a run at former New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton. Burkhardt would even be one of many high contenders to interchange Buck on baseball together with Joe Davis.

If Olsen was promoted, he would observe the identical path as Aikman — one yr on the No. 2 group earlier than shifting up. Whoever succeeds Aikman, will probably be an necessary selection for Fox because it has the 2023 and 2025 Tremendous Bowls.

Amazon additionally hasn’t introduced its sales space for “Thursday Night time Soccer”, though there are indications it’s trending towards Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit. Mike Tirico is predicted to maneuver into the play-by-play function for NBC’s “Sunday Night time Soccer” when Michaels’ contract expired after final month’s Tremendous Bowl.