Keith Olbermann Getting Expanded Role at ESPN

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/keith-olbermann-expands-espn-role-1114862

Yes this is Olbermann's third stint at ESPN.

Keith Olbermann, who has a long history at ESPN, is expanding his role at the network as part of a new agreement that will see him guest-anchoring approximinately 20 episodes of the 11 p.m. edition of Sportscenter. The network, which called Olbermann "one of ESPN’s most prominent and impactful commentators," made the announcement on Friday morning.

Olbermann, who has contributed to SportsCenter since January, will combine select studio assignments with on-site appearances, including calling the play-by-play for the Yankees-Astros game on Memorial Day on ESPN Radio. He'll call the play-by-play for other games and host editions of Baseball Tonight and anchor cut-ins/highlights within games.

Among his other assignments for the network: he will also host segments for SportsCenter from the MLB All-Star Game and World Series, co-host a few editions of Pardon the Interruption and make guest appearances on Outside the Lines with Bob Ley.

“Keith’s smart, creative perspective on the world of sports always informs and entertains fans,” ESPN evp, production Norby Williamson said in a prepared statement. “His varied collection of ESPN appearances over the last several months has provided a great model for utilizing his distinctive voice and this new agreement will extend his contributions even further.”

Olbermann added, “Since we started this, my 6th separate tenure with ESPN, in January, I’ve found the variety of assignments to be most the fun and energizing of all my stints. Adding stuff like being a rookie 59-yearold play-by-play guy, plus the Rip Van Winkle of SportsCenter, only adds to the smorgasbord. Can’t wait, and at my age, I shouldn’t.”

 

[TheBigA]

Wonder if he'll stick to sports.

 

[KeithE4]

Wonder if he'll stick to sports.

He will if he wants to remain employed with them.

 

[TheBigA]

He will if he wants to remain employed with them.

Exactly...they don't want a repeat of Jemele Hill.

The thing is, when he sticks to sports, he's very good. But he gets bored.

 

[KeithE4]

Exactly...they don't want a repeat of Jemele Hill.

Or Rush Limbaugh... or Keith Olbermann.

The thing is, when he sticks to sports, he's very good. But he gets bored.

He loses it whenever anyone disagrees with him, or someone who he opposes is in power. Like now.

 

[CTListener]

My guess is that, at 59, he's finally comfortable with being a sports guy. I'm sure he is still very angry at what's going on in this country, and this world, on many levels. But he's had his say on several outlets many, many times, and each time it's ended badly for him. Apparently, he never stopped being a sports fan through all of this, and I don't think anyone would object to an increased role for him as a sportscaster and sports journalist.

They've got him covering baseball, which is an excellent choice -- the sport lends itself to lyrical prose, and it's much less of a touchstone for complex social issues than is football. Yeah, there's the Cleveland Indians thing, and the puzzling decline in African-American players, but I believe only one player has ever taken a knee (an Oakland A, I believe, more than a year ago). The temptation for him to switch back into angry liberal mode will be much less this way. If he does rant, let it be about pitch count, excessive strikeouts, the no-contact decrees on sliding into bases or home plate, or the godawful minor league rule that has each extra inning start with a runner on second base.

 

[TheBigA]

The interesting thing is it comes at a time when ESPN appeared to be cutting costs, due to diminishing viewing, cord cutting, and other factors.

Someone opened Mickey's wallet to pay a veteran talent. Not what one might expect. Will viewers tune in for KO? We'll see.

 

[semoochie]

Here's the Keith Olbermann I know: https://video.gq.com/series/the-closer-with-keith-olbermann

 

[Don CT]

The interesting thing is it comes at a time when ESPN appeared to be cutting costs, due to diminishing viewing, cord cutting, and other factors.

Someone opened Mickey's wallet to pay a veteran talent. Not what one might expect. Will viewers tune in for KO? We'll see.

ESPN also needs people to watch and Olbermann will bring viewers. The classic ESPN viewer who remembers the heyday of the network with Dan and Keith will love the nostalgia.

 

[KeithE4]

ESPN also needs people to watch and Olbermann will bring viewers. The classic ESPN viewer who remembers the heyday of the network with Dan and Keith will love the nostalgia.

And there'll be others that will watch to see when KO goes off the deep end yet again. I give it a year, tops.

 

[bobjim45]

ESPN also needs people to watch and Olbermann will bring viewers. The classic ESPN viewer who remembers the heyday of the network with Dan and Keith will love the nostalgia.

I don't know about that, many of those viewers will be out of the demo ESPN is looking for and current Sportscenter viewers knows Keith as the angry political guy. I can't see him lasting long before he flames out once again.

 

[Megatron]

I have seen Keith on OTL for a few months I like Keith doing sports than Keith talking politics why I never watched his show on MSNBC when he returned in 2003 as I didn't have MSNBC when he was first on I think he called it the Big Show or something.