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The Worst-Kept Secret In Sports Television Has Been Made Official

J

Joseph_Gallant

Guest
It was no secret that Al Michaels would leave ABC once the network lost "Monday Night Football" to move to NBC to call their "Sunday Night Football" telecasts, even though Michaels himself told reporters some months ago that he had been offered the chance to continue doing "MNF" for ESPN and would indeed do so.

Yesterday (February 8th), ESPN announced a new "MNF" broadcast team, and the news that Michaels had resigned from ABC/ESPN.

This morning (February 9th), NBC has issued a press release announcing that indeed, Michaels will join the network to call Sunday-night NFL games. At this writing, it's 11:10 A.M. EST, and the network is scheduled to have a conference call with reporters within the half-hour (at 11:30 EST) in which the network will make an official announcement.

Besides the NFL, I would expect Michaels to get a major role at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing (likely calling either gymnastics or track and field). Despite what some have written on this board, I think Michaels will probably also end displacing Mike Emrick as NBC's lead play-by-play man for the NHL.
 
> It was no secret that Al Michaels would leave ABC once the
> network lost "Monday Night Football" to move to NBC to call
> their "Sunday Night Football" telecasts, even though
> Michaels himself told reporters some months ago that he had
> been offered the chance to continue doing "MNF" for ESPN and
> would indeed do so.
>
> Yesterday (February 8th), ESPN announced a new "MNF"
> broadcast team, and the news that Michaels had resigned from
> ABC/ESPN.
>
> This morning (February 9th), NBC has issued a press release
> announcing that indeed, Michaels will join the network to
> call Sunday-night NFL games. At this writing, it's 11:10
> A.M. EST, and the network is scheduled to have a conference
> call with reporters within the half-hour (at 11:30 EST) in
> which the network will make an official announcement.
>
> Besides the NFL, I would expect Michaels to get a major role
> at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing (likely calling
> either gymnastics or track and field). Despite what some
> have written on this board, I think Michaels will probably
> also end displacing Mike Emrick as NBC's lead play-by-play
> man for the NHL.
>
Reports today say that NBC has also hired Fred Gaudelli (Producer) and Drew Esocoff (Director) from ABC's MNF crew, and that those moves made Michaels change his mind about staying at ABC.

Good move for NBC, which has nowhere to go in prime time except UP. The MNF team should make the Sunday night package an event, as they've tried to do with ABC through the years.
 
Re: Al Michaels' ABC years

> How long was he on ABC? I know it was a long time.
>
Since 1976

He was first part of the Monday Night Baseball crew

and got to participate in the network's 1980, 1984, and 1988

Olympic coverage

Of course he was on MNF from 1986 to 2005

and was the lead MLB announcer from 1985 to 1989.

And he served as host for the NHL Stanley Cups for 2000, 2001, 2002

He even worked the network's coverage of the Indinapolis 500

right up to 2000

And the Kentucky Derby up until NBC picked it up

Ironically he was part of the 1975 World Series telecast on NBC

I think as well

So NBC Sports just got a little bit better with Bob Costas and Al Michaels
 
Re: Al Michaels' ABC years

> How long was he on ABC? I know it was a long time.
>
Has to be over 25 years. I remember him doing reports on Wide World of Sports in the late 70s.
 
Re: Al Michaels' ABC years

> > How long was he on ABC? I know it was a long time.
> >
> Since 1976
>
> He was first part of the Monday Night Baseball crew
>
> and got to participate in the network's 1980, 1984, and 1988
>
>
> Olympic coverage
>
> Of course he was on MNF from 1986 to 2005
>
> and was the lead MLB announcer from 1985 to 1989.
>
> And he served as host for the NHL Stanley Cups for 2000,
> 2001, 2002
>
> He even worked the network's coverage of the Indinapolis 500
>
>
> right up to 2000
>
> And the Kentucky Derby up until NBC picked it up
>
> Ironically he was part of the 1975 World Series telecast on
> NBC
>
> I think as well
>
> So NBC Sports just got a little bit better with Bob Costas
> and Al Michaels
>
One more note, as part of the deal, ESPN gets 4 straight cable coverage of

The Ryder Cup and a Walt Disney Cartoon from the 1920's from NBC-Universal.
 
Al Michaels traded to NBC for Oswald the Lucky Rabbit

> The Ryder Cup and a Walt Disney Cartoon from the 1920's from
> NBC-Universal.

Oswald was a cartoon character originally created by Walt Disney himself but as a contractor to Universal. He lost the job of making the cartoons in a money dispute in 1928. Walter Lantz (of Woody Woodpecker fame) eventually made the cartoons at his own studio (still as a contractor to Universal) and went on to greater fame from there. I think the last Oswald cartoon was made somewhere around 1936. They haven't been on TV since the '50s since they were in black & white.

Disney had to come up with somthing else in a hurry so he shortened Oswald's ears and created Mickey Mouse. They are otherwise almost identical in appearance (at least the late '20s-version of Mickey was). The rest, as they say, is history. Disney has to be smiling from above now that his company finally got the rights to the character he himself created.

So now will a cartoon version of Michaels and Madden become reality (of course, some people think Madden is already a cartoon)? :-D
 
Re: Al Michaels traded to NBC for Oswald the Lucky Rabbit

This Broadcasting and Cable.com article (registration may be required) has the full details on what NBC/Universal had to give up (including rights to Oswald The Rabbit) to Disney/ABC in order to get Al Michaels aboard for "Sunday Night Football".

Could NBC/Universal and CBS make a similar deal to allow Katie Couric to get out of her NBC contract before it's scheduled May 31st expiration so she could move over to CBS sooner to start anchoring the "Evening News"??
 
Re: Al Michaels traded to NBC for Oswald the Lucky Rabbit

> This Broadcasting and Cable.com article (registration may be
> required) has the full details on what NBC/Universal had to
> give up (including rights to Oswald The Rabbit) to
> Disney/ABC in order to get Al Michaels aboard for "Sunday
> Night Football".
>
> Could NBC/Universal and CBS make a similar deal to allow
> Katie Couric to get out of her NBC contract before it's
> scheduled May 31st expiration so she could move over to CBS
> sooner to start anchoring the "Evening News"??
>
Yeah, I can see her going to CBS for the rights to Tom Terrific and Farmer Al Falfa.
 
Re: Al Michaels traded to NBC for Oswald the Lucky Rabbit

> Yeah, I can see her going to CBS for the rights to Tom Terrific and Farmer Al Falfa.

I think they'd hold out for Mighty Mouse, Heckle & Jeckle, and Sidney the Elephant.
 
Re: Al Michaels traded to NBC for Oswald the Lucky Rabbit

> > Yeah, I can see her going to CBS for the rights to Tom
> Terrific and Farmer Al Falfa.
>
> I think they'd hold out for Mighty Mouse, Heckle & Jeckle,
> and Sidney the Elephant.
>
Don't forget

Ted Turner might trade in Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Porky Pig

For the rights of all CSI Franchises on CBS

GET IT?
 
DISNEY NEEDS TO GET OUT OF THE TV BUSINESS!!!!!!

Sorry if this was posted already, but here's a link to the story from Yahoo:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060210/media_nm/telvision_michaels_dc

Trading a human for rights to a cartoon, Gracey?
David E. Kelly couldn't write stuff this good.

Let me say it again, for those who missed the subject line:
<h1>DISNEY NEEDS TO GET OUT OF THE TV BUSINESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</h1>


> > The Ryder Cup and a Walt Disney Cartoon from the 1920's
> from
> > NBC-Universal.
>
> Oswald was a cartoon character originally created by Walt
> Disney himself but as a contractor to Universal. He lost
> the job of making the cartoons in a money dispute in 1928.
> Walter Lantz (of Woody Woodpecker fame) eventually made the
> cartoons at his own studio (still as a contractor to
> Universal) and went on to greater fame from there. I think
> the last Oswald cartoon was made somewhere around 1936.
> They haven't been on TV since the '50s since they were in
> black & white.
>
> Disney had to come up with somthing else in a hurry so he
> shortened Oswald's ears and created Mickey Mouse. They are
> otherwise almost identical in appearance (at least the late
> '20s-version of Mickey was). The rest, as they say, is
> history. Disney has to be smiling from above now that his
> company finally got the rights to the character he himself
> created.
>
> So now will a cartoon version of Michaels and Madden become
> reality (of course, some people think Madden is already a
> cartoon)? :-D
>
<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by Garrett on 02/10/06 12:54 AM.</FONT></P>
 
Re: Al Michaels traded to NBC for Oswald the Lucky Rabbit

> This Broadcasting and Cable.com article (registration may be
> required) has the full details on what NBC/Universal had to
> give up (including rights to Oswald The Rabbit) to
> Disney/ABC in order to get Al Michaels aboard for "Sunday
> Night Football".
>
> Could NBC/Universal and CBS make a similar deal to allow
> Katie Couric to get out of her NBC contract before it's
> scheduled May 31st expiration so she could move over to CBS
> sooner to start anchoring the "Evening News"??
>

Katie Couric is resigning with NBC. Will be announced after the Olympics.

CBS has gone back to the drawing board and is activly searching for someone new.
 
Re: Al Michaels traded to NBC for Oswald the Lucky Rabbit

> > > Yeah, I can see her going to CBS for the rights to Tom
> > Terrific and Farmer Al Falfa.
> >
> > I think they'd hold out for Mighty Mouse, Heckle & Jeckle,
>
> > and Sidney the Elephant.
> >
> Don't forget
>
> Ted Turner might trade in Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Porky
> Pig
Not to mention the entire Hanna-Barberian library:)
>
> For the rights of all CSI Franchises on CBS
>
> GET IT?
>
 
Re: Al Michaels traded to NBC for Oswald the Lucky Rabbit

> > The Ryder Cup and a Walt Disney Cartoon from the 1920's
> from
> > NBC-Universal.
>
> Oswald was a cartoon character originally created by Walt
> Disney himself but as a contractor to Universal. He lost
> the job of making the cartoons in a money dispute in 1928.
> Walter Lantz (of Woody Woodpecker fame) eventually made the
> cartoons at his own studio (still as a contractor to
> Universal) and went on to greater fame from there. I think
> the last Oswald cartoon was made somewhere around 1936.
> They haven't been on TV since the '50s since they were in
> black & white.
>
> Disney had to come up with somthing else in a hurry so he
> shortened Oswald's ears and created Mickey Mouse. They are
> otherwise almost identical in appearance (at least the late
> '20s-version of Mickey was). The rest, as they say, is
> history. Disney has to be smiling from above now that his
> company finally got the rights to the character he himself
> created.
>
> So now will a cartoon version of Michaels and Madden become
> reality (of course, some people think Madden is already a
> cartoon)? :-D

On Madden....SIMPSONS DID IT!
>
 
Re: Al Michaels traded to NBC for Oswald the Lucky Rabbit

I was not being sarcastic. I wanted to know if NBC and CBS might make some sort of business deal to allow Katie Couric to get out of her NBC contract prior to May 31st.

I could see CBS wanting to sit down with NBC to discuss some sort of business deal so that Couric would be free to leave NBC right after the Winter Olympics, in the hope she could take over the anchor desk of the "CBS Evening News" on April 27th, the first day of the May "sweeps".

If CBS has to wait until Couric's NBC contract ends on May 31st, Couric could start on the "Evening News" sometime in mid-to-late-August, the idea being to get the "kinks" out of what may well be a very different format for the show prior to the "official" start of the Fall season.
 
Re: DISNEY NEEDS TO GET OUT OF THE TV BUSINESS!!!!!!

> Let me say it again, for those who missed the subject line:
> DISNEY NEEDS TO GET OUT OF THE TV
> BUSINESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Garrett, chill.

And stop playing with the font command.<P ID="signature">______________


</P>
 
They said it best on WFAN 660 when Mike and Chris were talking that day this deal happened. NBC got MNF and the better deal. And now it does look like MNF just moved to NBC. Just on a different night with a different theme song and a new network but with the same broadcasting crew. ABC just might be where NBC was when NBC turned its back to pro sports ever since ABC got the NBA contract. Might be as ESPN wants to show the sports on their networks as maybe they get more money I think. But could we maybe see NBC wanting the NBA again when that contract is up?
 
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