Al Michaels Might Lose His Week Off, But He Might Not

 UPDATE: The Pittsburgh vs. Baltimore game would now be played on Wednesday afternoon Dec. 2nd on NBC.

 
This telecast would also impact NBC's announcer schedule. If the Steelers-Ravens game is played, it would be Al Michaels and Chris Collinsworth on the call. The pair originally was to have been off for this entire week. Mike Torico and Tony Dungy were scheduled to call both the Thanksgiving telecast and then the Chicago at Green Bay game on Sunday Night Football.

Meanwhile, the NFL has announced its Week 15 (Dec. 19th) selections for the Saturday doubleheader. Again this season, both games will appear only on NFL Network other than the local markets. The AFC game will be Buffalo at Denver at 4:30 PM ET, with its NFC telecast in prime time (8:15 PM ET) between Carolina and Green Bay.

As much as fans would like to be there, let's take the hunch that they wont mind as much to not be able to attend at night game in Green Bay in mid-December.


While we await word on the likelihood of the NBA starting its season, the ever-thinning line between sports betting and the leagues and teams continues. The Memphis Grizzlies announced a "multi-year sports betting partnership" with betting service FanDuel. This Agreement reportedly includes sports betting content being integrated into local Grizzlies telecasts.

The added significance to this deal is that, as of now, Tennessee does not have any casinos.


On the MLB side, reports have ESPN working on renewing its telecast deal with MLB, which expires after the 2021 season. The word is that ESPN is looking to reduce its number of telecasts, and be able to hand pick more of the games it shows. One possible result is that Sunday Night Baseball would continue, but scheduled Monday and Wednesday night telecasts would not.


CHICAGO: The White Sox have changed radio stations again after having been heard on 3 different flagship stations over the past 8 seasons. The broadcasts will return to WMVP ESPN 1000, which previously hosted the games from 1999 through 2005. This comes after WGN Radio declined its option to renew. There has been no word, as of press time, as to whether or not Andy Mazur or Darrin Jackson will return as the broadcast team.

WLS-TV has extended the contract of sports reporter Dionne Miller for another four years.