You are looking live... at the football tandem that will guide the fledgling SEC Network into its maiden broadcast season.
With the launch of the new network just a few months down the road -- with all major carriers onboard or not -- it was announced Wednesday morning that living broadcast legend Brent Musburger and (insert adjectives here) Jesse Palmer “have each reached an agreement with ESPN to be the lead college football game commentators” on the network devoted to all things SEC. The first official assignment for the pair will be the Aug. 28 Texas A&M-South Carolina opener, the first-ever football game broadcast on the new network.
From the release:“Brent Musburger is a cultural icon who has been guiding fans through many of sport’s most spectacular moments for decades,” said John Wildhack, ESPN Executive Vice President, Programming and Production. “His big-game performance and unmistakable style will elevate our football coverage on the SEC Network. Serving as the definitive play-by-play voice for this major network launch represents an exciting new chapter in his legendary career and reinforces our commitment and investment in the SEC Network.”
Wildhack continued, “Jesse Palmer has quickly established himself as one of college football’s most insightful, entertaining and dedicated analysts. As a former SEC quarterback, he brings the perfect combination of playing experience and deep conference knowledge to the SEC Network. Partnering him with Brent on this new national platform will create a memorable booth for college football fans everywhere.”
The hiring of the 74-year-old Musburger by the SEC Network -- the broadcaster signed a multi-year contract extension with the WWL amid speculation that he could be headed to another broadcast network as his old deal was set to expire -- also means that his longtime pairing with Kirk Herbstreit on high-profile college football games has come to an end. ESPN has made no announcement as to who will replace Musburger as Herbstreit’s play-by-play partner, although that’s expected to happen at some point in the next month or two.
(Photo credit: SEC Network)