Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, including new deals, departures, and assignments compiled from press releases and reports around the industry. In this week\u2019s edition, Barry Bonds to join MLB opening night on Netflix as on-air talent; Madelyn Burke joins ESPN as newest anchor for SportsCenter; and more.<\/p>\n
Madelyn Burke joins ESPN as a\u00a0SportsCenter\u00a0Anchor<\/p>\n
Television host\u00a0Madelyn Burke\u00a0has joined ESPN as an anchor for\u00a0SportsCenter, the company\u2019s signature news and information program. She will begin work in April.<\/p>\n
For nearly a decade, Burke has been a multi-platform host and on-air talent covering the New York Giants, most recently with MSG Network and Giants.com, while also hosting for CBS Sports HQ. In her role, she has contributed across studio, digital and live game coverage, including hosting pregame and postgame programming and sideline reporting.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m thrilled and honored to join ESPN, and to be a part of a program as iconic as\u00a0SportsCenter,\u201d said Burke. \u201cIt\u2019s a show that has meant so much to me and to generations of sports fans.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m excited to help carry that tradition forward while bringing energy, joy, and a genuine love of sports to every show.\u201d<\/p>\n
A native of Los Angeles, Burke began her career while attending Arizona State University, where she graduated with a degree in journalism and hosted the nationally televised college football show\u00a0Running with the PAC\u00a0on FOX. She went on to cover college football and the NBA across multiple platforms, including time on the Los Angeles Clippers beat and at\u00a0Sports Illustrated.<\/p>\n
\u201cMadelyn is a versatile and dynamic storyteller who brings credibility, energy and a deep understanding of sports to everything she does,\u201d said\u00a0Mike Foss, Senior Vice President, Sports & Studio Entertainment. \u201cHer experience across multiple platforms and connection with fans make her a great addition to SportsCenter.\u201d<\/p>\n
Burke will be based at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, CT.<\/p>\n
Barry Bonds Added to MLB Opening Night Talent Roster<\/p>\n
A baseball legend has officially entered the batter\u2019s box for Netflix.<\/p>\n
San Francisco Giants great Barry Bonds joins the star-studded roster of on-air talent for Netflix\u2019s Major League Baseball broadcasts this season. The league\u2019s home run king and leader will make his debut as an analyst on March 25, when his former club hosts the New York Yankees for MLB Opening Night, presented by Adobe.<\/p>\n
A seven-time Most Valuable Player, Bonds will take part in all three of Netflix\u2019s MLB broadcasts this year: Opening Night, the T-Mobile Home Run Derby on July 13, and MLB at Field of Dreams on Aug. 13, all live exclusively on Netflix. Bonds will team up with two-time World Series champion and three-time MVP Albert Pujols, World Series champion Anthony Rizzo, and Emmy Award\u2013winning host Elle Duncan at the pre- and postgame desk.<\/p>\n
Orel Hershiser, Luis Gonzalez, Al Leiter, and Neil Walker Named Analysts for NBC Sports\u2019 MLB Opening Day Doubleheader: Pirates-Mets at 1 PM ET and Diamondbacks-Dodgers at 8 PM ET, Next Thurs., March 26 on NBC & Peacock<\/p>\n
NBC Sports announces its MLB Opening Day game and pregame analysts, one week ahead of its 2026 season debut featuring two games next Thursday, March 26.<\/p>\n
NBC Sports\u2019 star-studded Opening Day presented by Adobe doubleheader begins at 1 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock, as reigning NL Cy Young Award winner\u00a0Paul Skenes\u00a0and the Pittsburgh Pirates visit\u00a0Juan Soto\u00a0and the New York Mets at Citi Field.<\/p>\n
Then at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock, in the\u00a0only primetime game on Opening Day,\u00a0Corbin Carroll\u00a0and the Arizona Diamondbacks face four-time MVP\u00a0Shohei Ohtani\u00a0and the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.<\/p>\n
NBC Sports\u2019 announce teams for MLB Opening Day are as follows:<\/p>\n
Pirates vs. Mets \u2013 1 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock<\/p>\n
Play-by-play voice\u00a0Matt Vasgersian\u00a0calls Pirates-Mets alongside analysts\u00a0Al Leiter\u00a0and\u00a0Neil Walker.<\/p>\n
A two-time All-Star with two World Series rings, Leiter pitched 19 MLB seasons, including seven with the Mets (1998-2004). With the Mets in 2000, he won The Roberto Clemente Award which annually honors the player who best represents the game of baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field. Leiter has been a studio analyst with MLB Network since 2009 (earning a Sports Emmy nomination) and previously served as game analyst for 12 seasons with YES Network.<\/p>\n
The 2014 NL Silver Slugger as the Pirates second baseman, Walker\u2019s 12-year MLB career (2009-2020) included his first seven seasons in Pittsburgh, followed by two years with the Mets (2016-17). Since 2021, Walker has served as an analyst for the Pirates broadcast team.<\/p>\n
Ahmed Fareed\u00a0will host pregame coverage alongside analyst\u00a0Adam Ottavino,who pitched in 727 games for five teams in 15 MLB seasons (2010, 2012-25), including 2022-24 with the Mets.<\/p>\n
Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers \u2013 8 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock<\/p>\n
Jason Benetti\u00a0handles play-by-play, joined by\u00a0analysts and World Series heroes\u00a0Luis Gonzalez\u00a0and\u00a0Orel Hershiser.<\/p>\n
Gonzalez, a five-time All-Star, played 19 MLB seasons (1990-2008), highlighted by eight years with the Diamondbacks. In Game 7 of the 2001 World Series, Gonzalez hit the game-winning single as Arizona won its first championship. The Fall Classic heroics capped his best statistical season as he won the Silver Slugger with a .325 batting average, 57 home runs and 142 RBI. An analyst for select Diamondbacks games, Gonzalez won the 2005 Branch Rickey Award for community service.<\/p>\n
Hershiser\u2019s 18-year MLB career was headlined by his 1988 season with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He posted an MLB-high 23 victories, pitched a record 59 consecutive scoreless innings, and won the NL Cy Young Award, NLCS MVP, and World Series MVP as the Dodgers won their first championship in seven years.\u00a0 Hershiser pitched 12 seasons for the Dodgers, and three seasons for Cleveland, where he won ALCS MVP honors in leading the team to the 1995 World Series. Hershiser has worked as the primary analyst for SportsNet LA\u2019s broadcasts of Dodgers games since 2017.<\/p>\n
Host\u00a0Bob Costas\u00a0will be joined by analyst and three-time Dodgers\u2019 NL Cy Young Award winner\u00a0Clayton Kershaw\u00a0for an on-location pregame show at Dodger Stadium, where the Dodgers will raise their World Series championship banner.<\/p>\n
Peacock \u201cGame of the Day\u201d (March 26-April 1)<\/p>\n
One\u00a0out-of-market game will be streamed nationally* on Peacock each day of the season, beginning Thursday, March 26, with 11-time All-Star\u00a0Mike Trout\u00a0and the Los Angeles Angels visiting\u00a0Jose Altuve\u00a0and the Houston Astros at 4:10 p.m. ET on Peacock. The Peacock \u201cGame of the Day\u201d will allow viewers to watch either the home or visiting team presentation.<\/p>\n
ESPN Signs Fernando Palomo to Multiyear Contract Extension<\/p>\n
ESPN has signed\u00a0Fernando Palomo a new multi-year contract,\u00a0keeping\u00a0one of\u00a0its\u00a0most\u00a0recognizable\u00a0voices in soccer broadcasting on the network. Palomo, who joined ESPN in 2000, will continue to serve as the lead Spanish play-by-play voice for\u00a0the company\u2019s\u00a0exclusive coverage of LALIGA\u00a0in the U.S.,\u00a0and\u00a0a prominent voice across international soccer\u00a0coverage\u00a0in Spanish and English.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kicking off his renewed agreement, Palomo will be in Madrid on Sunday, March 22, to call the highly anticipated Madrid derby \u2013 Real Madrid vs. Atl\u00e9tico Madrid at 4 p.m. ET \u2013 live on ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ (Spanish), further highlighting his role at the center of key soccer events.<\/p>\n
In addition to covering marquee matchups, Palomo will continue to host and contribute to Spanish studio programming across ESPN Deportes in the U.S. and ESPN in Latin America, including\u00a0ESPN FC,\u00a0Futbol Center,\u00a0SportsCenter, and more. He will remain a staple in ESPN\u2019s Olympic Games coverage.<\/p>\n
\u201cFernando is unlike anyone else in our industry,\u201d said Rodolfo Martinez, Senior Vice President, International and ESPN Deportes\u00a0Production. \u201cHe joined ESPN more than 25 years ago as a\u00a0SportsCenter\u00a0anchor in Latin America and has grown into one of the most trusted,\u00a0versatile\u00a0and recognizable voices in soccer across two continents and two languages. Fernando\u2019s journey with us reflects exactly the kind of talent and commitment\u00a0ESPN is built on, and we are proud that\u00a0this story continues.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI am grateful to keep growing at the place that welcomed me in 2000,\u201d said Palomo. \u201cMy excitement walking onto campus is the same today as it was\u00a0on day one.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n