When veteran college sports voice Tim Brando revealed he was heading to SEC Network, it was a move that made a lot of sense for both parties. After parting ways with CBS, ESPN’s conference-based startup was a natural fit for Brando after his work on the SEC on CBS. And for ESPN, adding another well-established voice like Brando brought further instant credibility to the net.
While that all sounds nice, suddenly, the Brando-SEC Network marriage won’t be happening. In a stunning move, Fox Sports today announced that Brando will be working for them beginning this fall. From a Fox Sports press release:
Tim Brando, a veteran broadcaster with decades of experience calling over 25 sports, is the latest addition to FOX Sports’ impressive and rapidly growing roster of college sports personalities and contributors. FOX Sports Executive Producer John Entz announced today that Brando joins FOX Sports’ coverage of college football and college basketball on FOX and FOX Sports 1 beginning this season. Brando’s broadcast partner, as well as the full FOX Sports college football announce teams, will be released at a later date.
Brando had previously said on his Facebook page that he had reached a verbal agreement to join SEC Network and ESPN.
Let me clarify, I’m genuinely excited, grateful, and cannot wait to be a part of the SEC Network Team. Yes, I have verbally agreed to join them! However, this story going public was not something I was prepared to address so quickly.
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The SEC Network wants me to call a lot of College Basketball. I have always placed College Hoops on a pedestal and the chance to get back into the SEC in the winter, along with my ACC relationship with Raycom genuinely excites me.
This marks my return of sorts, to ESPN as a Network. In many ways, this is a return to where it all began almost 30 years ago. They had been on the air only 6 years when I got there at age 29. Three decades later, the World Wide Leader launches yet another Network. This time, it’s in my own backyard with the Gold Standard of Intercollegiate Athletics, The SEC.
So what could have happened to cause Brando to leave SEC Network before he even started there? According to ESPN spokeswoman Gracie Blackburn, ““We were in discussions with Tim to do basketball, but didn’t come to an agreement. We wish him well.”
Perhaps the opportunities presented at each network were a factor in this swift turn. Brando will do both college basketball and football for Fox Sports whereas he was only reportedly slated to call basketball for SEC Network. Give credit to Fox for swooping in and snatching up Brando to help fortify Fox’s college football coverage, even though most had assumed it was a done deal between the veteran broadcaster and SEC Net. Brando can be an asset either in the broadcast booth or the studio for FS1, who is still looking to establish themselves as a player in the college sports world.
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