Tim Brando will continue calling games on Fox’s airwaves for at least the next couple of years.
The veteran broadcaster has reportedly agreed to a multiyear contract extension with Fox Sports to continue calling college football and college basketball for the network, according to Michael McCarthy in Front Office Sports. Brando has worked for Fox since 2014 after lengthy stints at both ESPN and CBS earlier in his career. At the end of his new Fox contract, the 70-year-old will have completed 15 years with the network.
Speaking with Front Office Sports, Brando called Fox “the most talent-friendly company [he’s] ever worked for,” and credited the network’s executives for hiring him late into his career, saying they’re not able to take a “victory lap” for making a “safe hire,” but did so anyway.
The last two seasons, Brando has worked alongside former Michigan quarterback Devin Gardner in the Fox Sports booth. This season, Fox’s college football assignments will see at least a bit of shakeup after the departure of Jason Benetti for NBC. Benetti served as the network’s No. 2 college football play-by-play voice last year behind Gus Johnson.
When asked if he believed he was a candidate to replace Benetti this upcoming season, Brando demurred. “I’m not going to presume anything. That’s for them to decide. There’s been no discussion about it. Jason’s exit is something they’ll have to address. They’ll get to it when they get to it,” he said.
Another candidate for the No. 2 job could include rising star Connor Onion, who called games alongside Mark Helfrich last season.
In addition to his normal college football and college basketball assignments, Brando says Fox may continue to use him “from time to time” on the NFL when the schedule demands it. Last year, Fox announced six full-time NFL broadcast crews, but the network will occasionally air seven or eight games on a Sunday afternoon. In those weeks, or if another play-by-play announcer is unavailable for whatever reason, Brando can get the tap.
About Drew Lerner
Drew Lerner is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and an aspiring cable subscriber. He previously covered sports media for Sports Media Watch. Future beat writer for the Oasis reunion tour.