ESPN exec Burke Magnus defends Doris Burke’s demotion

Last month, ESPN giveth to and taketh away from Doris Burke.

On the same day they announced that she had signed a multi-year deal to remain at the network and continue calling a full slate of regular-season NBA games, it was revealed that she had been demoted from the network’s top booth and replaced with Tim Legler.

While the move didn’t come as a surprise given previous reporting, it seemed to cast a shadow over Burke’s work with the Worldwide Leader, especially as it meant ESPN would now have a different NBA Finals booth for the fourth time in as many years.

It’s not as though Burke is being cast aside. As part of the announcement of her new deal, the company noted she will call games on ESPN and ABC under the NBA Sunday Showcase series and will also continue to feature prominently during the NBA playoffs.

ESPN president of content Burke Magnus appeared on the Sports Media with Richard Dietsch podcast this week and was asked about why demoting Burke and replacing her with Legler was the right decision.

“I think it was the right decision because we were still searching for the perfect combination,” said Magnus. “Again, we’re talking about an A-plus-plus human being in Doris Burke here… There was no coincidence that we extended her at the same time we were putting her with a new partner.

“And we honestly believe that now with a little experience in the top team in a three-person arrangement, that the best manifestation of Doris’ work is actually alone with a play-by-play person. We have in our new arrangement, as was the case with the last one, a schedule of plenty of high-profile NBA games to go around. And so she’ll be calling big games, meaningful games in her new circumstance relative to the top team, which will be Mike Breen, Richard Jefferson, and Tim Legler.

“And this is where, really, the expertise of our NBA production management, so Tim Corrigan, Mike McQuade in particular, just a feeling that that alignment gave us the best chance to make the best possible presentation of the biggest games. And really, when you boil it down, we’re talking about which team is going to call the Finals, or really, which team is going to call the Conference Finals and the Finals. And beyond that, they all call big regular-season games.”

Burke made sure to give some praise directly to Legler as well, who is getting an opportunity to shine.

“Tim is great. What a story. Twenty-five years plus at ESPN has done games, has done studio, has been with Scott Van Pelt on SportsCenter, highly respected basketball mind, great communicator. I guess a little underappreciated over the years… by us,” he said. “I think he had a ton of fans out there in NBA circles, both fans and professionals alike. So we’re excited to see him get a crack at being a part of this top team, and he’s earned it.”

Magnus puts all the requisite and expected spin on the move one would expect. And technically, it’s true that Burke will still be calling big NBA games and get plenty of chances in the playoffs. And Magnus and ESPN may be proven correct that such an influential commentator works best in a two-person booth.

But you also can’t spit on me and then try to convince me it’s raining. The move was a demotion for Burke, whatever the reasoning. And there’s no doubt people will be paying attention to how ESPN handles her assignments moving forward, as well as their revolving NBA broadcasting door, until they finally find their way back to a top booth they want to keep together.