It’s an ESPN extension week of sorts so far.
Yesterday, the network announced a new deal with NBA broadcast legend Doris Burke, and today ESPN revealed they’ve also reached a multiyear deal with SportsCenter anchor Matt Barrie.
Via ESPN’s announcement:
Barrie is the regular co-anchor of the noon ET edition of SportsCenter, ESPN’s signature sports news and information program, with Sage Steele. In addition, he leads ESPN’s studio college football coverage on Friday and Saturdays. He also calls college football play-by-play on game telecasts.
Barrie also is part of ESPN’s coverage of golf majors. Next month, he will anchor SportsCenter segments and reports from the Masters Tournament. In May, he’ll do the same from the PGA Championship as well as hosting live featured group coverage on ESPN+.
A native of Scottsdale, Az., Barrie joined ESPN in 2013. The recipient of 11 Sports Emmy Awards and three Edward R. Murrow Journalism Awards, he previously worked in local television in the Dallas/Fort Worth market as well as in Columbia, S.C., Wausau, Wis., and Lawton, Okla.
Barrie’s mid-day work on SportsCenter is always solid, and he’s always a welcome and informed presence on golf coverage as well. (Considering ESPN’s push back into the world of golf, it makes even more sense that Barrie would want to stay on board.)
For people working from home in sports media who prefer non-debate programming during the day (like me, for example), the noon SportsCenter always feels like a welcome oasis. Barrie’s work is a big part of that, and it’s good to know he’ll still be there going forward.
[ESPN]
About Jay Rigdon
Jay is a columnist at Awful Announcing. He is not a strong swimmer. He is probably talking to a dog in a silly voice at this very moment.