Michelle Beadle Expands NBA Role, Extends Contract
New Morning Schedule for SportsCenter, Get Up! and Golic & Wingo Starts Sept. 3
ESPN’s NBA Countdown studio show is returning to ESPN’s Los Angeles Production Center this season. The move coincides with the launch of additional NBA studio programming, including a new post-game show – NBA After The Buzzer – that will feature the NBA Countdown studio team.
NBA Countdown had originated from ESPN’s Los Angeles Production Center at L.A. LIVE since the 2011-12 season before emanating from the New York studios during the second half of last season. The Los Angeles facility is located across the street from the STAPLES Center, the home of LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers, as well as the LA Clippers.
As a result of the launch of NBA After The Buzzer and the NBA Countdown move, Michelle Beadle has extended her contract with ESPN and will return to Los Angeles to focus on the NBA. She will no longer serve as a host of the ESPN weekday morning show Get Up! and her last show will be Aug. 29. Beadle is entering her third season as the host of NBA Countdown along with analysts Jalen Rose, Chauncey Billups and Paul Pierce. She will also continue to host NBA studio coverage on Christmas, and throughout the NBA Playoffs and the NBA Finals.
“We are extremely excited to launch ESPN’s first ever NBA post-game show,” said Connor Schell, ESPN executive vice president, content. “We’re doubling down on our NBA studio content at a time when the NBA is red-hot and fan interest continues to surge, and we are doing it with Michelle, as she is so important to our coverage. As the basketball world looks to L.A. with renewed interest, we’ll be right there to cover it.”
NBA After The Buzzer will air immediately after ESPN NBA game coverage, generally following regular Wednesday and Friday doubleheaders throughout the season on ESPN and the ESPN App. This season, ESPN will also launch NBA Courtside – a new, 15-minute tipoff show after NBA Countdown and prior to the game coverage – which will capture the pre-game energy and excitement from the arena.
There will also be an increased emphasis on pre- and-post-game SportsCenter segments, more closely integrated with NBA Countdown and its commentators. This will also mark the first full season that The Jump, ESPN’s daily, Los Angeles-based afternoon NBA show hosted by Rachel Nichols, will be aired in its expanded 60-minute format.
New morning schedule for SportsCenter, Get Up! & Golic & Wingo starts Sept. 3
Starting Monday, Sept. 3, SportsCenter will now air from 7-8 a.m. ET on ESPN. Get Up! will now air as a two-hour show on ESPN from 8-10 a.m. It will continue to feature Mike Greenberg as host, while Jalen Rose will remain as a co-host on days when he has no NBA Countdown responsibilities in Los Angeles. Going forward, Get Up! will also include regular hosting contributions from Maria Taylor, Laura Rutledge, Dianna Russini and Jen Lada, each of whom has guest-hosted the show since April’s launch and will continue with their other roles.
During football season, Get Up! will feature a star-studded lineup of ESPN NFL and college football commentators, with at least one of the following appearing each day: Ryan Clark, Victor Cruz, Paul Finebaum, Dan Orlovsky, Jesse Palmer, Louis Riddick, Rex Ryan, Adam Schefter, Marcus Spears, Jonathan Vilma and Damien Woody.
ESPN Radio’s Golic & Wingo simulcast will air on ESPN2 and ESPNEWS from 6-8 a.m. before continuing on ESPNEWS for the remaining two hours of the show, starting Monday, Sept. 3. SportsCenter will continue to air from 8-10 a.m. on ESPN2.
“We remain very committed to Get Up! and the show continues to provide important context, wide-ranging expertise and strong analysis and opinions, led by Mike Greenberg, Jalen Rose and a very talented, hard-working team. It remains a central part of our revamped morning lineup,” said Schell.
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