Fans of “Thursday Night Football” will next season hear one of TV sports’ most recognizable voices calling the games for a rather sizable upstart hoping to gain new yards off his play.
Michaels, who has offered play-by-play patter for “Monday Night Football” and “Sunday Night Football” since 1986, will lead a new effort by Amazon’s Prime Video, which has gained sole rights to telecast the NFL’s “Thursday Night Football” in the fall. Starting Thursday, September 15, Michaels will team up with analyst Kirk Herbstreit, known for his college football prowess at ESPN, to lead coverage of the games as Amazon becomes a bigger player in TV sports rights — which have largely been the domain of traditional broadcasters. They will be part of a team that also includes Fred Gaudelli, the veteran “Sunday Night Football” producer who will remain part of the NBC Sports executive team. NBC is collaborating with Amazon in its production.
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Amazon gained control of “Thursday Night Football” after signing an 11-year deal with the NFL in 2021. Indeed, Fox ceded control of the games one season earlier than expected in an effort to focus more intently on its Sunday games. The e-commerce giant hopes to use its interactive technology and streaming-video acumen to test new ways of presenting and distributing sports programming, all the while adding elements like pre-game programming and the like.
“Al and Kirk bring unparalleled experience to our historic new ‘Thursday Night Football” game telecasts, as we kick off our groundbreaking new agreement with the NFL,” said Marie Donoghue, vice president, Global Sports Video, Amazon, in a statement. “Having these two legends in the booth, with the best game producer in the business, Fred Gaudelli, will help make Thursday night the most exciting football night of the week.”
Amazon’s decision to enlist Michaels and Herbstreit is the latest in a series of maneuvers by the nation’s biggest TV-sports outlets to up their game after paying new high fees to keep ties with the NFL. NBC Sports said Tuesday that Mike Tirico would succeed Michaels in its “Sunday Night Football” booth, and ESPN has raided Fox Sports for its longstanding team of Troy Aikman and Joe Buck.
Amazon’s deal calls for it to broadcast 15 regular-season games and one preseason game each season year, and it has committed to create new pregame, halftime, and postgame shows as well as interactive features and fan experiences.
Michaels will take to Amazon to kick off his 37th season as an NFL play-by-play announcer. In February, he called his 11th Super Bowl — matching a record for TV commentators. Herbstreit has been ESPN’s lead college football analyst since 1996.
“This is the new frontier in sports television and to be a part of the launch at this point in my career is both exciting and stimulating,” said Michaels, in a statement. “The NFL is the king of unscripted television and I’m looking forward to joining Kirk to bring fans more dramatic episodes on Thursday nights this fall.”
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