NFL
Sports loses a super voice; Summerall dies at 82
DALLAS – Pat Summerall, the deep-voiced NFL player-turned-broadcaster who spent half of his four decades calling sports famously paired with John Madden, died Tuesday of cardia arrest. He was 82.Summerall was part of network television broadcasts for 16 Super Bowls. His last championship game was for Fox on Feb. 3, 2002, also his last game with longtime partner Madden. The popular duo worked together for 21 years, moving to Fox in 1994 after years as the lead team for CBS.At the end of their final broadcast together, Madden described Summerall as “a treasure” and the “spirit of the National Football League” in a tribute to the partner that complemented the former coach so well.
Summerall played 10 NFL seasons (1952-61) with the Chicago Cardinals and New York Giants. In his second career, he became a voice so familiar to several generations of sports fans, not only those of the NFL.
He started doing NFL games for CBS in 1964, and became a play-by-play guy 10 years later. He also was part of CBS’s coverage of the PGA Tour, including the Masters from 1968-94, and the U.S. Open tennis tournament.
A recovering alcoholic, Summerall had a liver transplant in April 2004. The lifesaving surgery was necessary even after 12 years of sobriety.
MLB
Mariners buy majority stake in television network
SEATTLE – The Seattle Mariners and DIRECTV Sports Networks announced partnership on a new regional sports network where the Mariners will be the majority stakeholder in the operation. The deal was announced Tuesday and will run through the conclusion of the 2030 baseball season. DIRECTV Sports Networks will take on a minority position with the venture but will oversee the daily management of the network. The Mariners said the new network will continue to operate under the ROOT Sports brand.
Soccer
NBC goes all in with the English Premier League
NEW YORK – NBC is all in with the English Premier League.
The EPL feels the same way about the U.S. broadcaster.
All 380 English Premier League games will be televised live by NBC and its networks next season as part of a three-year, $250-million contract.
The deal comes at a time when Fox and ESPN also have heavy involvement in soccer. But the world’s most popular league in the world’s most popular sport will belong solely to NBC for the next three years.The telecasts will begin Aug. 17 and will be carried on NBC, NBC Sports Network, Telemundo, Mun2, other NBC television properties, and various digital outlets.NBC is scheduled to air 20 games, with 154 on NBC Sports Network, 76 of the telecasts will be in Spanish on Telemundo or Mun2 and 22 will be shown on other NBC Sports Group channels.
Cycling
Wiggins and Sky in top form before the Giro d’Italia
LIENZ, Austria – Bradley Wiggins led Sky to victory Tuesday in a team time trial at the Giro del Trentino, as the Tour de France winner prepares for the upcoming Giro d’Italia.
In the second of two short stages to open the four-day race, Sky clocked 15 minutes, 20.64 seconds over the 8.8-mile route. Astana, led by Italy’s Vincenzo Nibali – seen as Wiggins’ biggest rival in the two Italian races – finished second, 12.77 seconds behind.
Earlier, French rider Maxime Bouet edged Josef Cerny of the Czech Republic to win the opening 80-mile leg.
Wiggins and Nibali finished in the main pack in the morning, both 6:51 back. Cerny held the overall lead after the day. Wiggins was 12th, 6:03 back, and Nibali was 17th, 6:16 back.
Associated Press
