Recent sports media news, including the passing of longtime NFL reporter John Clayton; good health news for Dick Vitale; a later start for the World Series; and some notes on Al Michaels, Erin Andrews and more.
NFL reporter John Clayton, once an ESPN mainstay, dies at 67
Longtime NFL reporter John Clayton died Friday at age 67. Clayton worked for ESPN from 1995 until 2017, when he was caught up in the company’s massive talent layoffs. He spent the past several seasons working in Seattle sports radio, including as a sideline reporter on Seahawks broadcasts. Clayton was one of the more familiar ESPN faces during his tenure with the network, headlining its “Inside the Huddle” segment and a weekly “Four Downs” debating segment opposite Sean Salisbury. He was also memorably featured in a SportsCenter commercial that played on the internet rumor that he had a ponytail.
Clayton’s career began in Pittsburgh in the 1970s, where he covered the Steelers for a decade with the Pittsburgh Press. He moved to Seattle in 1986 and began covering the Seahawks for the Tacoma News-Tribune. [Seattle Times 3.18]
Good news for Vitale
ESPN’s Dick Vitale, who was sidelined for nearly all of the college basketball season due to treatment of lymphoma and a separate vocal cord issue that required surgery, has made significant progress on both health issues. He recently announced that his cancer is in remission and that he has been cleared to resume using his voice. The loquacious Vitale spent more than eight weeks on voice rest, communicating solely in writing. [ESPN Front Row 3.16]
Revised MLB schedule includes later World Series
Major League Baseball announced its revised schedule last week, with regular season play set to end Wednesday, October 5. Between the late finish to the regular season and expanded playoffs, the World Series is expected to begin days later than usual. Per The Athletic, the Fall Classic could start Friday, October 28 or the preceding Thursday, though a Thursday start would put it in competition with Thursday Night Football.
The regular season was originally set to run from March 31 through October 2 until the owners staged a 99-day lockout that pushed the start back to April 7. [The Athletic 3.11]
Plus: Al Michaels, Erin Andrews, ESPN extensions
Longtime Monday Night Football voice Al Michaels was close to a three-year deal to return to the series had ESPN not acquired the services of Joe Buck, the New York Post reported this week. Michaels remains on the doorstep of a deal with Amazon to call Thursday Night Football games. … The New York Post reported earlier this month that Fox NFL sideline reporter Erin Andrews is a free agent and that ESPN would potentially be interested in reacquiring her services. Andrews is the reporter on the lead FOX-NFL team that long featured Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, both of whom have departed this offseason for ESPN. … ESPN recently announced contract extensions with its NBA broadcast team of Mark Jones and Doris Burke, as well as SportsCenter anchor Matt Barrie. [NYP 3.7, 3.16; ESPN PR]
