Bryant Gumbel has decided to give up his duties as the play-by-play voice for the NFL Network’s eight-game package of NFL games, NFL Network late Friday afternoon.
What started off as a ground breaking, a 21st century style of broadcasting where Gumbel was to engage partner Cris Collinsworth in a conversation about football. Well it is exactly what the executives at NFL Network wanted it turned out that the fans hated it.NFL fans want traditional play by play and color do not confuse them with innovative broadcasting they simply can’t handle it.
So Gumbel one of the most accomplished sports and news hosts in TV history was left to take the heat and in the end give up. He told the brass at NFL Network that he had never had done play by play in his life and took the job because he was told not to worry about it.
“I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to call NFL Network games the past two years, which was a new experience for me,” said Gumbel. “But we’ve agreed that we’d all be better served going in different directions. There are a lot of talented people at NFL Network. I thank them, I wish them well, and I have no doubt that they will be very successful going forward.”NFL Network will begin a search for a new play-by-play announcer to work alongside Collinsworth immediately. But first a short thank you from the his boss.
“We appreciate everything Bryant did in helping us launch our NFL Network game telecasts,” said NFL Network President and CEO Steve Bornstein. “Bryant helped create interest in our first foray into televising NFL regular-season games. He is one of the great broadcasters of our time and we are honored to have worked with him.”
NFL fans do not like anything new they just down distance and some color mixed in and that is it, just ask Gumbel.
(The quotes in this column were provided by the NFL Network)
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