Bob Costas, a sportscaster at NBC for nearly 40 years, has found a way to expand his relationship with the Comcast-backed station.
Costas will return to NBC as host of the network’s new “Sunday Night Baseball” pregame, which will air before games on both NBC and Peacock. Costas left NBC in 2019, two years after stepping away from NBC Sports’ Olympic coverage. He will make his debut as host on Thursday, March 26th, when the Los Angeles Dodgers host the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. This game is Major League Baseball’s only prime time slot on Opening Day.
NBCU is expected to pay $200 million annually for the new rights deal.
Since leaving NBC, Costas has worked at MLB Network and Warner Bros. Discovery’s TNT Sports. Costas previously served as the play-by-play voice and host for NBC Sports’ MLB broadcasts for 15 seasons from 1982 to 1989 and 1994 to 2000. He also hosted “Later,” an early morning show that began after David Letterman’s “Late Night.”
“While I am grateful for my 40-year career, especially at HBO and MLB Network, my true broadcasting home was at NBC,” Costas said in a statement. “So many great moments, memories and friendships. I’m so grateful to Rick Cordella and Sam Flood for inviting me back now in this emeritus role and capping off a career that has been so much of a career,” he added, referring to NBC Sports’ president and chief programming executive.
Mr. Costas works for NBC in a less visible way. He narrated multiple opening tees on the network’s Tuesday night basketball broadcasts and is expected to continue contributing to NBA coverage as the season progresses.
Even more in the future…
Even more in the future…
