HBO Sports announced on Wednesday that it has extended its contracts with broadcasters Jim Lampley and Max Kellerman in “new multi-year deals.”
Lampley, the legendary blow-by-blow announcer on its boxing coverage, and Kellerman, the main analyst, will continue in their roles, HBO senior vice president and executive producer Rick Bernstein said.
“For more than two decades, Jim has been the signature voice of HBO boxing,” Bernstein said. “Jim’s incomparable knowledge of the sport of boxing and his work on our many boxing programming initiatives, along with his own boxing studio program, have made him universally recognized as the best in the sport and the captain of our boxing coverage. We’re thrilled Jim will continue to bring his high journalistic standards and talents to the HBO audience for many years to come.”
Lampley, who has been calling fights for HBO since 1988 after previously calling fights for ABC, will be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame on June 14.
“I am delighted and grateful for the chance to continue my richly rewarding relationship with the No. 1 network in television,” Lampley said. “In sports as in entertainment, HBO presents the greatest of all opportunities to report complex truth, and there are no sports truths more profound and complex than those illuminated by boxing.”
Kellerman has been with HBO Sports since 2005, after previously having been a studio co-host on ESPN2′s “Friday Night Fights.”
“Max has been an invaluable asset to the HBO Boxing franchise since joining us ten years ago,” Bernstein said. “His passion, instincts and historical knowledge all play a key role in making our broadcasts impactful.”
“The privilege of calling the best fights in the sport is second only to working alongside all of the extraordinary people in the HBO family,” Kellerman said.
The new season of Lampley’s “The Fight Game with Jim Lampley” kicks off March 17 (HBO, 11 p.m. ET/PT). Joining Lampley will once again be Kellerman and Michelle Beadle to discuss boxing’s biggest news stories and personalities. There were eight episodes in 2014 and the plan is for the same number this year.
Credit to ESPN who originally published this article
Jason Barrett is the President and Founder of Barrett Media since the company was created in September 2015. Prior to its arrival, JB served as a sports radio programmer, launching brands such as 95.7 The Game in San Francisco, and 101 ESPN in St. Louis. He also spent time programming SportsTalk 950 in Philadelphia, 590 The Fan KFNS in St. Louis, and ESPN 1340/1390 in Poughkeepsie, NY. Jason also worked on-air and behind the scenes in local radio at 101.5 WPDH, WTBQ 1110AM, and WPYX 106.5. He also spent two years on the national stage, producing radio shows for ESPN Radio in Bristol, CT. Among them included the Dan Patrick Show, and GameNight.
You can find JB on Twitter @SportsRadioPD. He’s also reachable by email at Jason@BarrettMedia.com.
