Jim Nantz is synonymous with CBS Sports, and as much as it’s hard to picture the iconic announcer with another network, that won’t stop him from fielding offers. And if Nantz is available, it’s logical to see ESPN topping the list of potential suitors.
In recent NFL off-seasons, ESPN has been linked to big names such as Al Michaels, Tony Romo and Peyton Manning for their Monday Night Football booth. Eventually landing on a trio featuring Steve Levy, Louis Riddick and Brian Griese, the MNF crew received praise for the first time in years. But a major broadcaster like Nantz doesn’t often make it to free agency.
According to Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports, if Nantz does hit free agency this summer, ESPN will be interested in his services to lead their NFL and Masters golf coverage.
A few months ago, it was reported Nantz is seeking a pay increase similar to the one CBS gave his broadcast partner Tony Romo earlier last year. According to The New York Post, the play-by-play voice wants to top Romo’s $17.5 annual salary, a number that far exceeds other network sportscasters. Having been a prominent announcer for CBS since the 1980s, Nantz currently makes about $6.5 million per year, just over a third of what Romo earns.
This Sunday, Nantz will call his sixth Super Bowl for CBS Sports as he continues to be their lead voice for NFL football, college basketball and the PGA. Over the next three months, Nantz is scheduled to broadcast an impressive list of sporting events which includes the Super Bowl, NCAA Final Four and The Masters.
In the past year, ESPN cut a significant amount of salary, conducting the company’s largest round of layoffs in the wake of COVID-19, while letting contracts expire for some of their prominent talent. But the financial moves help set ESPN up to make more investments in live sports.
The addition of the 61-year-old Nantz could be an attractive asset as ESPN/ABC negotiates future rights deals. The network has reportedly sought to increase their NFL TV packages and enter the network Super Bowl rotation.
Nantz also recently expressed a desire to work into his 80s, with plans of anchoring Masters coverage beyond 2035. Golf’s most prestigious tournament is synonymous with CBS, but The Masters has signed one-year contracts with the network since 1956. Nantz is similarly synonymous with The Masters and if he signed a deal with Disney, it could open the door for ABC to acquire the tournament’s Saturday and Sunday coverage.
If Nantz does become a free agent, he’ll certainly have interested suitors with ESPN waiting at the front of the line. But after more than three decades with CBS, convincing other networks that he’s willing to go elsewhere might be the most difficult task in negotiating his next deal.
Brandon Contes is a former reporter for BSM, now working for Awful Announcing. You can find him on Twitter @BrandonContes or reach him by email at Brandon.Contes@gmail.com.
