NBC Sports announced that its regional networks will be launching a new professional football preview show, coinciding with the start of the National Football League season. Sports commentators Ben Maller and Tomm Looney will debut their new half-hour show, Benny vs. The Penny, this weekend throughout the postseason. The show will provide viewers with informative and entertaining conversations about the matchups throughout each week.
Maller, who is an overnight host on FOX Sports Radio, has been on the air for over two decades. He got his start as an update anchor and weekend talk show host, and also used to be in middays and on postgame coverage for Los Angeles Dodgers baseball on XTRA Sports 1150. On this new program, Maller will bring his popular radio segment to the program where he gives his pick for games and then flips a coin to see if his pick aligns with that of circumstantial fate.
“I’m thrilled to kick off the new football season by sharing my enduring rivalry with the penny,” Maller said. “It’s going to be a cornucopia of fun for me and the viewers who are watching across the country every weekend.
“Whether you’re a hardcore or casual fan, or somewhere in between, this will be a very entertaining way to get the insight and information you want before kickoff. I’m excited to bring this idea to TV after so many years of facing off against the penny on the radio.”
Looney will serve as Maller’s sidekick, bringing deft television and radio experience to the role. As the former host of The JT The Brick Show with Tomm Looney, he was nationally syndicated through FOX Sports Radio for more than 15 years. Moreover, he was a cast member of The Best Damn Sports Show Period for seven years on FOX Sports Net.
Episodes will premiere in the mornings from Friday to Sunday across NBC’s portfolio of regional sports networks. NBC Sports Bay Area, NBC Sports Boston, NBC Sports California, NBC Sports Chicago and NBC Sports Philadelphia will all have access to the show, along with SportsNet New York (SNY) viewers in New York, N.Y. and those of Spectrum SportsNet in Southern California.
