As NBC Sports prepares to resume live game broadcasts of the National Basketball Association under a new 11-year media rights deal reportedly worth $2.45 billion per year, it will be evoking nostalgia through various elements of the broadcast. NBC Sports president Rick Cordella recently revealed that the company will be televising in-arena player introductions akin to when the Chicago Bulls took the floor to “Sirius” and culminated in the announcement of superstar guard Michael Jordan.
On top of that, NBC Sports revealed that it is officially bringing back “Roundball Rock” by John Tesh to serve as the theme song for the property. The company is now going to utilize another iconic voice synonymous with the NBA on NBC, leveraging innovations in technology to make this possibility a reality.
NBC will be using an AI-generated version of Jim Fagan’s voice for title sequences, show opens and promos within its NBA coverage. Fagan, who was synonymous with the previous iteration of the broadcast property, passed away in 2017, but the network has reached a partnership with his family to use AI voice synthesis technology to re-create his voice. Andrew Marchand of The Athletic, who first reported the news on Tuesday morning, also stated that NBC is going to be hiring current vocal artists that will complement the presentations as well.
“We’re deeply grateful that NBC Sports had the vision to honor our father’s legacy in such a meaningful way,” Jana Silvia Joyce and Risa Silvia-Koonin, daughters of Jim Fagan, said in a statement. “He took great pride in his work with NBC Sports, especially in helping set the stage for some of the most memorable moments in NBA history. Knowing that his voice will once again be part of the game he loved—and that a new generation of fans will get to experience it—is incredibly special for our family. He would be so thrilled and proud to be a part of this. It’s been a true pleasure working with NBC Sports on this project.”
This will mark the second time in the last year where NBC Sports will be operating within an artificial intelligence partnership to replicate a human voice. Over the summer, the company created an AI version of play-by-play announcer Al Michaels to narrate the “Your Daily Olympic Recap on Peacock” for events surrounding the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
“For many basketball fans, Jim’s unique and recognizable voice immediately conjures a deep sense of nostalgia for a special time in NBA history,” Rick Cordella, president of NBC Sports, said in a statement. “His voice perfectly captured the magnitude of the heavyweight matchups and stars that he was introducing. It’s been a joy to work with Jim’s family to recreate his voice and honor his legacy. I’m excited we’re able to introduce his voice to a whole new generation of fans.”
NBC Sports will be airing a variety of NBA games throughout the season on broadcast television and the Peacock OTT streaming service. Along with an Opening Night doubleheader, the company will also televise at least two games on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, NBA All-Star Weekend festivities and one of two Conference Finals series in six of the 11 years under the deal. The company has announced that Mike Tirico and Noah Eagle will deliver play-by-play for the contests and that it has also hired Jamal Crawford and Reggie Miller as analysts. In addition, former NBA forward and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Carmelo Anthony was recently revealed as a studio analyst.
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