Bob Costas is returning to NBC Sports, bringing one of the most accomplished careers in American broadcasting back to the network where much of his legacy was built.
NBC Sports announced Thursday that Bob Costas will serve as host of the network’s Sunday Night Baseball pregame show, which will lead into games airing on NBC and simulstreamed on Peacock. The move reunites Costas with NBC nearly six years after his formal exit from the company following an unparalleled four-decade run.
“As appreciative as I am of other aspects of my career, especially HBO and the MLB Network, for 40 years, my true broadcasting home was NBC,” Costas said. “So many great moments, memories, and friendships. Now, I am very grateful to Rick Cordella and Sam Flood for inviting me back in an emeritus role to conclude my career where so much of it played out.”
Costas will make his on-air debut with NBC’s new primetime Major League Baseball package on March 26, when the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers host the Arizona Diamondbacks on Opening Day. Coverage begins at 8 p.m. ET, marking MLB’s lone primetime game that evening.
Rick Cordella, President of NBC Sports, said the network viewed the opportunity as a natural reunion. Cordella credited Costas with helping establish baseball as a signature property during NBC’s earlier MLB eras and described him as an authoritative and deeply knowledgeable voice whose passion for the sport remains unmatched.
Costas’ baseball resume at NBC is extensive. He worked as a play-by-play announcer and studio host across 15 seasons. His tenures ran from 1982 to 1989 and again from 1994 to 2000. During the network’s MLB Game of the Week era, Costas partnered with analyst Tony Kubek. Together, they formed one of the decade’s most recognizable broadcast teams. He called multiple American League Championship Series during that period. He also hosted numerous All-Star Game pregame shows. Throughout the 1980s, he anchored World Series pregame coverage.
His role expanded further in the 1990s. Costas called his first televised World Series in 1995 alongside Joe Morgan and Bob Uecker, then handled full-series coverage in 1997. Additional postseason assignments followed, including league championship series, World Series broadcasts, and the Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
Beyond NBC, Costas has remained closely tied to baseball through MLB Network, where he has worked since the channel’s 2009 launch as both a host and play-by-play announcer. He has also called postseason games for Turner Sports.
The return to NBC comes as the network reestablishes its presence in professional basketball. With the NBA returning to NBC this season, Costas has already contributed narration to opening teases and is expected to remain involved in basketball coverage, with additional details forthcoming.
A 29-time Sports Emmy Award winner, Costas’ NBC tenure included hosting 12 Olympic Games. He also hosted seven Super Bowls, 10 NBA Finals, and seven World Series. He remains the only broadcaster to earn Emmy Awards across sports, news, and entertainment. That achievement underscores a versatility few peers have matched.
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