The ESPN NBA television network was recently redesigned to give fans a new graphics package, a hip-hop-based sound, and a new group of announcing talent. In addition, Hubie Brown will return for another season as a color commentator. Also, Malika Andrews will return to host NBA Countdown on Wednesdays.
Malika Andrews to host NBA Countdown on Wednesdays
ESPN has announced that Malika Andrews will be hosting NBA Countdown every Wednesday during the 2022-23 season. She will be joining Adrian Wojnarowski and a host of other analysts.
The new “NBA Countdown” will be based out of the ESPN Los Angeles studio, with most of its coverage in that location. In addition, the show will feature the NBA Today team. These people include Kendrick Perkins, Chiney Ogwumike, and Richard Jefferson. They will join Andrews to create the show’s entire cast.
Hubie Brown will be a color commentator for the 2022 season
One of the most influential figures in basketball history, Hall of Famer Hubie Brown, has returned to his broadcasting roots. He is now an analyst with ESPN. He will also call a game on ABC.
The former NBA coach began his broadcasting career with TNT in the early 1990s. In addition to analyzing games, Brown called NBA playoffs, some regular season games, and the NBA Finals. His colleague was Al Michaels.
Brown left TNT for ABC in 2004. A few years later, Brown was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
The new graphics package debuted during the Western Conference Finals in 2013
The new entrant to the fray, the revamped Rockets of Love, will take on the New York Knicks in a rematch of sorts, but not in a clunky manner. For entertainment purposes, the venue will be upgraded to include the usual suspects, as well as some off-road wrangling akin to a modern-day slumber party. The show will also have some of the best Music in town, thanks to the swag that comes with the job.
ESPN’s ratings are the same as rival TNT’s
If you’re wondering how ESPN’s NBA ratings compare with rival TNT, you’ve got to look no further than the recent season. The two networks have carried the league’s games for over twenty years.
But they’ve had a different relationship for the past four seasons. TNT holds the rights to most of the regular season games, while ESPN has only carried the playoffs. The rivalry was relatively even in the first two years of the deal.
Despite the deal, the difference between the two networks’ regular season ratings was still significant. However, according to Nielsen, TNT drew a record-setting rating record during the NBA Playoffs.
The next evolution of the ESPN on NBA sound
During the 2018-19 NBA season, ESPN has rolled out a new graphics package and an updated set. The company also unveiled a new score bug and a few awws. While the graphics haven’t changed much, the game’s name has been changed from slogging it out to showcasing it. Among the many changes, the new set includes six automated video displays, an oval-shaped desk, and an LED color-changing surround curtain. For a complete overhaul, the team opted for a streamlined approach.
Announcing group reshuffled after low ratings on ABC in 2004-05
The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) is a commercial broadcast television network, radio network, and film studio. Its headquarters are located at 77 West 66th Street in Manhattan. ABC provides 22 hours of prime-time programming to affiliated stations each week. During the 2007-08 season, it finished in third place in both total viewers and the 18-49 demographic. This was the first time CBS and Fox had outshined it in over eight years.
A new crop of televised sports stars led to an increased role for ESPN’s announcing department. In 2005, the network restructured its announcing division into six separate divisions, each headed by a top-notch announcer. Bill Walton, Hubie Brown, Steve Jones and Al Michaels teamed up for the most part. During the 2007-08 season, the three main teams combined to deliver nearly 80 hours of prime time basketball coverage.
Making Music creates hip hop-based concept with the power and energy synonymous with the ESPN on NBA sound
ESPN and Made Music Studios have teamed up to create a new NBA theme song. The new concept is hip hop based, capturing the power and energy of the ESPN on NBA sound. This campaign incorporates basketball and gaming, and features an array of talented artists.
Before the first game of the 2004 NBA Finals, a Black Eyed Peas song accompanied the opening montage. Sonny Digital and Future were also featured. In addition, Metro Boomin, J. Cole, and DaBaby all contributed to the Music.
GREMI
The National Basketball Association’s (NBA) regular season kicks off tonight, and the game will also kick off ESPN’s season. To keep up with the competition, the media behemoth will deploy a plethora of high-tech tools and gadgets in the coming months. Among them, an ultra-slo-mo Sony HDC-4800 camera, a nifty little GREMI workflow and a smattering of EVS replay systems. It’s also a given that ESPN will continue to make the news with newer incarnations of its iconic marquee games.
