Doug Gottlieb is Leaving ESPN for CBS Sports
By Jason McIntyre
Doug Gottlieb, who has had a radio show at ESPN since 2003, is leaving the network and will accept a job at CBS Sports, sources tell me. His new duties will include announcing college basketball games on CBS and a TV show, among other things. CBS is expected to announced the deal this week.
CBS approached Gottlieb earlier this summer with the goal of hiring him away from ESPN to make him part of their Sports Radio Network and to add him to their NCAA tournament coverage. Gottlieb is expected to start at CBS sometime in September. Sources say part of the reason Gottlieb took the job is to return home – he’ll relocate from Connecticut to Orange, California where he has family.
Looking down the road for Gottlieb, announcing the Final 4 could be in play. Steve Kerr is rumored to have contemplated another NBA front office job earlier this summer, and if he departs next year or in the future, Gottlieb figures to be in the mix to replace him.
The talent drain at ESPN continues. ESPN lost Michelle Beadle and Erin Andrews earlier this summer, to NBC and Fox, respectively. (Last year, ESPN lost veteran Brian Kenny to the MLB Network.) ESPN had to move quickly to find a replacement for Erin Andrews on ESPNU, and selected rising star Samantha Steele. (Heather Cox is still expected to replace Andrews as the sideline reporter for Saturday night games on ABC, but she’s currently in London for the Olympics and details have not been finalized.)
It’s far too early to tell who might replace Doug Gottlieb’s coveted ESPN radio slot (4-7 pm). Will they go for a young up-and-comer or bump up the new “Hill and Schlereth” show? Also, Gottlieb was a valuable replacement for Mike & Mike, Colin Cowherd and Scott Van Pelt, so who does ESPN tab as the top-notch fill-in?
Three other ESPN contracts that are up this year worth keeping an eye on: Ryen Russillo (Scott Van Pelt’s radio wingman), Marcellus Wiley and Dan Shulman, the latter whom we’ve previously written about. Sources say NBC has expressed interest in Russillo.