{"id":21686,"date":"2021-07-23T20:20:51","date_gmt":"2021-07-24T01:20:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/?p=21686"},"modified":"2021-07-23T20:20:51","modified_gmt":"2021-07-24T01:20:51","slug":"nbc-officially-announces-hiring-of-maria-taylor-featuring-her-on-air-during-olympic-opening-ceremonies-coverage-congratulations-to-a-great-individual-a-great-analyst-and-a-wonderful-beloved-woman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/?p=21686","title":{"rendered":"NBC officially announces hiring of Maria Taylor, featuring her on-air during Olympic opening ceremonies coverage. CONGRATULATIONS TO A GREAT INDIVIDUAL, A GREAT ANALYST, AND A WONDERFUL BELOVED WOMAN OF THE SPORTS WORLD"},"content":{"rendered":"
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NBC officially announces hiring of Maria Taylor, featuring her on-air during Olympic opening ceremonies coverage<\/h1>\n<\/header>\n
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On Friday, NBC announced<\/a> the hiring of former ESPN reporter and host Maria Taylor<\/a>, which had been expected since her official departure from ESPN Wednesday<\/a>. Taylor will start her role at NBC with the Olympics, and will also be a part of the network\u2019s NFL coverage and their coverage of other sports. NBC formally made the announcement during its (tape-delayed) coverage of the Olympic opening ceremonies Friday night. Here\u2019s host Mike Tirico introducing Taylor (who was at another NBC broadcasting location in Tokyo, the Tokyo Bay Terrace), and Taylor setting up a segment on the U.S. women\u2019s gymnastics team:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Here’s Mike Tirico introducing Maria Taylor on NBC’s Olympic coverage. pic.twitter.com\/sahEgUKTr9<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Maria Taylor, whose work has already included many of the biggest events in sports, joins NBC Sports beginning with the Tokyo Olympics. She comes to NBC Sports after nearly a decade at ABC\/ESPN, where she most recently hosted the NBA Finals earlier this week.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Highlighted by host roles for the Olympics and the NFL \u2013 including as a host and contributor for Football Night in America and Super Bowls \u2013 Taylor will work across premier NBC Sports properties. In Tokyo, her very first assignment as part of the NBC Sports team, she will join Mike Tirico as host for Prime Plus, and will also serve as a correspondent.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cMaria has excelled in a wide range of roles at marquee events, and will be a powerful addition to our team. We are always looking to improve, and Maria is going to make us better. We are very excited for her to join us right away in Tokyo,\u201d said Pete Bevacqua, Chairman, NBC Sports.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIncredibly excited to have the opportunity to work with Pete, Molly, Sam, Fred, and the entire NBC Sports family,\u201d Taylor said. \u201cLiterally, hosting the Olympics, Football Night in America, and the Super Bowl is what I dreamed of when I started in television \u2013 and this would not be possible without standing on the shoulders of all of those who came before me and made this path possible. And I plan to pay it forward.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The hiring of Taylor is undoubtedly a coup for NBC, and one that the network reportedly wanted to push over the line prior to the end<\/a> of the NBA Finals. That didn\u2019t happen, with Taylor staying at ESPN through the end of the Finals<\/a> on Tuesday before the network announced her departure on Wednesday morning<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Over the last month or so, the situation regarding Taylor\u2019s contract has spiraled. ESPN\u2019s initial extension offer to Taylor reportedly took a significant cut<\/a> this summer as the end of her deal approached with Disney in cost-cutting mode. Soon after, news of Rachel Nichols\u2019 comments<\/a> from 2020 surfaced, leading to an on-air apology<\/a> from Nichols to Taylor and controversy about ESPN\u2019s treatment<\/a> of Black employees.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Taylor\u2019s departure now leaves two significant holes: the NBA Countdown hosting position and the top college football reporter position. ESPN has some time to fill the former job, with Nichols, Malika Andrews, and Cassidy Hubbarth just three internal options, but only a matter of weeks to replace Taylor on their college football coverage. They have plenty of possibilities internally, including (but not limited to) Molly McGrath, Holly Rowe, and Allison Williams.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Maria Taylor Joins NBC Sports, Makes Debut During Olympics Opening Ceremony Coverage<\/strong><\/h1>\n

Taylor had left ESPN earlier this week after the two sides were unable to come to terms on a new contract, and after a dispute involving fellow ESPN reporter Rachel Nichols spilled into public view.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/header>\n

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Maria Taylor\u00a0<\/span>
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