Behind the Mic: Katie Nolan Heads to ESPN, Reportedly Adding Barstool Sports ‘Pardon My Take’ Show

Behind the Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, including new deals, departures, and assignments compiled from press releases and reports around the industry. In this week’s edition, ESPN hires emmy-winning personality Katie Nolan and is reportedly close to signing Barstool Sports’ Pardon My Take podcast hosts Dan “Big Cat” Katz and PFT Commenter to a deal for an ESPN2 show; Fox adds David Cone to the booth and David Ortiz and Keith Hernandez to the studio team for its MLB Postseason coverage; ; ESPN inks new multi-year extensions with NFL Insider Josina Anderson and NFL analyst Damien Woody; Fox UFC lightweight Paul Felder makes his Fox Sports studio analyst debut for UFC 216: FERGUSON VS. LEE; and legendary NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon returns calls sports car racing from Fox’s booth this weekend. 

…ESPN has hired Emmy-winning sports personality Katie Nolan. Nolan joins ESPN on October 16 and will appear across multiple platforms in a variety of projects. She will have a prominent digital presence while also making appearances across ESPN studio programming. Announcements regarding her specific assignments are forthcoming. Nolan most recently hosted Fox Sports 1’s Garbage Time with Katie Nolan, which won a Sports Emmy for Outstanding Social TV Experience, and she hosted a popular podcast of the same name. Nolan joined Fox Sports 1 in 2013 as a digital correspondent for the sports and pop culture show Crowd Goes Wild. She recently hosted “NFL Films Presents” and has previously produced and hosted various digital videos for FoxSports.com, among other sites….

…The hosts of the Barstool Sports podcast Pardon My Take, Dan “Big Cat” Katz and PFT Commenter, are developing a late-night show for ESPN, according to The Ringer. The show is being developed by Embassy Row, the production company behind Men in Blazers and Garbage Time With Katie Nolan, and would air on ESPN2. (The Ringer)…

…Fox Sports has announced its full on-air broadcaster lineup for its coverage of the American League Division Series and American League Championship Series. Five-time World Series Champion, five-time MLB All-Star and 1994 Cy Young Award-Winner David Cone joins play-by-play announcer Joe Davis, two-time MLB All-Star AJ Pierzynski and reporter Jon Paul Morosi for FS1’s ALDS coverage of the Boston Red Sox vs. the Houston Astros. First-ballot Hall of Famer and 1995 World Series Champion John Smoltz reunites with multi-Emmy Award-winning announcer Joe Buck in the booth for the ALCS and World Series games, along with Veteran Emmy Award-winning reporter Ken Rosenthal and multi-award-winning journalist Tom Verducci. FS1’s ALDS coverage leads off as the New York Yankees or the Minnesota Twins visit the Cleveland Indians with veteran play-by-play announcer Matt Vasgersian on the call alongside Smoltz, with Rosenthal and Verducci on the field.

In the studio, Fox Sports has added David Ortiz and Keith Hernandez as analysts for the network’s pregame and postgame coverage throughout the 2017 postseason. Ortiz and Hernandez join first-ballot Hall-of-Famer Frank Thomas, World Series Champion Alex Rodriguez and Emmy-nominated host Kevin Burkhardt. Prior to his retirement, Ortiz made his broadcasting debut during the 2014 World Series, for Games 1 and 2, as a guest studio analyst for Fox Sports…

…ESPN has signed NFL Insider Josina Anderson and NFL analyst Damien Woody to new multi-year contract extensions. Both will continue to be part of ESPN’s year-round football coverage. Anderson, who was named ESPN’s first female NFL Insider in 2015, will continue her multi-faceted role as a news-breaker, game-day reporter, and regular contributor to signature programs like NFL Live, Sunday NFL Countdown and SportsCenter. Woody, the two-time Super Bowl champion offensive lineman, will continue to appear regularly on NFL Live, SportsCenter and other programs, as well as ESPN Radio…

…Fox Sports has announced its broadcast team for UFC 216: FERGUSON VS. LEE on FS1, FX, FS2 and Fox Deportes this Friday and Saturday. Current UFC lightweight Paul Felder makes his Fox Sports studio analyst debut with welterweight champion Tyron Woodley, retired contender Kenny Florian as well as host Karyn Bryant from Fox Sports’ Los Angeles studios. UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier joins analyst Joe Rogan and blow-by-blow announcer Jon Anik to call UFC 216: FERGUSON VS. LEE  live from Las Vegas. Reporter Megan Olivi interviews fighters on-site. Mario Delgado, Santiago Ponzinibbio and Victor Davila call the Spanish language telecast on Fox Deportes…

…Four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and current Fox NASCAR analyst Jeff Gordon will return to sports car racing this weekend, working in the Fox Sports booth for IMSA’s 20th Anniversary Motul Petit Le Mans from Road Atlanta on Saturday, Oct. 7, beginning at 10:30 a.m. ET on FS1 and Fox Sports GO. Gordon joins the Fox IMSA broadcast team of Greg Creamer (play-by-play), Calvin Fish (analyst) and Brian Till (play-by-play/analyst), along with pit reporters Justin Bell, Jamie Howe and Chris Neville.