Berman eyeing back-back-back
ESPN is in talks with Chris Berman about an expanded role for this NFL season, sources have told The Post.
There is no deal yet, but there is interest on both sides. While the move would not be for a full-time position, sources said the possibility of Berman contributing more to — or even hosting — some Sunday night “SportsCenter’’ broadcasts has been broached.
There is a hope that Berman could work a quarter of the NFL season, according to sources. ESPN would want Berman for more, but in semi-retirement, Berman already has made plans for some weekends, so that is likely unfeasible — at least for this year.
In addition to appearing on “SportsCenter’’ this season, Berman could do more features and interviews to aid “Sunday NFL Countdown,” whose ratings dropped by double digits in his first year away from the program.
Berman, arguably the most significant on-air personality in ESPN’s history, accepted a lesser role with the company at the conclusion of the 2016-17 football season. The reduction of Berman’s role was spearheaded by ex-ESPN president John Skipper.
Though Skipper jettisoned Berman, he did keep Berman on the payroll, but in a very limited role that included no regular-season Sunday gig. Berman does do a weekly spot centered around history for the Monday “Countdown.”
After the NFL conference championship games and the Super Bowl, Berman is scheduled to host “NFL Primetime.” He also does the radio call of an MLB divisional playoff series.
With Berman gone last year, the “Sunday NFL Countdown” ratings suffered. Without Berman as the familiar face leading “Countdown,” the show’s numbers were down 12 percent. Sam Ponder replaced Berman as the host.
Berman’s potential comeback coincides with executive vice presi-
dent of production Norby Williamson re-emerging as the leader of a good portion of the network’s studio programming. Williamson has championed some ESPN classics, including Keith Olbermann’s renewed presence on the network and a return to a more traditional “SportsCenter” for some hours of the day.
The old-school approach has worked on the 6 p.m. “SportsCenter,” as viewership with Sage Steele and Kevin Negandhi rose each of the past five months compared to the Jemele Hill-Michael Smith combination from a year ago. The hope would be that Berman could add more gas into the old engine.
Semi-retirement has not been easy for the 63-year-old Berman. A little more than a year ago, his wife, Katherine Ann Berman, died in a car accident. She was 67.
He was recently asked on the SI Media podcast if he could see coming back.
“I mean, I could see doing it, but I experience other things in life — and of course we had a tragedy last year, too, so that was not the most important adjustment I was going to make,” Berman said.
A final decision on whether he will have a role and how big it would be is due in the next few weeks., but as Berman might say, he very well could be “Back, back, back, back …”
On the Way Up: This is where we point out people in the business who are going on to bigger or better things. ESPN’s Mina Kimes has been a rising name as a magazine writer and has been getting more TV appearances for some time.
Kimes, 32, just seems like she is having a good time when she is on screen, which is enjoyable to watch. It was evident this week when she filled in for Michelle Beadle on “Get Up!” Kimes, Maria Taylor and Laura Rutledge have all done well during Beadle’s time off.