Welcome to The A Block, Awful Announcing’s daily newsletter where you’ll always find the latest sports media news, commentary, and analysis.

Did someone share this newsletter with you? Sign up for free to make sure you never miss it.

🎤 QUICK START ✍️

🏈 College GameDay didn’t make the wrong decision in going to Vanderbilt, but South Dakota State would have been a perfect location this week.

💰 Warner Bros. Discovery is officially up for sale after a failed purchase attempt from Paramount Skydance, at least so far.

📺 Bryant Gumbel was hospitalized in New York City after a medical emergency, although he is believed to be “okay” according to a family member who spoke to TMZ.

🏀 Adam Silver is still committed to Christmas Day even though the NFL has fully invaded what once was the NBA’s turf.

🚨LEADING OFF 🚨

NBA on NBC return hits all the right notes

For the first time in 23 years, NBA basketball returned to NBC on Tuesday night. And although it’s hard to say it was worth the wait, it certainly was a welcome sight for basketball fans of all ages.

It wasn’t perfect. The pregame show started auspiciously with some technical problems relating to the audio. And if NBC is going to use the same Michael Jordan pre-tape interview for the entire season, we’re going to have to have some serious conversations. But from there, it was everything NBC, the NBA, and basketball fans could have hoped for.

Let’s start with the iconic NBA on NBC intro. It was all here from Roundball Rock to a mix of old and new graphics (even an aspect ratio shift to symbolize the old becoming new again), to the voice of Jim Fagan, to the city silhouettes and extended in-arena showcase of the national anthem and player introductions.

NBC knows how to do a season opening contest thanks to years of televising the NFL’s Thursday night kickoff game. And they nailed every aspect of making the Oklahoma City Thunder lifting their championship banner mean something.

This felt like the biggest NBA game in years. It felt like the start of a new era that basketball fans have been yearning for and dreaming of. It felt special. Because NBC elevated the game, the league, and the product. The network made it feel that way, all before the opening tip.

The game broadcast was carried effortlessly by Mike Tirico, who showed why he is one of the best announcers of his generation by seamlessly stepping back into NBA action after several years away. Jamal Crawford and Reggie Miller both bring a lot to the table as analysts, but they may need some time to work out their chemistry together. In the nightcap, Noah Eagle and Grant Hill were a pleasure to listen to calling the Warriors-Lakers game, even if they got a late start on NBC thanks to the Thunder’s double overtime win against Houston.

In the studio, Maria Taylor, Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter, and Tracy McGrady were a breath of fresh air. There was a relatability that sometimes goes missing with Inside the NBA’s hijinks and whatever it is that ESPN has done for years. And even if it wasn’t the most bombastic or hilarious, maybe that will be a nice change of pace for fans because the focus was on the game instead of the analysts.

And really, that’s all NBA fans have been asking for over the past several years. So often, the league has to take a backseat, whether it’s to Charles Barkley, Stephen A. Smith, or whatever scoop or drama can be cooked up. But for the resurrection of the NBA on NBC, for once it was the basketball taking center stage. What a concept.

It may be impossible to quantify, but given the flood of positive reactions on social media, this may be the most excited that fans have ever been when responding to network coverage of a game. Everything clicked from the presentation to the personalities to featuring two great games and incredible stars on opening night. Add it all up and the return of the NBA on NBC surpassed all expectations.

📣 SOCIAL EXPERIMENT 🌟

After a comment about a lack of Ohio State highlights at the network went viral, ESPN says that it’s nothing more than contractual limitations since they no longer have Big Ten rights.

If you ever wondered what it sounds like to lose a heartbreaking Game 7 with a trip to the World Series on the line… now you know.

There’s no love lost between Russell Wilson and his former head coach with the Denver Broncos, Sean Payton.

🗣️ NOTABLE QUOTABLES 🗣️

"Old whites and the old ESPN people over the last like three years have really hated me. That's who all the producers are of GameDay too." - Pat McAfee had some truly bizarre comments in a video post venting about being criticized on social media from his College GameDay role. Just don’t read the comments, Pat!

"People are making it like he pitched a no-hitter and hit four home runs on every at bat. That’s not what happened!" - Rob Parker dissed Shohei Ohtani as only Rob Parker could.

“But if you look at any head coach with a quarterback like that, you’re going to similar results if you go across the league.” - Jets owner Woody Johnson gave Justin Fields the complete opposite of an endorsement. Yikes.

️‍🔥The Closer🔥

Your move, ESPN

The focus on the successful return of the NBA on NBC now brings the focus to ESPN. The network will debut its 2025 NBA coverage on Wednesday night with a doubleheader on a full night of action in the association. And while the return of the NBA on NBC was memorable, it will be surreal to see Inside the NBA make its ESPN debut on Wednesday night, being licensed from TNT.

ESPN’s NBA coverage was widely criticized last season and it reached a fever pitch during the Finals. While the studio show got much of the heat, it was the auraless overall presentation of the games that also left a lot to be desired. ESPN even took the rare step of making changes to its coverage during the Pacers-Thunder series like showing the Finals logo on the court and adding starting lineup introductions. But with the studio show still a mess and their top broadcast booth not gelling, it was papering over the cracks of the foundation.

With the advent of a new rights deal, ESPN is hoping that foundation will change in 2025. The two main personnel moves are the addition of Inside the NBA as their main studio show for select dates and moving Tim Legler alongside Mike Breen and Richard Jefferson.

But what ESPN needs more than anything is a foundational shift in the way they cover the league. That counts for game coverage, pregame shows, and even the daily talk shows that focus so much attention on drama and so little on the actual game. NBC has set down a marker that was almost universally loved and appreciated by basketball fans in the way they elevated the game on Tuesday night and made it feel important, valued, and exciting. ESPN needs to answer the call to do the same.