by SEC Live News on April 20, 2009
College GameDayESPN Ch ch ch changes….
We are hearing there could be some big changes taking place at ESPN- specifically on your favorite Saturday morning program, College Game Day.
If the proposed changes do happen, Lee Corso is out as the mascot head-wearing former coach on the Game Day tour. Also being replaced is host Chris Fowler. According to our sources, the main sponsor of Game Day, Home Depot, is pushing for these changes and they would be announced later in the summer.
But don't start packing your bags to go audition in Connecticut yet. The replacements have already been tapped.
Dr. Lou Holtz is apparently exchanging his on-air advice segment for the middle seat on the Game Day bus. He would be replacing Corso as the aging voice of reason and the man who consistently chooses the losing team.
As for Fowler's replacement, it would be the ESPN Baseball Tonight and Sports Center anchor Karl Ravech. No word on why Fowler is out or what his next move is.
Additionally, Kirk Herbstreit will be moving to prime time announcing with Brent Musburger for the night games.
There will also be a new face joining the TV analyst crew for the day games. Word is former coach Tommy Tuberville is in talks to be the next Bob Davie as ousted coach turned commentator. The deal is close to being signed, sealed and delivered.
We can't figure out why the head honchos at ESPN would want to mess with a great product like Game Day after all of the name recognition, commercials, branding, and chemistry among the group. This seems like an unnecessary shake up, and it will be interesting to see how much influence the Home Depot execs will actually have on ESPN.
Regardless of who is sitting in those seats on Saturday, one thing's for sure: College Game Day isn't going anywhere as the most popular pregame show on TV. And that means ESPN wins no matter what happens.
So don't take this as the final truth, but remember where you heard it first if it indeed all plays out. We don't start rumors here at SECLiveNews, but secrets aren't our style.
