Full Breakdown
NBC Expands Broadcast Portfolio: MLB Wild Card Series and Jason Benetti’s NBA Role
8/14/2026, 12:37:29 AM
Core Event
- NBC will carry two of the four MLB Wild Card Series games each day and could air as many as six games, marking the network’s first season broadcasting the series after acquiring the rights from ESPN.
- Jason Benetti, NBC’s lead Sunday Night Baseball play-by-play announcer, has been added to NBC’s NBA play-by-play team for the 2026-27 season and is slated to call between 10 and 20 regular-season and playoff games.
Background & Context
- ESPN opted out of its MLB contract early last year, relinquishing the Wild Card rights that NBC subsequently secured. While ESPN previously split Wild Card coverage between ABC (afternoon) and its cable network, NBC will now present the games on its broadcast platform.
- NBC regained NBA broadcast rights last season and will open the upcoming NBA season with a triple-header featuring the Knicks vs. the Sixers and the Thunder vs. the Spurs.
Key Figures & Groups
- Jason Benetti – lead voice of NBC’s Sunday Night Baseball, now joining NBC’s NBA announcing roster.
- NBC Sports – broadcaster of the MLB Wild Card Series and the NBA games that will feature Benetti.
- Damien Woody – longtime ESPN NFL analyst whose contract was not renewed.
- ESPN – former holder of MLB Wild Card rights and the employer that ended its relationship with Woody.
Data & Statistics
- NBC could broadcast up to six Wild Card games, the most by any broadcast network since 2013.
- Benetti’s NBA assignments are projected at 10-20 games, supplementing NBC’s existing play-by-play team of Mike Tirico, Noah Eagle, Terry Gannon and Michael Grady.
Official Statements & Responses
- NBC announced that Benetti will join its NBA play-by-play roster without replacing any current announcers, emphasizing that he will “supplement” the existing team.
- ESPN confirmed that it did not renew Woody’s contract; Woody later posted that his tenure at the network was “a joy” and that he will “pursue other avenues.”
Verbatim Quotes
- “We have not discussed packages or anything,” — Jason Benetti
What’s Next
- NBC will begin its NBA season coverage with the triple-header later this month, featuring the Knicks, Sixers, Thunder and Spurs.
- The Wild Card Series schedule remains unchanged, with games slated for three consecutive days (Tuesday-Thursday).
