BRISTOL, Conn. (AP) — Chris Berman has agreed to a new contract with ESPN that will take him through the network’s 50th anniversary in 2029.
The multiyear agreement was announced on Monday. Berman celebrated his 70th birthday on Saturday.
“Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined turning 70 and still being here at our network, which long ago became an icon of sports broadcasting,” Berman said in a statement. “We’re closing in on our very first Super Bowl (in 2027), and now I will be able to be part of that, too.”
Berman has been an integral part of ESPN since joining the network a month after its launch in September of 1979. Besides being one of the original “SportsCenter” anchors, he has been a key part of the network’s NFL and baseball coverage.
He hosted “NFL PrimeTime” with Tom Jackson from 1987 to 2005 on ESPN. He resumed hosting duties of the show in 2019 when it returned on the ESPN+ streaming service.
Berman will have a role in ESPN’s first Super Bowl telecast, which will take place from Los Angeles on Feb. 14, 2027.
He was the 2010 recipient of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award and has been the master of ceremonies for the Hall’s induction ceremony since 1999.
“For a remarkable half-century, Chris has embodied ESPN with his smart and entertaining style. Boomer’s enjoyment of sports jumps through the screen and generations of fans have loved being along for the ride,” ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro said in a statement. “ESPN has been so fortunate to have Chris making us better for decades and I am delighted that will continue beyond our 50th anniversary.”
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