Rich Eisen emerged as the leading play-by-play candidate to join Kurt Warner on YouTube’s first regular-season NFL game, sources briefed on the discussions said Wednesday.
The Athletic reported earlier this week that Warner is signed as the game analyst for YouTube’s Kansas City Chiefs versus Los Angeles Chargers game on Friday, Sept. 5, in São Paulo, Brazil.
YouTube declined comment.
YouTube, as well as Netflix, have had difficulty procuring NFL play-by-play broadcasters and analysts as ESPN, Fox, NBC, CBS and Amazon have been hesitant to loan out their talent.
On Christmas Day last year, Netflix used personalities from all the networks. For Netflix, the Christmas Day games this season are being produced by CBS, which is one of the reasons its studio analysts, Nate Burleson and Matt Ryan, will be on the games. Drew Brees, who does not work for a network, will be a game analyst for Netflix, as well.
An added issue for YouTube on Sept. 5 is that a full NFL and college football slate of games means that most top play-by-players are already working that weekend. Eisen, who hosts NFL Network’s pregame show and will be moving his radio show to ESPN the week of the Brazil game, is available for that Friday.
Eisen and Warner have teamed up previously as the duo is considered the NFL Network’s No. 1 team, usually calling around seven games per year together.
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