Wynalda, O'Brien kicked to the curb
ESPN announced its new broadcast teams for Major League Soccer a few minutes ago in a release, and those who weren't Dave O'Brien fans can breathe a sigh of relief.
But those who had a thing for Eric Wynalda have to be wondering what the heck just happened.
JP Dellacamera will do play-by-play, John Harkes is in as the lead analysis, and Allen Hopkins returns on the sidelines when ESPN and ABC cover their 13th season of the MLS on Thursday nights, plus the U.S. men's team as it heads into 2010 World Cup qualifying matches.
A reaction from ESPN's most loyal soccer viewers? Seems to be mixed.
Rob Stone and Julie Foudy are back as studio analysts.
“JP and John will enhance our overall soccer presentation and offer consistency throughout our second season of MLS Primetime Thursday and in our coverage of the U.S. Men’s National Team, including upcoming qualifying matches for the 2010 FIFA World Cup,” Tim Scanlan, ESPN vice president for remote productions, said in a statement without addressing the departure of O'Brien or Wynalda.
The rest of the release does mention that O'Brien will "focus on his prominent role with ESPN’s Major League Baseball and NCAA Men’s Basketball telecasts (O’Brien also handles radio play-by-play for Boston Red Sox games)" and Wynalda "has been reassigned to ESPN in-studio soccer duties."
An ESPN spokesman said that O'Brien's committment to doing more Red Sox games this coming season -- 140, up from 50 a year ago, by some reports -- contributed to the decision.
The first game for the new ESPN team will be Wednesday at 6 p.m. when the U.S. men's team faces Mexico in Houston.