NBC confirms all-new commentary approach for US Open
Report: NBC Sports will deploy two lead announce teams for the US Open in June.
NBC Sports has revealed it will deploy not one but two new lead announce teams for its coverage of the 124th US Open from 13-16 June, according to Front Office Sports.
Executive producer and president of production Sam Flood has confirmed dual teams of play-by-play announcer Dan Hicks and analyst Brandel Chamblee, and announcer Mike Tirico and analyst Brad Faxon will lead their coverage of the third major of the season at Pinehurst.
Wyndham Clark is the defending champion at the US Open after taking his maiden major title at Los Angeles Country Club in 2023.
Hicks, Chamblee, Tirico and Faxon will headline NBC's team of nearly 20 commentators, including Gary Koch and on-course reporters Jim 'Bones' Mackay and Roger Maltbie.
'Bones' will be making his return to on-course commentary having recently split with two-time US PGA champion Justin Thomas.
The 2024 US Open will also see NBC continue with its new 'odd/even' system format for the early-round and morning coverage.
It is understood Terry Gannon will join analyst Notah Begay III and announcer Steve Sands will pair with Koch.
Flood told Front Office Sports:
"We kind of recreated how our golf coverage works. It used to be you’d have one play-by-play person—and then three hole announcers. We created a new system where the even holes are handled by Dan Hicks and an analyst. And the odd holes are handled by Mike Tirico and an analyst. So we call it odd/even. This allows play-by-play guys to do the ‘what is happening?’ and it allows the analysts to do their job—which is the ‘why and how?’ So this is the new structure we started this year. We’ve been really excited about the progress with it."
Flood has also confirmed that Hicks and Chamblee will take the call on the 18th hole.
But if Rory McIlroy is in contention for his second US Open title - and first major in 10 years - then NBC will let Faxon jump in given he continues to work as the Northern Irishman's putting coach.
Flood added:
"If there’s a big moment coming, Brandel can turn to Brad and say, ‘What do you expect out of Rory here?’ or ‘What has Rory learned about this 18th green?’” says Flood. “And there will be a second level of insight, with the two analysts having a conversation together. Some of this we’ve done in other sports, like NASCAR or back when we had the NHL. That way our analysts were able to look at the sports differently, and engage a little bit differently. So analyst-to-analyst conversations are something we encourage."
The USGA has signed off on NBC's coverage plan, according to Flood.
There will be more than 200 hours of NBC coverage at the 2024 US Open across linear, digital and streaming platforms.
NBC has also confirmed the odd-even pairings will continue at the 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon from 18-21 July.
Luke Donald will be involved at The Open and will join up with Hicks, while Tirico will work alongside Faxon.
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