CU grad Chris Fowler gets bigger role at ESPN, including NFL gig
Aug 23, 2023, 12:31 PM
Chris Fowler is getting an expanded role at ESPN and a contract extension with the worldwide leader.
The star broadcaster, a graduate of the University of Colorado-Boulder, signed a new multi-year deal, according to a news release from ESPN. Part of the contract outlines Fowler to keep his main role of lead play-by-play of college football and tennis’ grand slam events, but it also adds some NFL in for Fowler.
Under the new agreement Fowler will call five NFL games this season, the first coming as NFC South foes New Orleans and Carolina square off on Monday Night of Week 2. Later in the season some of these Monday Night doubleheaders will give Fowler, alongside Dan Orlovsky, Louis Riddick and Laura Rutledge, to get an ABC game or two.
“Fowler’s new agreement with ESPN further solidifies one of ESPN’s longest-tenured voices with company, who has progressed over a quarter century to be one of the most respected hosts and play-by-play commentators in television,” the broadcast giant said in a release. “Under the new agreement, he will continue with his many existing roles, including ESPN’s lead college football and Grand Slam tennis play-by-play commentator. In those roles, he calls ABC Saturday Night Football and the College Football Playoff National Championship, as well as Wimbledon, the US Open and more. Fowler has previously called NFL games for ESPN, first in 2020 and then again in 2021.”
Fowler graduated from CU-Boulder in 1985, he hosted College GameDay from 1990 until 2014 when he switched to more play-by-play based roles.
This spring Fowler broadcasted the heavily-watched CU Spring Game for ESPN. That Deion Sanders debut showing at Folsom Field came in front of a packed house and a TV audience of 551,000 folks, the second-most eyeballs for a spring game on ESPN since 2016.
Fowler has always watched the Buffs program but over the past few years, it’s seemed a bit more distanced given his national role and CU’s struggles. It would be nice to see Fowler, along with College GameDay, come to Boulder for the first time in a longtime this fall—hopefully his new NFL gigs won’t interfere. Fellow Buffs broadcaster Joel Klatt should be on the call for the giant Week 1 showdown against TCU and again in Week 2 when Colorado hosts Nebraska.
***
