ITV ace completes commentary merry-go-round as Peter Drury replaces Martin Tyler

12 July 2023 , 09:21

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Jon Champion has worked on a number of international major tournaments for ITV, including the 2022 World Cup in Qatar

Legendary ITV commentator Jon Champion is set to lead NBC Sports’ Premier League coverage in 2023/24 after Peter Drury replaced Martin Tyler on Sky Sports.

Champion has been announced as NBC Sports’ lead play-by-play announcer for the network’s coverage of the Premier League. He joins NBC after 14 years at ESPN, where he served as the lead commentator for the network’s coverage of Major League Soccer and the United States men’s national team.

Champion has also worked extensively with ITV Sport since 2001, when he joined from the BBC to commentate on the Premier League, League Cup, Football League and UEFA Champions League. He has returned to ITV to work on nine FIFA World Cups, including Qatar 2022 where Lionel Messi ’s Argentina emerged victorious.

At NBC, Champion has been confirmed to be the voice of the marquee Premier League match of the week, which is scheduled to take place in the 11:30am ET window on a Sunday across NBC, Peacock and USA Network. NBC Sports issued a press release to announce the news following Drury’s move to Sky Sports.

“For decades, Jon has been a distinguished voice of football matches around the world,” Pierre Moossa, coordinating producer of NBC Sports’ Premier League coverage, said in the statement. “We are excited to welcome him to our NBC Sports team and back to the Premier League.”

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Champion takes over from Drury, who is replacing Tyler as Sky Sport’s chief Premier League commentator in the United Kingdom. However, the 55-year-old will still work for NBC on the late Saturday matches in the 12:30pm ET window on NBC and Peacock.

“I’m thrilled to join NBC Sports,” Champion said. “I’ve been an avid viewer of their Premier League coverage whilst living in the U.S. for the past four years, so it is with great excitement that I return to calling the weekly drama of the world’s most exciting football competition.”

Experienced commentator Peter Drury has joined Sky Sports to lead the network's Premier League coverage in 2023/24 (ITV)

Drury has over 30 years of experience across television and radio, and he has won several broadcasting awards including Football Supporters' Association Commentator of the Year for three of the last four seasons. He is already a member of the Comcast family.

Drury, the 2020 Sports Journalists' Association Sports Commentator of the Year, has previously worked for BBC, ITV, Premier League Productions and BT Sport. He was confirmed by Sky Sports once it was announced Tyler was set to leave the company after leading its Premier League coverage for over 30 years.

The 2023/24 Premier League season kicks off on the weekend of August 11-13.

Andrew Gamble