SEC Now retains all three hosts with multi-year deals
SEC Network has re-signed ESPN veteran Dari Nowkhah to a multi-year deal to host studio programming on SEC Network, including the network’s five-nights a week news and information show SEC Now.
In addition to his studio role on SEC Network, Nowkhah will continue to host his ESPN Radio show “Dari & Mel” and contribute play-by-play for basketball and baseball.
In the past year, SEC Now has reached multi-year deals to retain all three hosts – Nowkhah, Peter Burns and Laura Rutledge.
(Photo by Travis Bell / ESPN Images)
“The depth of our talent roster at SEC Network is one of our biggest strengths, and we are fortunate to have Dari, Peter and Laura hosting SEC Now on a nightly basis,” said Tom McCollum, ESPN senior coordinating producer. “Their distinct personalities and collective expertise on all 21 SEC sports makes the show a must for SEC fans.”
Nowkhah and Burns have been anchoring SEC Now since SEC Network’s launch (2014). They host the show both in-studio and on-the-road, including an upcoming assignment at SEC Baseball Championship for five days in Hoover, Ala. Burns will also be hosting coverage on-site at the SEC Softball Championship beginning May 10 with Rutledge.
Rutledge joined the show as a host in the Fall of 2016, expanding her sports reporting role to include studio hosting. This year, she traveled with SEC Nation, provided sideline reporting for ESPN’s Thursday Night football game, SEC Network basketball games, gymnastic meets, softball and baseball games.
Additional assignments or changes for the 2017-2018 seasons will be announced throughout the spring and summer.
SEC Network
The Southeastern Conference and ESPN launched the SEC Network on August 14, 2014. The television network televises over 45 SEC football games, 100 men’s basketball games, 60 women’s basketball games, 75 baseball games, and other events from across the SEC’s 21 sports annually. Programming includes in-depth analysis and storytelling in studio shows, daily news and information with SEC Now, original content such as SEC Storied and SEC Inside, and more. Hundreds of additional live events are offered exclusively on SEC Network’s digital companion, SEC Network+, via WatchESPN, the ESPN app and SECNetwork.com.
-30-
