Courtesy: NBC Sports
STAMFORD, Conn. – July 19, 2021 – Michael Phelps, who has won more total Olympic medals (28) and gold medals (23) than anyone in history, will join the NBC Olympics team in Tokyo, it was announced today.
Phelps, who joined the NBC Sports team on several nights at the U.S. Olympic Trials for Swimming last month in Omaha, Nebraska, will serve as a primetime correspondent in Tokyo and will also join Dan Hicks and Rowdy Gaines in the booth for select swimming competition.
“From the moment he joined our team at Trials, Michael’s ability to provide insightful analysis, thoughtful commentary and tell entertaining stories was apparent,” said Molly Solomon, Executive Producer & President, NBC Olympics Production. “We’re thrilled to have him join us in Tokyo and our audience will benefit from hearing the perspective of the most decorated Olympian of all time.”
Phelps competed in five Olympic Games from 2000-16 and holds the world record in the 400m individual medley. He is also the subject of the Peacock Original Series, Michael Phelps: Medals, Memories & More, a three-part, NBC Sports-produced retrospective on his historic career. Click here for more information on the series.
In 2008, he established the Michael Phelps Foundation to promote healthy, active lives, especially for children, primarily by expanding the opportunities for participation in the sport of swimming.
Rowdy will take the upstart under his wing and prepare him to take over the reins in 2024.
Replace Rowdy!!
I can probably name at least 4+ races he’ll be calling during the games I’m looking forward to this though. Does this mean that he could be one of those guys to talk to everyone on the team before races and offer up any advice if someone has any questions or concerns? Not that he hasn’t helped most on the team already.
A brilliant move for all involved. Michael is THE definitive face and voice of swimming in the USA. He might need some schooling in broadcast but the best choice. When Simone retires can you imagine a Michael/Simone broadcast team??? WOW!
Michael/Allison would be a lot more fun, and logical. Simone will be too busy with her infinite list of brand partnership opportunities
Please Phelps, Beisel and Hicks.
That would be a fun booth, especially with Phelps and Beisel’s kind of brother-sister relationship.
It would only make sense
Phelps would be ok if he doesn’t talk about himself too much.
Also no predictions, just focus on what’s happening in the race in real time.
You mean Rowdy will talk about Phelps too much..
Michael, watch the Aussie event videos from Rio and LISTEN to Nicole Livingstone. Learn from Nicole Livingstone. She focused on all of the swimmers and their strengths. She was fair and didn’t go all jingoistic talking only about the Aussies. She truly is a level above everyone else.
And let’s not forget Bruce McEvany either – the legend.
Michael was great on the broadcast at Trials. Obviously he has great insight on race strategy, the individual competitors, and swimming history in general. Loved how he was nerding out with the splits and nuance that Rowdy often glosses over. I think his analytical mind will be good with Rowdy’s enthusiasm.
If anything, Rowdy focuses too much on the splits (and reaction times, among other talking points) and not enough on the race in front of him. But agree, Phelps’ nuanced perspective is simply unmatched