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- Maria Taylor’s contract at ESPN expires on July 20th two days before game 7 of the NBA finals.
- NBC is reportedly trying to poach Taylor away from ESPN for their Olympics coverage next week which means ESPN could be without a host for NBA Countdown if the Bucks-Suns series goes to a game 7
- Check out more NBA coverage at BroBible here.
There’s a decent possibility Maria Taylor could leave ESPN before the end of the NBA finals.
On Wednesday afternoon it was reported by Front Office Sports that NBC inching towards signing Taylor for their football coverage next season.
BREAKING: ESPN's @MariaTaylor is nearing a deal with rival NBC Sports.
Contract negotiations between "NBA Countdown" host and NBC are at the "half-yard line," sources tell @FOS.https://t.co/mSUPyiBX7A
— Michael McCarthy (@MMcCarthyREV) July 14, 2021
The NY Post’s Andrew Marchand followed up Front Office Sports’ report by stating that NBC was trying to poach Taylor away for the start of their Olympics coverage next week.
According to Marchand, Taylor could leave ESPN in the middle of the NBA finals if the Suns-Bucks series goes to a game 7 which is set to take place after her contract expires with the network.
NEWS: NBC is trying to poach ESPN's Maria Taylor to work the Olympics, The Post has learned.
The Olympics start in a little more than a week.https://t.co/ISh2pI0KcX
— Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) July 15, 2021
Via NY Post
NBC is trying to sign ESPN’s Maria Taylor so she can be part of its Olympic coverage that begins in a little more than a week on July 23, The Post has learned.
Taylor is hosting the NBA Finals for ESPN, but her contract runs out on July 20. Game 6 is Tuesday, July 20, while a potential Game 7 is scheduled for next Thursday, July 22.
If Taylor were to leave, ESPN would have the unorthodox scenario of potentially having a different host to end a marquee event than the one who started it.
ESPN could try to see if Taylor would stay through the Finals, even if she decided to go with NBC.
No final decision has been made by Taylor, but one is expected soon.
Taylor is reportedly being offered $3 million a year from ESPN after she rejected a $5 million a year offer last year.