Chris Berman To Rekindle U.S. Open Duties For Fox Sports

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Responding to the USGA’s desire to retain longtime audiences while appealing to possible new U.S. Open fans, Fox Sports and ESPN have reached an agreement that allows whimsical anchor Chris Berman to keep his streak of 30 U.S. Open appearances intact.

“I can’t thank John ‘Shipwreck’ Shipper and Eric ‘I Have Tiger’ Shanks enough for reaching an agreement that lets me get to Chambers Bay this June,” Berman said in a statement. “In the last year of our ESPN contract, fans constantly asked me how much longer I would be doing the U.S. Open telecasts. Until this agreement, I would tell them this was the end. The ensuing hugs and screams of sheer joy always meant so much to me.”

Berman will co-anchor all on-site studio shows with Fox’s Holly Sonders. He will also team former U.S. Open Champion Corey Pavin to announce early afternoon Thursday and Friday play in the same witty manner he did in his nearly three decades with ESPN.

“I’ll miss working with Rog ‘Chocolate’ Maltbie, but I can’t think of a more lively, vivacious and downright funny broadcast partner than Corey 'This Pothole Needs' Pavin. How he didn’t get the Tonight Show gig after Leno is still a mystery to me. But NBC’s loss is our gain.”

In exchange for loaning Berman to the Fox broadcast, ESPN will receive the right to broadcast highlights of Fox Sports 1’s coverage of select FIM Moto2 motorcycle racing and whenever Mike Francesca nods off during an interview.