Arlo White out, Peter Drury in at NBC Sports

There will be a major change in the lead commentator’s booth for Premier League matches at NBC Sports beginning in August. Peter Drury will replace Arlo White as the #1 match commentator on the Peacock Network’s coverage of the Premier League.

As a 40 year veteran of sports broadcasting, I understand the cut throat side of the TV business. It can be ruthless, and many times it is very confusing why these types of changes are made. In the case of Arlo White, I’m not necessarily surprised, however, I am a little disappointed.

White’s NBC career ran from the beginning of the 2013/2014 season through 2021/2022. After a successful stretch as the main match commentator for the MLS Seattle Sounders, White stepped into the NBC Sports position and, in my opinion, did a very good job. He was conversational, personable, entertaining, and most of all, he did a solid job explaining the ins an outs of the Premier League to the American viewers.

With the renewal of NBC’s $2.7-billion (USD) rights deal to televise the Premier League in the US for the next six years, NBC executives felt it was time to make a change. One report on the lead commentator change indicated NBC felt their Premier League coverage had become “stale” and that it needed refreshing.

So, all good things come to an end, and enters Peter Drury, who many consider the best football commentator in the world. Drury will assume White’s role beginning on August 6th. Besides Drury’s great credentials, he is also known for many memorable calls during his career, and is known as being “poetic.” Most recently, Drury worked for CBS Sports covering the 2022 Champions League Final. He also has a long history covering all sides of English football, including the Premier League. Drury is a solid replacement for Arlo White, and should quickly become a favorite to Americans watching the Premier League on weekend mornings.

Now, the question remains, what happens to the Premier League’s studio talent at NBC, including Rebecca Lowe, Robbie Earle, Tim Howard and Robbie Mostue? Also, will Lee Dixon and Graeme Le Saux remain in the booth with Drury?

If a refresher is needed maybe we will see more new faces this fall as well.

Stay tuned!

Cheers.

Gunner1953