Ernie Johnson, the well-respected longtime TNT Sports broadcaster, is taking a leave of absence from hosting duties for TBS’ national MLB games.
In a news release, he said, “I’d like to thank the leadership at TNT Sports for allowing me the time away to take care of a family matter during the baseball season. I look forward to returning to the studio for the start of the NBA season.”
TBS is replacing Johnson with MLB Network’s Greg Amsinger as the studio host, starting Tuesday night with national coverage of the Mets-Yankees Subway Series game.
The other members of the analyst crew remain: Pedro Martinez, Jimmy Rollins and Curtis Granderson.
Johnson, 67, who lives in Braselton and is a University of Georgia graduate, is an original member of the popular “Inside the NBA” show during the NBA basketball season with Kenny Smith, Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley. He started with the show in 1990.
TNT may lose rights to air NBA games when its current contract expires next year, effectively ending “Inside the NBA.” Currently, the NBA has agreed to give packages of games to ABC/ESPN, NBCUniversal and Amazon. TNT’s parent company Warner Bros. Discovery on Monday said it matched one of those deals, per its existing contract, but the NBA may choose not to keep working with TNT.
Over the years, the Emmy-winning Johnson also has covered the Olympics, the Goodwill Games, FIFA soccer, the NFL and Wimbledon tennis.
He primarily works out of TNT Sports studios in Midtown Atlanta.
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