In what is a significant upgrade, NBC has poached Peter Drury from Premier League Productions to replace Arlo White as its lead commentator.
The replacement of White with Drury could signal the first of many changes to the network’s EPL coverage. A lot of NBC talent and behind the camera staff’s contracts expired at the end of the 2021/22 season. The new broadcast deal with the Premier League runs through to the 2027/28 season, costing a princely $2 billion USD.
THE ARLO ERA
It’ll be a change for football fans in the States. Arlo White has been the voice of football in the country since NBC gained the PL broadcast rights in 2013/14. Before then, he cut his broadcasting teeth with UK broadcasting juggernaut BBC. First, appearing on Five Live Breakfast as its sports reporter. From there, he traveled across the pond to become the commentator for MLS side Seattle Sounders.
He has since called football for the Olympics in both 2012 and 2016, and the World Cup in 2010 along with matches for both the USMNT and USWNT. In March 2020, he became the primary play-by-play guy for the Chicago Fire.
A lifelong fan of hometown club Leicester City, White famously was on the microphone when they lifted the title back in 2014/15.
Fans might also be familiar with White from the Apple TV+ series Ted Lasso. White regularly appears on the smash hit, Jason Sudeikis comedy, commentating on the games of the fictional AFC Richmond.
DRURY DAYS AHEAD
As fond as some fans might have been of Arlo White, they will love the fresh voice of the Premier League in the States.
Peter Drury is a legendary voice in football. He has commentated on football matches at the highest level in one form or another since 1997. He got his big break on British network ITV calling Everton vs Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup.
From there, Drury became ITV’s junior correspondent in the 1998 World Cup in France. He would spend 15 years at the network in the UK calling 4 World Cups, 4 European Championships, Champions League, Europa League, and Premier League fixtures.
Drury won’t be a completely unfamiliar voice to fans across the pond. He has been calling Champions League and Europa League fixtures on CBS since August 2020. He is the co-main play-by-play commentator for the networks’ European coverage alongside former ITV alumni Clive Tyldesley.
WHITE vs DRURY
Peter Drury and Arlo White couldn’t have more contrasting styles in the commentary box.
We know White for leaning on stats, narratives, and trends during his calls. I considered him a very ‘American’ style commentator in that regard. People sometimes criticize him for his commentary style, although he is exalted as a host of pre and post-match programming.
Football fans affectionately know Drury as the football poet. He has a remarkable knack for reading the moment. His unbelievable vocabulary knows no bounds, and he isn’t afraid to dig deep into his thesaurus to elevate special moments on the pitch. He is world renowned and ubiquitous with some of the most famous calls in recent footballing history.
Stuart Kavanagh is a sports journalist from Melbourne, Australia. Along with being the owner of the sports and entertainment website thepyrrhic.com, he is the co-host of the ‘After Extra Time’ podcast. Football mad, he is always down for debate and discussion at @stueyissickofit on Twitter.