#Sports media mailbag: Kirk Herbstreit could make ‘Monday Night Football’ his second job

Is ESPN any closer to naming a new Monday Night Booth? — @PDeSanChief

Kirk Herbstreit calling “Monday Night Football” is gaining a little more momentum, though, it is by no means a done deal. Here’s the news: This is even if there is a college football season, according to sources.

If college football is played this fall, Herbstreit would continue with Chris Fowler on ESPN’s No. 1 team. That is not changing, no matter what.

However, the NFL likes Herbstreit, sources say, and he could do double duty and team with new MNF play-by-play favorite Steve Levy. It is very unlikely Fowler would do both college and the MNF.

Herbstreit is not a done deal, as Brian Griese, Louis Riddick and Dan Orlovsky are still under consideration to team with Levy, if there is college football.

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Now, if college football is postponed in the fall and the NFL plays, then ESPN would likely move Fowler with Herbstreit and have them do MNF for a year.

So the situation is still fluid, but there seems to be some movement.

How are the local basketball, baseball and hockey broadcasts planning to cover the teams? Studio? On site? — @dctsports

Let’s take it sport by sport and put an asterisk as a lot is subject to change.

For hoops, the national broadcasters (ESPN and TNT) will send their play-by-players and analysts inside the bubble at Disney. We previously reported Marv Albert, 79, will not be going. The local broadcasters will be doing the games from studios in their respective cities.

For MLB, the plan is that broadcasters (both radio and TV) will call games from their home ballparks or a studio. Meaning, if the Yankees are home, then Michael Kay and company would be in the ballpark, but if they are in Baltimore they would call the game remotely. Radio would be the same.

For the regular season, at the current moment, the national broadcasters also are not traveling, though, it is possible ESPN could later in the year for “Sunday Night Baseball.” Unlikely, I’d say, but possible for a couple of games.

Postseason, depending on the situation in the country, could be different, as for the biggest event, I would think the announcers would be on site.

For the “Field of Dreams” game MLB is still for some strange reason putting on, Fox is expected to have its broadcasters in Iowa.

For hockey, the plans are not finalized, but I think right now studio play-by-play may be more likely. Definitely for the RSNs, like MSG. Same with radio.

I think NBC could eventually add broadcasters for some rounds of the playoffs.

Do you think WFAN will start using some national shows from CBS sports radio to cut costs on weekends and maybe some overnights? — @tombook13

Opposite. WFAN executives know that what separates it historically from ESPN New York is that it is local all the time. You know what you are going to get. If sports come back and games are played, FAN will continue to be all local.

Now, if major sports don’t happen, then maybe it changes, but the folks in charge of FAN know that their backbone is New York so I think you will see more, not less.

MLB blackout rules … any chance these go away in the near future? I get protecting RSNs but the territories are crazy. I think Iowa has like 8 teams claiming its territory. — @jackconboy

Doubt it.