Home Run: Bob Costas Returning To NBC Sports For MLB, NBA Coverage
Thursday, January 22, 2026 at 05:04PM By Barry Janoff
Photo: NBC SportsJanuary 22, 2026: Stating that “there is no more knowledgeable, authoritative and passionate voice on baseball,” NBC Sports said Bob Costas, who spent nearly four decades with NBC, would, return as host of the Sunday Night Baseball pre-game show leading into games on NBC (and simulstreamed on Peacock),
Costas will also contribute to coverage of new NBA on NBC.
Costas is scheduled to debut as host of NBC’s new primetime MLB package March 26 when the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers host the Arizona Diamondbacks as part of MLB’s Opening Day 2026.
Among his accomplishments, Costas served as a play-by-play voice and host for NBC Sports’ MLB coverage for 15 seasons: 1982-89 and 1994-2000.
On Jan. 15, 2019, it was unveiled that Costas had officially departed from NBC Sports after 40 years.
“We’re excited that Bob has agreed to come home to NBC Sports, where he helped make baseball an iconic brand earlier in his career for so many years,” Rick Cordella, president, said via NBC Sports. “There is no more knowledgeable, authoritative and passionate voice on baseball than Bob Costas.”
A 29-time Sports Emmy winner, Costas’ four-decade tenure with NBC Sports included hosting 12 Olympic Games (with a U.S. TV-record 11 primetime assignments) and seven Super Bowls, covering ten NBA Finals and seven World Series. He also served as host for marquee events including the Kentucky Derby, the U.S. Open, and the historic 2015 Belmont Stakes.
Per NBC Sports, “Costas is the only broadcaster to have won Emmy Awards in sports, news and entertainment (for late-night show Later with Bob Costas). His versatility has been recognized with Emmy Awards or nominations for play-by-play, hosting, interviewing, writing, feature reporting and commentary.”
He was the 2018 recipient of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum’s Ford Frick Award for excellence in baseball broadcasting.
Costas has also handled sports programming with HBO Sports and has been sith MLB Network since its start in 2009.
“As appreciative as I am of other aspects of my career, especially HBO and the MLB Network, for 40 years, my true broadcasting home was NBC,” Costas said. “So many great moments, memories, and friendships.
“Now, I am very grateful to Rick Cordella and Sam Flood (executive producer and President, production, NBC Sports) for inviting me back in an emeritus role to conclude my career where so much of it played out.”
With this season’s return of the NBA on NBC, Costas has narrated multiple opening teases, including the debut of NBA Coast 2 Coast Tuesday on Oct. 28. A host and play-by-play voice during all 12 seasons of NBC Sports’ NBA coverage from 1990-2002, Costas will continue to contribute to NBA coverage as the season progresses, with details to be announced in the coming weeks.
“We're trying to make ‘Sunday Night Baseball’ feel big. There's no bigger name associated with baseball than Bob and also great to have him back in the NBC fold,” Cordella told AP Sports.
“Bob was the face of NBC Sports and maybe the network for a period of time. To bring him back as he sort of winds down his career is the right thing to do. And when we got baseball back it made a lot of sense.”
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