If ESPN wants to lure Charissa Thompson back from Fox Sports, it won't get her without a fight.
Fox "absolutely" wants to keep the star broadcaster, spokesman Eddie Motl told Sporting News on Tuesday.
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"Charissa is a highly valued member of the FOX Sports family and is an extremely talented broadcaster, including in her current role as host of FOX NFL KICKOFF," Motl said in a statement.
After starting her career with Fox, Thompson worked for ESPN from 2011-13. ESPN's new content czar, Connor Schell, wants Thompson to join Mike Greenberg on his New York-based morning show, sources with direct knowledge of the situation tell SN.
Thompson, a Seattle native, loves Los Angeles, where Fox Sports is headquartered and where she also co-hosts the entertainment show "Extra." She has drawn plaudits for her work in hosting "Fox NFL Kickoff," the lead-in to "Fox NFL Sunday," the country's top-rated pregame show.
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Thompson's current Fox contract is believed to expire after the 2017 NFL season. That timing would dovetail nicely with the launch of Greenberg's new show, which will launch on the flagship ESPN network Jan. 1, 2018 (Trey Wingo is succeeding Greenberg on "Mike & Mike in the Morning," which will eventually shift from ESPN2 to ESPNU). Thompson and Greenberg are both represented by powerful agency CAA.
Thompson could not be reached for comment. ESPN declined to comment Tuesday.
Thompson could become one of the biggest sports TV free agents to hit the open market in years if she decides not to re-sign with Fox. She could also be one of the first major Fox talents to bolt the network since the firing of Jamie Horowitz, president of national networks for Fox Sports, amid a sexual harassment probe.
Horowitz had a close relationship with Thompson, said sources. He was in the midst of developing new FS1 programming for her at the time he was ousted.
