FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, July 21st, 2020
PAUL BURMEISTER, RYAN BOYLE AND TODD HARRIS TO SERVE AS PLL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES COMMENTATORS ON NBC SPORTS
Paul Burmeister to Serve as Play-By-Play Voice Alongside Analyst Ryan Boyle & Sideline Reporter Todd Harris During Two-Week Tournament
Opening PLL Championship Series Game Features Redwoods LC and Whipsnakes LC in Inaugural Season Championship Rematch on Saturday, July 25, at 4 p.m. ET on NBC
STAMFORD, Conn. – July 21, 2020 – Paul Burmeister will serve as the play-by-play voice of NBC Sports’ coverage of the 20-game PLL Championship Series alongside analyst Ryan Boyle and sideline reporter Todd Harris, beginning this Saturday, July 25.
NBC Sports play-by-play commentator Paul Burmeister and Class of 2019 National Lacrosse Hall of Fame inductee Ryan Boyle will call the action from the booth onsite at Zions Bank Stadium during each matchup of the 20-game tournament, while Todd Harris will provide pre-game, halftime, and postgame reports as well as sideline interviews. All three will be inside the Premier Lacrosse League’s quarantined bubble in Salt Lake City, Utah.
“We are excited to announce Paul, Ryan and Todd as the voices of the PLL Championship Series and its world-class players across NBC Sports over the next two weeks,” said Dan Steir, Senior Vice President, Production, and Senior Coordinating Producer, NBC Sports. “Paul and Ryan return to our innovative PLL broadcasts and I know Todd will be a great addition to bring the excitement and fast-paced action of the PLL to viewers.”
Throughout the first week of the PLL Championship Series, the league’s seven teams will compete in a 14-game group play format to determine seeding for the following week’s single-elimination tournament. The winner of the tournament will be crowned the 2020 PLL Champion. All 20 league games will be presented live across NBC, NBCSN, or NBC Sports Gold, with all televised games also streaming live on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app. The tournament schedule can be found here.
The opening game of the PLL Championship Series will featuring the defending champion Whipsnakes LC against Redwoods LC in a rematch of the inaugural season Championship on Saturday, July 25, at 4 p.m. ET on NBC. NBC Sports’ opening day coverage of the tournament continues with the first game on NBCSN when Chrome LC face Chaos LC at 7:30 p.m. ET.
NBC will present a second opening-weekend matchup when Atlas LC take on the expansion Waterdogs LC in their first-ever game on Sunday, July 26, at 4 p.m. ET.
One of NBC Sports’ most versatile voices, Paul Burmeister served as host during the Premier Lacrosse League’s inaugural season. His extensive broadcasting resume includes serving as studio host and play-by-play commentator for NBC Sports Group across a number of properties, including the Tour de France, NHL Live and the All-American Bowl. Burmeister has handled three Olympic assignments for NBC Olympics, most recently during the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics as a ski jumping play-by-play announcer. Burmeister also serves as the play-by-play commentator for football games on Notre Dame’s radio network.
Ryan Boyle – a four-time All-American attackman from Princeton University and Class of 2019 National Lacrosse Hall of Fame inductee – brings an unmatched lacrosse IQ to the broadcast booth. Boyle helped lead the Tigers to the 2001 NCAA National Championship, as well as four consecutive Ivy League titles. He ranks third all-time in Princeton history with 232 career points (70 goals, 162 assists). Boyle helped men’s lacrosse Team USA capture gold medals in the 2002 and 2010 World Lacrosse Championship. Additionally, Boyle played several seasons on the National Lacrosse League (NLL) indoor circuit.
Todd Harris is the voice of NBC Sports Group’s action sports, including the Dew Action Sports Tour, and has completed six Olympic assignments with NBC Sports. In addition, he served as the play-by-play announcer for alpine skiing during NBC Olympics’ coverage of the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games and called play-by-play for the same events for five other Winter Olympics. From 1999-2007, Harris worked as a sideline reporter on ABC’s lead college football broadcast team covering the ABC game of the week in the PAC-10 in 2005.
–NBC SPORTS–
