Curt Menefee is about to start juggling more duties than a circus clown on a unicycle. The Fox Sports lead NFL host is stretching his role with the company to include co-anchoring “Good Day New York” at Fox’s WNYW in the Big Apple. That’s right, Menefee will be bringing his Sunday football expertise to the concrete jungle, where he’ll also co-anchor Tuesday through Friday during the NFL season. And if that’s not enough, he’ll be keeping his Sunday football gig as well. It’s a whole new level of multitasking, folks.
According to Menefee, “There’s no place like New York. No place.” He’s clearly excited to be back in the hustle and bustle of the city where he previously worked as a sportscaster in 1995. He’s looking forward to soaking up the energy, culture, and of course, the food. Can you blame him?
But Menefee’s move isn’t just about him. It’s part of a larger trend in the entertainment world. Just like ABC News added Michael Strahan to “Good Morning America” and CBS News brought in Nate Burleson, Fox is tapping into its sports talent to beef up its news programs. Maybe they’re hoping the charm and charisma of sports anchors will help draw in bigger audiences for their news shows. After all, who wouldn’t want to wake up to sports banter and big smiles?
We can only imagine the chaos that might ensue if a big news event were to happen while Menefee is on the air. Would he use his play-by-play skills to narrate the breaking news? Would he break out into a touchdown dance if the stock market saw a big surge? The possibilities are endless.
But according to Lew Leone, senior vice president and general manager of Fox’s New York area stations, Menefee has the perfect mix of journalistic skills, approachability, and curiosity to connect with morning viewers. Let’s just hope he doesn’t accidentally slip into sports commentary during a traffic report.
Menefee’s career at Fox Sports has been quite the journey. Starting as a sideline reporter in 1997, he’s covered everything from NFL games to NFL Europe League. He’s been a play-by-play announcer and has hosted various studio shows. And let’s not forget his co-hosting duties on “Fox NFL Sunday” and hosting “The OT,” Fox’s late-day NFL wrap show. It’s safe to say he’s more than qualified to handle the craziness of morning news in New York City.
