NBC to use AI generation to bring back announcer Jim Fagan's voice for NBA broadcasts next season
Fans will have a familiar voice greet them when they turn into an "NBA on NBC" broadcast for the first time in two decades. It will be from a different source.
NBC announced Tuesday it will recreate the voice of former NBA announcer Jim Fagan, who died in 2017, using AI generation tools for "select title sequences, show opens, and promos for its upcoming NBA coverage." The network uploaded a sample of what's to come on its YouTube page.
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The re-creation of Fagan's voice is reportedly done with the consent of his family. The network included a statement attributed to his daughters Jana Silvia Joyce and Risa Silvia-Koonin saying they were pleased they will be able to hear something resembling their father's voice on broadcasts again:
'We're deeply grateful that NBC Sports had the vision to honor our father's legacy in such a meaningful way. He took great pride in his work with NBC Sports, especially in helping set the stage for some of the most memorable moments in NBA history. Knowing that his voice will once again be part of the game he loved — and that a new generation of fans will get to experience it — is incredibly special for our family. He would be so thrilled and proud to be a part of this. It's been a true pleasure working with NBC Sports on this project.'
This is the second time NBC has used AI to bring back one of its classic voices, as it quietly used a program featuring a voice of the still-alive Al Michaels to offer personalized recaps of the 2024 Olympics in Paris on its Peacock streaming service.
Using the voice of a dead man as a prominent feature of its return to NBA broadcasting represents a more aggressive move, though, as AI continues to be a hot-button issue in a number of industries. However, NBC did note in its release that the Fagan bot will "supplement traditional voiceover work by other artists hired by NBC Sports."
As for real human beings, NBC has made a number of hires to fill out its studio and broadcasting booth. With in-house play-by-play men Mike Tirico and Noah Eagle already on hand, the network has brought on NBA greats Reggie Miller and Jamal Crawford, both coming from TNT, as color commentators, while Carmelo Anthony will serve as a studio analyst.
In news that will make a certain segment of fans the most happy, NBC confirmed last weekend that its beloved anthem of "Roundball Rock" by John Tesh will be making a return as well, as you can hear in the AI Fagan video above. NBC Sports president Rick Cordella has also said they will show pregame player introductions, a portion of the game that is rarely shown on modern broadcasts after being a staple of the 90s.
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