ESPN selects Kay Murray as co-host of LaLiga coverage

ESPN has appointed Kay Murray as their co-host of its English-language coverage of LaLiga beginning with the 2021/22 season where she’ll be joined by co-host Dan Thomas. The two of them previously worked together at Real Madrid TV earlier in their careers.

In addition to appointing Murray as co-host, ESPN renewed Murray’s contract so she will be with the self-proclaimed Worldwide Leader of Sports for the foreseeable future.

“I couldn’t be happier to be continuing my experience at ESPN, covering the things I’m most passionate about,” said Murray. “Having a chance to be a part of the exponential growth of soccer in the United States by broadcasting leagues such as LaLiga and the Bundesliga is very important to me. So, too, is serving the global audience in my role on SportsCenter.

“We’re both delighted to be covering a league that we love and a league that we have a lot of history with. Dan [Thomas] is my old flatmate in Madrid, so it’s wonderful to be together. I think it’s sixteen or seventeen seasons later that we are here covering LaLiga for the audience here in the United States. It’s a league that we know intricately. It’s a league that we’re happy to be continuing to cover and promote.”

Murray appeared on this week’s episode of the World Soccer Talk Podcast to break the news (see audio below; clip begins at minute 17:33):

After beginning her career at Middlesbrough FC’s Boro TV, the English-born presenter and analyst was a familiar face on beIN SPORTS’ broadcasts of LaLiga as well as hosting The XTRA and The Locker Room shows. She quickly established herself as a knowledgeable and charming host, where she regularly worked alongside analysts including Gary Bailey, Thomas Rongen, Ray Hudson and others. She also co-hosted the FIFA Ballon d’Or awards alongside Ruud Gullit. Murray left beIN SPORTS in 2019 to pursue other opportunities, and moved to New England with the aim of landing a job at one of the top sports networks in the country.

ESPN has the rights to LaLiga exclusively on ESPN+ through the end of the 2028/29 season, while select games will be available via television too. Joining Murray and Thomas for ESPN’s coverage of LaLiga, where the new season begins Friday, August 13, will include studio analysts Steve McManaman, Diego Forlan, Pablo Zabaleta, Luis Garcia, Hugo Sanchez and Mario Kempes.