Brian Anderson extends contract with Warner Bros. Discovery’s TNT Sports

Brian Anderson wants to be prepared before entering the media booth to call a game.

That’s something the longtime Warner Bros. Discovery sportscaster has tried to practice. “Learning before calling” is “my compass,” he says, and he turned down opportunities to call games in sports he felt he didn’t know well. Anderson is best known for calling baseball games on the company’s TBS cable network, and when he was once offered the opportunity to call hockey games, he says he decided against it because “I never covered it.” “I have not followed it in my life.”

Maybe he’ll get the chance to gain a foothold in it. Anderson has signed a new contract with Warner Bros. Discovery’s TNT Sports that is expected to keep him with the company for a more than 20-year tenure. Anderson originally joined the company, now known as TNT Sports, in 2008, and his new contract will make him one of the announcers for the company’s new coverage of the French Open, which begins in late May.

The extension “was unexpected,” says Anderson, who says he has another year left on his current contract. “But I’m very happy to continue.”

Anderson took viewers through Roy Halladay’s no-hitter in Game 1 of the 2010 National League Division Series, only the second such game in Major League Baseball postseason history, as well as critical moments from Steph Curry and LeBron James.

His presence may help Warner Bros. Discovery, which is working to show the sports fans who regularly tune in to its NBA, NHL and MLB broadcasts that they have new reasons to stick around. Warner has unveiled new additions to its portfolio in recent weeks, including college football and the French Open, as it prepares to lose its long-standing NBA rights after the league’s next season. Retaining mainstays like Anderson will likely help matters somewhat.

The key to his work ethic, Anderson says, is being ready. This means he delves into both gaming and production tactics, developing a deeper interest in the sports he covers. “I enjoy learning the history of these individuals, these leagues, these teams and the incredible competitions,” he says.

To prepare for Roland-Garros, Anderson will travel to Paris in a few weeks, “just to acclimatize, to embed… to learn as much as possible.” He will come back a week before the tournament starts, “for as much to absorb as much as possible”. The trips are “an opportunity for me to improve my skills as a tennis commentator.”

He continues to call Milwaukee Brewers games for Bally Sports Wisconsin and NCAA March Madness basketball for Warner Bros. Discovery.

And while the sports he covers will reach viewers via streaming providers, Anderson believes he can continue to do things the way he’s already learned. “Our jobs don’t change much,” he says. “We have to prepare for the games.”