Wes Durham, well-known in Atlanta for his broadcasts of Georgia Tech and Falcons games, will get a starring role on the new ACC Network that launches this year.
Durham will join Mark Packer as hosts of a live three-hour talk show, called âPacker and Durham,â from 7-10 a.m. weekdays on the network, it was announced Friday.
The ACC Network (ACCN), scheduled to launch nationally Aug. 22, will be owned and operated by ESPN in partnership with the conference.
The âPacker and Durhamâ show will originate from a studio in the basement of Packerâs Charlotte, N.C., home. It will be simulcast on SiriusXM satellite radio and, as described in an ACC Network news release, âwill provide a full view of ACC action across all 15 institutions in the vein of Packer and Durhamâs current (SiriusXM) program, ACC Central.â
Durham -- son of the late Woody Durham, long-time voice of the North Carolina Tar Heels â was the radio voice of Georgia Tech from 1995-2013 before moving to regional telecasts of ACC football, basketball and baseball games. He has been the radio play-by-play voice of the Falcons since 2004.
Packer -- son of former long-time college basketball broadcaster Billy Packer --Â hosted a popular sports radio show in Charlotte from 1997-2010 before moving to SiriusXM and ESPNU Radio.
âFew people are as entrenched in the ACC sports scene as Mark and Wes,â said Amy Rosenfeld, ESPN senior coordinating producer and ACCN head of production. âTheir decades of ACC market experience and their obvious chemistry and commitment to informing and entertaining listeners made this an easy decision. Weâll only seek to amplify the great work they are already doing.â
Durham also will call play-by-play on football and basketball games on the ACC Network.
* * *Â
TODAYâS LEADOFF LINKS
> What type of sanctions could the Georgia Tech men's basketball program face if deemed guilty of recruiting violations that the NCAA alleges rise to the level of severe breach of conduct? Ken Sugiura examines that question here.
> During a visit to the Braves' spring-training camp Friday, Major League Baseball Players Association executive director Tony Clark expressed concern about "our industry." Read Gabe Burns' report here.
> ICYMI: A new MLB rule would have prevented a monumental Braves trade. See story here.
