#WCH2016 voice Levy’s month “most exciting” in his 24 years at ESPN

ESPN viewers know Steve Levy as one of the faces of the network, not only from his many years of anchoring SportsCenter but from his work in other areas as well.

But this month, Levy is even more visible with a robust schedule that includes three sports in multiple locations.

“This is, easily, in my 24 years at the company, the most exciting and challenging month I’ve ever had,” Levy said.

Levy is in Toronto for 17 days to call games in the World Cup of Hockey 2016. Multi-platform coverage of every game began on Sept. 17, and Levy is working with ESPN hockey analyst Barry Melrose.

This year, he returned to college football as a play-by-play announcer, calling games with analyst Brian Griese and reporter Todd McShay. His busy month began on Sept. 1 when he traveled to Green Bay, Wis., for the matchup at Lambeau Field between LSU and Wisconsin.

Sept. 3 in Green Bay, Wisc.: Brian Griese (left) and Steve Levy prepare to call LSU-WIsconsin from Lambeau Field on ABC.

Sept. 10 in Ann Arbor: Griese (left) and Levy prepare to call Central Florida at Michigan on ABC.

Sept. 12 in Landover, Md.: (L-R) Matt Hasselbeck, Levy, Randy Moss and Trent Dilfer discuss MNF from FedEx Field.

Last week in Toronto: Levy (left) and Barry Melrose report during the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. (Mike Skarka/ESPN)

Levy (L) with Melrose: ” “Hockey’s always been a love. Anybody who’s ever known me knows it’s always been my passion.” (Diane Lamb/ESPN)

“To do such a big-time college football game on the greatest opening weekend in college football history was fun but the site at Lambeau Field added another layer to it and that really put it off the charts as far as the experience,” he said.

The following week, Levy was in Ann Arbor, Mich., for Central Florida-Michigan, then flew to Washington, D.C., to prepare to host SportsCenter coverage after the Pittsburgh-Washington game for ESPN’s Monday Night Football. The next two nights, he called WCH 2016 pre-tournament games, and then he traveled to Toronto on Thursday.

“Getting back into college football has been so much fun, but that also requires so much focus,” Levy said. “The preparation is amazing – the one game is a full-time job between traveling, conference calls, going to practice, going to walk-through, watching game tape and then it’s another 10-15 hours sitting in my hotel room pouring over game notes and media guides to feel ready.”

Levy is thrilled to be part of the return of professional hockey to ESPN.

“Hockey’s always been a love,” he said. “Anybody who’s ever known me knows it’s always been my passion. The World Cup of Hockey is so important to the company and to me personally, and it’s giving me an opportunity to call my first-ever championship.”

Levy will return to his late-night SportsCenter anchor duties after the Super Bowl.

“SportsCenter’s always been home base for me, and I never want to leave that or give that up,” he said. “But right now it’s all football all the time with two weeks of incredible hockey thrown in.”

Mike Skarka produced the video.