Gus Johnson stepping down as Fox soccer announcer

NEW YORK (AP) — Gus Johnson is stepping down as Fox’s lead soccer announcer.

Best known for his calls of college basketball and the NFL, Johnson knew little about soccer when he started calling games. He was frequently panned on social media for botching names and facts.

Fox now must find new lead announcers for next year’s Women’s World Cup and the 2018 World Cup.

Johnson and Fox Sports President Eric Shanks tell Sports Illustrated the announcer couldn’t work enough soccer games to gain the experience he needed. He mainly calls college football and basketball for Fox.

Johnson joined the network in 2011 from CBS. Fox executives had contended his style would draw more causal American fans.

Fox is taking over the U.S. English-language World Cup rights from ESPN, which found critical and ratings success after switching from American to British announcers for the 2010 tournament.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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