MORE: Watch every World Cup match live with fuboTV (U.S.-only free trial)
Rinaldi had an unfathomable stretch of work over the last 10 days of November, including two separate trips to Doha to cover the World Cup. Between his reporting in Doha, Rinaldi served as a sideline reporter for two NFL games and Michigan vs. Ohio State.
“It’s been an awesome stretch in every way," Rinaldi told The Athletic about his globetrotting assignments for Fox Sports. “I was in Doha for the first week of the World Cup, which was fantastic. I was at the USA-Wales match. The next morning (Nov. 22), I flew from Doha to New Jersey. I was home for about 18 hours or so, which was great. I was able to see our son back from college for Thanksgiving and our daughter and my wife. On Wednesday (Nov. 23), I flew to Dallas and was on the Giants sideline for the Thanksgiving game in Dallas.”
He didn’t stop there.
The travel is more remarkable than the schedule itself. Rinaldi quite literally traveled across the world and back to make this possible, taking nine flights including connections.
Fox was able to pry Rinaldi away from ESPN in 2020 and clearly isn’t wasting the award-winning reporter’s talents during one of the most grueling stretches of the sports calendar.
MORE: Meet the Fox Sports World Cup studio lineup, from Alexi Lalas to Carli Lloyd
Tom Rinaldi’s reporting schedule
Monday, Nov. 21: World Cup feature reporter in Doha Thursday, Nov. 24: Giants vs. Cowboys sideline reporter Saturday, Nov. 26: Michigan vs. Ohio State sideline reporter Sunday, Nov. 27: Rams vs. Chiefs sideline reporter Monday, Nov. 28: World Cup feature reporter in Doha Tuesday, Nov. 29: Live World Cup reporter in Doha
Fans might remember Joe Buck had a remarkable stretch of his own in 2020, when he called four NFL games and six World Series in a span of 12 days.
What separates Rinaldi’s stretch, however, is the ridiculous amount of traveling he had to endure. While Buck traveled from city-to-city to call NFL games in 2020, the World Series was in one venue due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Rinaldi’s flights to and from Doha were between 12 and 14 hours.
MORE: Why is Chad Johnson on the World Cup broadcast?
Tom Rinaldi’s flight schedule
U. S. to Doha, Qatar Doha to New Jersey New Jersey to Dallas Dallas to Columbus Columbus to Kansas City (through Detroit) Kansas City to Doha, Qatar (through Dallas) Doha, Qatar to U. S.
Rinaldi isn’t taking a break just yet. He’ll be on the sideline reporting from Titans vs. Eagles in Philadelphia on Sunday.
Fortunately, Rinaldi lives in New Jersey and won’t need to jump on yet another flight to join the Fox team at Lincoln Financial Field.
