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ESPN ThisWeek – March 29, 2010

Posted by Editor • March 29, 2010 • Printer-friendly


WOMEN’S DIV. 1 COLLEGE BASKETBALLTOURNAMENT

ESPN 3D, MLB, NIT, NBA & More

WOMEN’S DIV. 1 COLLEGE BASKETBALLTOURNAMENT

Two Top Seeds, Connecticut, Stanford, Carry on into Elite Eight of NCAA Women’s Tournament
contact: jenny.zimmerman@espn.com

ESPN’s exclusive coverage of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship continues with the Elite Eight:  tonight live on ESPN HD and ESPN360.com with No. 4 seed Baylor vs. No. 2 Duke in Memphis, Tenn., at 7 p.m. ET and No. 3 Xavier against No. 1 Stanford in Sacramento, Calif., at 9 p.m.; and tomorrow, Tuesday, March 30, with No. 3 Florida State squaring off with undefeated No. 1 Connecticut in Dayton at 7 p.m. in Dayton, Ohio, followed by No. 4 Kentucky against No. 3 Oklahoma in Kansas City at 9 p.m. Trey Wingo, Kara Lawson and Carolyn Peck will provide host with analysis from the ESPN studios.

ESPN’s Final Four programming begins Sunday, April 4, in San Antonio with the semifinals Sunday, April 4 and the championship Tuesday, April 6. For releases, schedules, photos and more, please visit the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship media kit on ESPN MediaZone. The ESPN networks are combining to present all 63 games for the eighth consecutive year.

Date  Time (ET)  Matchup  Network 
Mon, Mar 29  7 p.m. No. 4 Baylor vs. No. 2 Duke (Memphis)Dave O’Brien, Doris Burke, Holly Rowe  ESPN HD / ESPN360.com
  9 p.m. No. 3 Xavier vs. No. 1 Stanford (Sacramento)Dave Pasch, Mary Murphy, Cara Capuano  ESPN HD / ESPN360.com
Tue, Mar 30  7 p.m. No. 3 Florida State vs. No. 1 UConn (Dayton)Bob Wischusen, Stephanie White, Rebecca Lobo  ESPN HD / ESPN360.com
  9 p.m. No. 4 Kentucky vs. No. 3 Oklahoma (Kansas City)Pam Ward, Deb Antonelli, Beth Mowins  ESPN HD / ESPN360.com

Times subject to change

ESPN 3D, MLB, NIT, NBA & More

DIRECTV to Launch ESPN 3D to Millions Nationwide
contact: colleen.s.lynch@espn.com

ESPN 3D has reached a distribution agreement with DIRECTV, the first distribution agreement for the new network. Launching in June, millions of DIRECTV HD customers will have access to ESPN’s entire 3D lineup, a minimum of 85 live sporting events during its first year, including up to 25 2010 FIFA World Cup matches as well as X Games 16, the 2010 ACC Championship in college football, 2011 BCS National Championship game, college basketball and NBA games in 2011. DIRECTV HD customers who subscribe to ESPN will receive ESPN 3D at no additional cost.

MLB Opening Night: Yankees vs. Red Sox on April 4
contact: nate.smeltz@espn.com or diane.lamb@espn.com
ESPN2 will televise the start of the 2010 MLB season when the defending World Champion New York Yankees visit their rival, the Boston Red Sox, on Sunday, April 4, at 8 p.m. The telecast will mark the debut of the new Sunday Night Baseball commentator team of Jon Miller, Joe Morgan and Orel Hershiser. The game will also be available via ESPN Radio, ESPN360.com (to be renamed ESPN3.com on April 4) and ESPN Mobile TV. Jon Sciambi and Dave Campbell will provide commentary for ESPN Radio.

Baseball Tonight, with long-time host Karl Ravech (16th season), analysts Nomar Garciaparra, John Kruk and Bobby Valentine and reporters Tim Kurkjian and Buster Olney, will preview Opening Night with a live show from Fenway Park at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.

On Monday, April 5, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Radio will combine to present six Opening Day games:  Philadelphia at Washington (noon, ESPN Radio); St. Louis at Cincinnati (1 p.m., ESPN, ESPN360.com and ESPN Mobile TV); Cleveland at Chicago White Sox (2 p.m., ESPN2); Chicago Cubs at Atlanta (4 p.m., ESPN, ESPN360.com and ESPN Mobile TV); San Francisco at Houston (7 p.m., ESPN2) and Minnesota at the Los Angeles Angels (10 p.m., ESPN2). See the full press release.

Men’s College Basketball: NIT Semifinals – Dayton vs. Ole Miss, UNC – Rhode Island
contact: jenny.zimmerman@espn.com

ESPN’s exclusive coverage of the 2010 National Invitation Tournament culminates live from New York’s Madison Square Garden on ESPN2 HD and ESPN360.com with the semifinals Tuesday, March 30 (Dayton vs. Mississippi at 7 p.m.,   followed by North Carolina vs. Rhode Island at 9 p.m.) and the NIT Championship Thurs, April 1. Ron Franklin will call the games with analysts Fran Fraschilla and Bill Raftery.

Date Time (ET)  Matchup Network
Tue, Mar 30 7 p.m. NIT Semifinal: Dayton vs. MississippiRon Franklin, Fran Fraschilla & Bill Raftery ESPN2 HD / ESPN360.com
  9 p.m. NIT Semifinal: North Carolina vs. Rhode IslandRon Franklin, Fran Fraschilla & Bill Raftery  ESPN2 HD / ESPN360.com
Thu, Apr 1 7 p.m. NIT ChampionshipRon Franklin, Fran Fraschilla & Bill Raftery  ESPN HD / ESPN360.com
ESPN Ranks First in Generating Local Ad Sales Revenue for Sixth Straight Year
contact: colleen.s.lynch@espn.com

In Beta Research Corp.’s 2009 Local Ad Sales Executive Study, on an unaided basis, ESPN ranked first for the sixth consecutive year as the network that has the most valuable programming to help generate the most local ad sales revenue. For the sixth year in a row, Disney and ESPN Media Networks captured the top spot among all networks for having appealing demographics. The telephone survey was conducted in November-December 2009 among local ad sales executives from cable systems. The primary objectives were to determine organization ratings for local ad sales representatives, having appealing audience demographics and generating local ad sales revenue.

 

NBA: Star-Studded Friday Night Doubleheader
contact: nate.smeltz@espn.com or mark.d.mandel@espn.com
ESPN’s Friday night doubleheader April 2 will include four of the top teams in the NBA, tipping off with the Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James hosting the Atlanta Hawks and Joe Johnson at 8 p.m. Dan Shulman will call the game with analysts Jon Barry and Hubie Brown and reporter Heather Cox. That game will be followed by the Utah Jazz and Deron Williams facing the Los Angeles Lakers and Kobe Bryant at 10:30 p.m. Mike Breen will be courtside with analysts Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy and reporter Lisa Salters. Kia NBA Shootaround will preview the action at 7:30 p.m.

Earlier in the week, ESPN will televise Golden State at Utah on Wednesday, March 31, at 10 p.m. Commentators will be Dave Pasch and analyst Mark Jackson.

ESPN Sports Saturday to Debut on ABC with ‘30 for 30’ Film Guru of Go, and Winners Bracket
contact: bill.hofheimer@espn.com

ESPN Sports Saturday, the new two-hour block of sports programming on ABC, will debut Saturday, April 3, at 4 p.m. with host Hannah Storm. The block will generally begin with a 60-minute episode of one of three signature ESPN series: 30 for 30 documenties, E:60 newsmagazine or the athlete interview series Homecoming with Rick Reilly, to be followed by the hourlong sports highlight-driven series Winners Bracket hosted by Michelle Beadle and Marcellus Wiley.

ESPN Sports Saturday begins with the television debut of the ESPN Films 30 for 30 documentary Guru of Go, which chronicles the incredible run of Loyola Marymount University’s men’s basketball team and the tragic death of its star, Hank Gathers. The debut of Winners Bracket at 5 p.m. will debate and recap the week in sports in a fast tempo and quick-witted bracket-style format, with the 16 biggest plays of the week pitted against each other in seeded brackets. Beadle and Wiley will offer their unique perspectives during each round of debate, and the show will culminate with the determination of the bracket champion. ESPN’s experts Mike Greenberg, college basketball analyst Digger Phelps and NBA analyst Jalen Rose will contribute to the first show. For more information, see today’s Winners Bracket release.

Kraft Nabisco Championship on ESPN2, ESPN Mobile TV and Live on ESPN360.com
contact: mark.d.mandel@espn.com

The first three rounds of the Kraft Nabisco Championship, the LPGA’s first major tournament of the year, will be live on ESPN2, ESPN Mobile TV and ESPN360.com. The first two rounds will air Thursday, April 1, from 5-7 p.m.; the third round from 7-9 p.m. In addition, ESPN360.com will provide an hour of live bonus coverage Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m. The best female golfers in the world will compete, including Michelle Wie, Lorena Ochoa, and defending champion Brittany Lincicome, at the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif. Mike Tirico will host, with Andy North, Judy Rankin, Paul Azinger, Curtis Strange, Scott Van Pelt, Bill Kratzert and Tom Rinaldi.

Date Time (ET) Event Network
Thu, Apr 1 5 p.m First round ESPN2, ESPN Mobile TV, ESPN360.com
  7 p.m. First-round bonus coverage ESPN360.com
Fri, Apr 2 5 p.m Second round ESPN2, ESPN Mobile TV, ESPN360.com
  7 p.m. Second-round bonus coverage ESPN360.com
Sat, Apr 3 7 p.m. Third Round ESPN2, ESPN Mobile TV, ESPN360.com
NASCAR Nationwide Series Live from Nashville on ESPN
contacts: andy.hall@espn.com or george.mcneilly@espn.com

The NASCAR Nationwide Series races for 300 miles Saturday, April 3, at Nashville Superspeedway live on ESPN, starting with NASCAR Countdown presented by Hellman’s at 3:30 p.m. The race telecast starts at 4 p.m., with the green flag at 4:16 p.m. Former NASCAR driver Ricky Craven, who has been a studio analyst for ESPN for two years, will make his debut in the booth as a race telecast analyst, working with Marty Reid and Dale Jarrett to call the race.  

McShay Making Stops in Texas for NFL Pro Days
contact: kimberly.jessup@espn.com 

On Tuesday, March 30, Todd McShay, ESPN Scouts, Inc., Director of College Football Scouting, will report from  Lufkin, Texas, to evaluate Oklahoma State wide receiver and projected first-round pick Dez Bryant at a private workout at his local high school. On Wednesday, March 31, McShay will be in Austin, Texas, to cover Longhorns quarterback Colt McCoy and other prospects on Pro Day at Texas. For photos of McShay click here.

McDonald’s All American Games on ESPN and ESPNU Wednesday
contact: crystal.howard@espn.com

On Wednesday, March 31, ESPN and ESPNU will televise live the 2010 McDonald’s All American Games from Columbus, Ohio. The girls game will air on ESPNU at 5:30 p.m. and the boy’s game will tip off at 8 p.m. on ESPN. Players from the boy’s game headlining the event include ESPNU 100 ranked No. 1 Harrison Barnes (Ames Iowa, Ames High School/headed to the University of North Carolina); No 2. Jared Sullinger (Columbus, Ohio, Northland High School/Ohio State); No. 3 Brandon Knight (Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Pine Crest School/undecided); and No. 4. Kyrie Irving (Elizabeth, N.J., St. Patrick’s/Duke). Bob Wischusen, Jay Williams and Quint Kessenich will call the boy’s game and Bob Wischusen and Abby Waner will call the girl’s game.

On Tuesday, March 30, ESPN2 will televise the “POWERADE Jam Fest” finals live at 7:30 p.m. with Lou Canellis, Jay Williams and Quint Kessenich.

College Baseball: Three ESPNU Telecasts This Weekend
contact: michael.c.humes@espn.com

ESPNU will begin its extensive college baseball schedule this weekend with three telecasts, each with at least one ranked team, highlighted by No. 7 Texas at Big 12 rival No. 9 Oklahoma on Saturday, April 3, at 3 p.m.

ESPNU, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN360.com will televise 53 regular-season college softball and baseball games leading into the networks’ extensive postseason action of up to 110 contests. 

Date Time (ET) Game Network
Fri, Apr 2 8:30 p.m. Georgia at No. 4 LSUEric Collins & Kyle Peterson ESPNU HD
Sat, Apr 3 3 p.m. No. 7 Texas at No. 9 OklahomaDan McLaughlin & Morgan Ensberg ESPNU HD
Sun, Apr 4 2 p.m. Mississippi State at No. 19 South CarolinaJustin Kutcher & Kyle Peterson ESPNU
College Lacrosse: Top Two Teams in Action against Ranked Opponents
contact: michael.c.humes@espn.com

ESPN’s biggest-ever men’s college lacrosse schedule – 55 contests including all 15 NCAA Tournament games, primarily on ESPNU -- will continue with two telecasts matching the top two teams against ranked opponents Saturday, April 3 on ESPNU: No. 2 North Carolina at No. 12 Johns Hopkins at noon and No. 1 Virginia at No. 4 Maryland at 8 p.m.

ESPN Launches ESPN3.com Campaign Today
contact: amy.phillips@espn.com or kristie.chong@espn.com 

As previously announced, ESPN's broadband channel, ESPN360.com, will become ESPN3.com on April 4. Today, ESPN will launch its campaign around the name change, which focuses on the significance of the number three in sports – whether it be a memorable three-point shot, a triple play, or the number of stumps in a cricket wicket. Two versions of the song "Three is a Magic Number" – including the original "Schoolhouse Rock" version – provide the soundtrack for the television commercials, which will air throughout the month of April across all of the ESPN networks and ESPN's YouTube channel. The '3' campaign also includes print, digital and radio executions. Samsung is the launch partner for the ESPN3.com campaign, which was created by The Martin Agency.  To view three versions of the TV creative, click here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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