ESPN ThisWeek – June 14, 2010
FIFA WORLD CUP
- Three Games Every Day; U.S. vs. Slovenia Friday, June 18
Coverage June 16 to Commemorate Youth Day in South Africa
NBA FINALS, U.S. OPEN, WIMBLEDON, ‘30 FOR 30’ & More
- NBA Finals Continue to Deliver Large Audiences; Game 6 Tuesday on ABC
- U.S. Open from Pebble Beach: First Two Rounds Live in Prime Time
- Wimbledon Starts June 21 on ESPN Platforms; Conference Call Tuesday; Patrick McEnroe at ESPN on Thursday
- 30 for 30: ‘June 17th, 1994’
- NASCAR Nationwide Series Makes Road America Debut on ESPN2
- NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series in Bristol
FIFA WORLD CUP
Three Games Every Day; U.S. vs. Slovenia Friday, June 18
Coverage June 16 to Commemorate Youth Day in South Africa
Contact: mac.nwulu@espn.com or bill.hofheimer@espn.com
The FIFA World Cup continues in South Africa with three games each day through Monday, June 21, including the U.S. vs. Slovenia on Friday, June 18 at 9:30 a.m. ET in a key Group C matchup.
On Wednesday, June 16, South Africa celebrates “Youth Day” to commemorate the 1976 Soweto riots, and ESPN’s coverage will include live studio presence in Soweto, the centerpiece of the nation’s anti-Apartheid struggle, with features highlighting the day international opinion turned against Apartheid. Host Mike Tirico, former South African national team player and ESPN World Cup studio analyst Shaun Bartlett, ESPN South Africa culture consultant Moss Tau, and reporters Sal Masekela and Julie Foudy will originate from Soweto. Highlights:
- “The Voices of South Africa: Soweto” – ESPN’s signature series features a portrait of the Soweto uprising.
- Sharpeville – An episode of “Umlando: Sharing Through My Father’s Eyes,” a 10-part series of Hugh and Sal Masekela’s journey through South Africa, captures the 50th anniversary of the Sharpeville Massacre. Sal participates in the annual ceremonial “cleaning of the graves” where people gather at sunrise to pay tribute to the 69 people killed March 21, 1960, when South African police opened fire on a peaceful anti-Apartheid protest.
- Masana Sam Nzima – ESPN’s human interest reporter Masekela profiles Masana Sam Nzima – the photographer who shot the iconic picture of Mbuyisa Makhubu carrying Hector Peterson’s body away from the rioting crowd in Soweto on June 16, 1976.
- The Man Who Marched – A first-hand account of the result of the South African government introducing mandatory use of Afrikaans language in black school systems. On June 16, 1976, more than 1,000 students gathered to protest, marching to Orlando stadium to list their grievances.
- The Apartheid Museum – Tau takes Foudy through the Apartheid Museum and shares first-hand experiences of Apartheid.
- What is Youth Day? – A feature explaining “Youth Day” is observed not as a day of mourning but as a day of remembrance, and celebration.
| Date | Time (ET) | Networks | Studio/Match | Group | Site |
| Tue 6/15 | 7:30 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Radio | New Zealand vs. Slovakia Healey and HarkesDyer and Messing - * |
F | Rustenburg |
| 9:30 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Radio | Ivory Coast vs. Portugal Darke and EkokuDellacamera and Smyth - * |
G | Port Elizabeth | |
| 2 p.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN 3D/ESPN Radio | Brazil vs. Korea DPR Tyler and McCoist Davis and Martino - * |
G | Johannesburg | |
| Wed 6/16 | 7:30 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | Honduras vs. Chile Healey and HarkesDavis and Martino - * |
H | Nelspruit |
| 9:30 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN 3D/ESPN Radio | Spain vs. Switzerland Rae and MustoeDellacamera and Smyth - * |
H | Durban | |
| 2 p.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | South Africa vs. Uruguay Tyler and McCoist Dyer and Messing - * |
A | Pretoria | |
| Thu 6/17 | 7 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN 3D/ESPN Radio | Argentina vs. Korea Rep. Darke and Harkes Dellacamera and Smyth - * |
B | Johannesburg |
| 9:30 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | Greece vs. Nigeria Rae and Mustoe Davis and Martino - * |
B | Bloemfontein | |
| 2 p.m. | ESPN2/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | France vs. Mexico Healey and Ekoku Dyer and Messing - * |
A | Polokwane | |
| Fri 6/18 | 7 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | Germany vs. Serbia Rae and Mustoe Davis and Martino - * |
D | Port Elizabeth |
| 9:30 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN 3D/ESPN Radio | Slovenia vs. USA Darke and Harkes Dellacamera and Smyth - * |
C | Johannesburg | |
| 2 p.m. | ESPN2/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | England vs. Algeria Tyler and McCoistDyer and Messing - * |
C | Cape Town | |
| Sat 6/19 | 7 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN 3D/ESPN Radio | Netherlands vs. Japan Rae and MustoeDellacamera and Smyth - * |
E | Durban |
| 9:30 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | Ghana vs. Australia Healey and HarkesDavis and Martino - * |
D | Rustenburg | |
| 2 p.m. | ABC/ESPN Radio | Cameroon vs. DenmarkDarke and EkokuDyer and Messing - * | E | Pretoria | |
| Sun 6/20 | 7 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | Slovakia vs. Paraguay Healey and Harkes Dyer and Messing - * |
F | Bloemfontein |
| 9:30 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | Italy vs. New Zealand Darke and McCoist Davis and Martino - * |
F | Nelspruit | |
| 2 p.m. | ABC/ESPN 3D/ESPN Radio | Brazil vs. Ivory Coast Tyler and EkokuDellacamera and Smyth - * |
G | Johannesburg | |
| Mon 6/21 | 7 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | Portugal vs. Korea DPRHealey and HarkesDyer and Messing - * | G | Cape Town |
| 9:30 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN Radio | Chile vs. Switzerland Rae and Mustoe Davis and Martino - * |
H | Port Elizabeth | |
| 2 p.m. | ESPN/ESPN3.com/ ESPN 3D/ESPN Radio | Spain vs. Honduras Tyler and McCoist Dellacamera and Smyth - * |
H | Johannesburg |
* - ESPN Radio commentators
NBA FINALS, U.S. OPEN, WIMBLEDON, ‘30 FOR 30’ & More
NBA Finals Continue to Deliver Large Audiences; Game 6 Tuesday on ABC
contacts: nate.smeltz@espn.com or mark.d.mandel@espn.com
ABC’s exclusive coverage of the fifth game of The NBA Finals – Los Angeles Lakers at Boston Celtics – delivered a 12.8 overnight rating, the highest of the series so far and a 36 percent increase from 2009 (Lakers vs. Orlando, 9.4 overnight). Sunday night’s Game 5 broadcast was the highest-rated show of the night for all of television, helping ABC to win the night for all networks in prime time, as was the case for the previous four games. The game peaked with a 16.5 rating from 10:30-10:45 p.m. ET. Click here for additional ratings information.
The series will continue with Game 6 on Tuesday, June 15, at 9 p.m. on ABC and ESPN Radio. The Celtics lead the series 3-2, with the Lakers facing elimination on their home court in Game 6.
U.S. Open from Pebble Beach: First Two Rounds Live in Prime Time
contact: mark.d.mandel@espn.com
ESPN will present a comprehensive multiplatform presentation of the 2010 U.S. Open Championship from Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, Calif., including live telecasts of the first two rounds Thursday, June 17, and Friday, June 18. ESPN will televise 14 hours of live first- and second-round action (1-3 p.m. and 5-10 p.m. both days).
Additionally, there will be coverage of the National Championship across 14 platforms: ESPN, ESPN HD, ESPN2, ESPN2 HD, ESPNEWS, ESPNEWS HD, ESPN Classic, ESPN International, ESPN.com, ESPN3.com, ESPN Audio, ESPN On Demand, Interactive Television and ESPN Mobile TV.
Chris Berman, who has covered the U.S. Open on ESPN since 1986, and Scott Van Pelt will host ESPN’s live telecasts Thursday and Friday. ESPN’s golf team also includes two-time U.S. Open Champions Curtis Strange (analyst) and Andy North (on-course reporter) as well as Roger Maltbie, Terry Gannon, Gary Koch and Sean McDonough (hole announcers) and on-course reporters Bill Kratzert and Judy Rankin. Van Pelt and John Anderson will anchor SportsCenter reports from Pebble Beach. Tom Rinaldi will contribute interviews and reports and ESPN The Magazine columnist Rick Reilly will provide essays and commentary.
For related U.S. Open photos, click here.
Wimbledon Starts June 21 on ESPN Platforms; Conference Call Tuesday; Patrick McEnroe at ESPN on Thursday
contact: dave.nagle@espn.com
Look for a press release this week with all the details about ESPN’s extensive Wimbledon programming, highlighted by more than 100 hours on television and 600 hours with ESPN3.com’s multi-screen presentation.
A conference call for media tomorrow, Tuesday, June 15, at 3 p.m. ET is offered with Mary Carillo, Brad Gilbert and programming and production executives. Interested media can dial in at 913-312-1510.
In addition, ESPN’s Patrick McEnroe will visit ESPN on Thursday, June 17, to appear on a variety of television and radio shows, including ESPN2’s First Take (10 a.m.-noon), ESPNEWS (2:40 p.m.), ESPN Radio’s Scott Van Pelt Show (3:40 p.m.) and ESPN2’s SportsNation (4 p.m.). He will also chat with fans on ESPN.com at 1:30 p.m.
For photos of Carillo, Gilbert and McEnroe, click here.
30 for 30: ‘June 17th, 1994’
contacts: keri.a.potts@espn.com and alison.lazar@espn.com
ESPN Films’ “30 for 30” series will continue Wednesday, June 16, at 10 p.m. with Brett Morgen’s June 17th, 1994. The film takes a look a memorable day in U.S. sports history, thanks to a confluence of divergent events. Arnold Palmer played his last round at a U.S. Open, which happened to be on his “home course” in Oakmont, Pa., the first-ever FIFA World Cup in the U.S. kicked off in Chicago and the Knicks battled Houston in the NBA Finals. But all were overshadowed by O.J. Simpson leading police on the infamous slow-speed chase through Los Angeles. Morgen weaves the various, unrelated sporting events together to create a documentary that reflects on a day that fans will never forget.
Director Brett Morgen on why he wanted to tell this story: “June 17th, 1994, happened to be one of the few days over the course of the last 30 years of sports in which you had a range of stories and subjects and emotions that I felt would really provide me with the canvas to tell this unique story. And ultimately what we were trying to do was find one day that sort of captured all of the highs of sports and the lows of sports.”
More information on the “30 for 30” series can be found in the ESPN Films media kit, including clips and stills.
NASCAR Nationwide Series Makes Road America Debut on ESPN2
contact: andy.hall@espn.com or george.mcneilly@espn.com
The NASCAR Nationwide Series races for the first time at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis., on Saturday, June 19, and ESPN2 will have live coverage of the Bucyrus 200. NASCAR Countdown airs at 3 p.m., with the green flag at 3:51 p.m. Allen Bestwick will call the race and host NASCAR Countdown. Analysts will be Rusty Wallace and Andy Petree.
NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series in Bristol
contact: andy.hall@espn.com or george.mcneilly@espn.com
The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series races this weekend in the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol, Tenn., and ESPN2 will show qualifying and eliminations. Qualifying airs Saturday, June 19, at 7 p.m. and eliminations airs Sunday at 4 p.m. Paul Page anchors with analysis by Mike Dunn. NHRA RaceDay presented by Lucas Oil airs Sunday at 3:30 p.m. to set the stage for that day’s action.
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