Expanded Rights Secured for ESPN3 and Other Multi-media Platforms for 24 NCAA Championships; Exclusive International Rights for NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship;
NIT^® Season Tip-Off and NIT Postseason Coverage

ESPN, Inc. and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) today announced a multiyear agreement through 2023-24 for worldwide, multi-media rights to 24 NCAA championships and exclusive multi-media rights outside the United States, its territories and Bermuda for the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship. The new agreement, which takes effect immediately, also provides expanded coverage of each round of the NIT Season Tip-Off and all games from the NIT Postseason Tournament across the ESPN networks.

The new agreement includes 600-plus hours and 300 telecasts of live coverage annually across more platforms than ever before. It contains rights for ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN3, ESPN 3D, ESPN Mobile, ESPN FULL COURT, GamePlan, Buzzer Beater, Goal Line, ESPN International, ESPN Deportes, ESPN.com and WatchESPN, with many of the 24 championships produced in high definition on ESPN HD, ESPN2 HD and ESPNU HD.

Exclusive coverage of the Division I Women’s Basketball Championship and broad rights covering the NCAA Division I Football Championship, and the Men’s and Women’s College World Series, among others, will continue on the ESPN networks.

“We have enjoyed a great relationship with the NCAA that has spanned the history of ESPN,” said George Bodenheimer, President, ESPN and ABC Sports, and Co-Chairman, Disney Media Networks. “This is our most comprehensive agreement yet and ensures sports fans will have access to top-level NCAA athletics across ESPN networks and platforms.”

“Thousands of inspiring and compelling student-athletes make it to the championship level every year, and we at the NCAA are excited to be able to share their stories with a broader audience than ever,” said NCAA President Mark Emmert. “Across all sports and divisions, our primary goal is to support student-athlete success both on the field and in the classroom, and this new agreement provides us a greater ability to do so.”

ESPN expands its exclusive final round NCAA coverage with 24 NCAA championships:

• Fall – Division I women’s soccer; Division I men’s soccer; Division I women’s volleyball; Division I football (FCS); Division II football and Division III football
• Winter - Division I men’s and women’s indoor track & field; Division I men’s and women’s swimming & diving; Division I women’s basketball; Division I wrestling; Division I men’s ice hockey; National Collegiate women’s bowling; National Collegiate women’s gymnastics and National Collegiate men’s and women’s fencing.
• Spring – National Collegiate men’s volleyball; Division I men’s and women’s lacrosse; Division I men’s and women’s outdoor track & field; Division I softball and Division I baseball

ESPN is adding coverage of seven NCAA championships: National Collegiate women’s gymnastics, National Collegiate men’s and women’s fencing, Division I women’s lacrosse, Division I men’s and women’s outdoor track & field and National Collegiate women’s bowling (previously sublicensed from CBS). ESPN will also air additional preliminary round coverage of selected NCAA championships including Division I football (FCS), Division I women’s volleyball, Division I softball and Division I baseball.

ESPNU

• Additional coverage on ESPN’s 24-hour college sports network, including high-profile, preliminary-round NCAA championships exposure. ESPNU has featured original NCAA content since the network’s inception on March 4, 2005
• During the 2011-12 season, 15 NCAA national champions will be crowned on ESPNU in the following events: National Collegiate women’s bowling; National collegiate men’s and women’s fencing; Division III football; National Collegiate women’s gymnastics; Division I men’s and women’s indoor track & field; Division I women’s lacrosse; Division I men’s and women’s outdoor track & field; Division I men’s and women’s soccer; Division I men’s and women’s swimming & diving, and National Collegiate men’s volleyball
• More than 90 events and 220 hours of NCAA championship programming during the 2011-12 season

ESPN3

• ESPN’s live multi-screen sports network will feature exclusive coverage from selected rounds and sites of 16 NCAA championships including: Division I baseball; National Collegiate men’s and women’s fencing; Division I football (FCS); National Collegiate women’s gymnastics; Division I men’s and women’s indoor track & field; Division I women’s lacrosse; Division I men’s and women’s outdoor track & field; Division I women’s soccer; Division I softball; Division I men’s and women’s swimming & diving; Division I women’s volleyball and Division I wrestling
• Extensive early-round event coverage from Division I baseball, Division I football (FCS), Division I men’s ice hockey, Division I softball, Division I women’s volleyball and Division I wrestling
• 80-plus live exclusive events from NCAA championships, the NIT Season Tip-Off and NIT Postseason Tournament during the 2011-12 season

Women’s Basketball

• ESPN remains the exclusive home of the Division I Women’s Basketball Championship.  ESPN has carried the championship since 1996
• 2012 marks the 10^th consecutive year of airing the entire championship with all 63 games tipping-off live on ESPN networks
• ESPN continues to feature the NCAA Women’s Basketball Selection Special with Selection Monday on ESPN

Men’s Basketball

• International rights for the entire NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, including distribution in Latin America (Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America), the Middle East and Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands, Europe, Japan and Canada (via TSN)
• Selected highlight rights from the complete championship for distribution in the U.S. and international territories
• Exclusive home of the men’s basketball NIT Season Tip-Off and NIT Postseason Tournament, including expanded coverage of the tip-off event and all rounds from the postseason tournament
• Live studio coverage from inside the stadium at the Men’s Final Four^®

Studio Shows

• In addition to women’s basketball, ESPN maintains exclusive rights to selected NCAA championship selection shows. ESPNU will showcase Division I baseball, Division I football (FCS), Division I men’s ice hockey, Division I men’s lacrosse, Division I softball, and Division I women’s volleyball selection shows

ESPNU
The 24-hour college sports television network airs more than 650 live events annually and offers over 600 original studio shows. ESPNU has seen a steady increase since its inception on March 4, 2005 and is now in over 73 million households. The brand is also available in high definition on ESPNU HD, now in over 20 million homes. The network has long-term carriage agreements with all 10 of the top multichannel TV providers – Cablevision, Charter, Comcast, Cox, DirecTV (Channel 208), DISH Network (Channel 141), Mediacom, Time Warner Cable, Verizon FiOS TV and AT&T U-verse.

ESPN3
ESPN3 is ESPN's live multi-screen sports network, a 24/7 destination that delivers thousands of global sports events annually and accessible online via WatchESPN.com. It is currently available to approximately 70 million homes at no additional cost to fans who receive their high-speed Internet connection or video subscription from an affiliated service provider. The network is also available at no cost to approximately 21 million U.S. college students and U.S.-based military personnel via computers connected to on-campus educational networks and on-base military networks. It is also accessible through ESPN on Xbox LIVE to Gold level members and on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app through an affiliated provider.

About the NCAA
The NCAA is a membership-led nonprofit association of colleges and universities committed to supporting academic and athletic opportunities for more than 400,000 student-athletes at more than 1,000 member colleges and universities. Each year, more than 54,000 student-athletes compete in 89 NCAA championships in Divisions I, II and III sports. Visit www.ncaa.org and www.ncaa.com for more details about the Association, its goals and members and corporate partnerships that help support programs for student-athletes.  The NCAA is proud to have the following elite companies as official Corporate Champions—AT&T, Capital One and Coca-Cola—and the following elite companies as official Corporate Partners—Buick, Enterprise, Infiniti, LG, Lowe’s, Planters, Reese’s, Unilever and UPS.

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ESPN’s Two-Game Finals Series Shows Significant Increase

ESPN and ESPN2’s complete coverage of the College World Series posted audience growth over last year, highlighted by significant increases for both telecasts of the championship finals.

The best-of-three championship, won in two games by South Carolina, averaged  2,233,000 total viewers, 1,618,000 households and a 1.6 rating, marking increases of 43% (vs. 1,558,000), 33% (vs. 1,220,000) and 33% (vs. 1.2), respectively, over last year.

Overall, ESPN’s 11 telecasts averaged 1,310,000 viewers, 994,000 households and a 1.0 rating for increases of 9% (vs. 1, 198,000), 7% (vs. 933,000) and 11% (vs. 0.9), respectively, over last year’s six contests. ESPN2 also showed growth, averaging 999,000 viewers, 771,000 households and a 0.8 rating for four games, marking increases of 26% (vs. 794,000), 28% (vs. 603,000) and 33% (vs. 0.6).

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New: Blueprint Graphics, Use of K Zone, Jason Aldean Music, “Omaha to the Bigs” Vignettes and Sports Science Features

ESPN’s extensive coverage of the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship – a record schedule of up to 69 games across ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN3.com and ESPN Mobile TV – will culminate with all 17 possible College World Series games for the ninth straight year Saturday, June 18, through Wednesday, June 29. Telecasts of the event – held at the new TD Ameritrade Park stadium in Omaha, Neb. – will include the use of K Zone, new graphics, music from country artist Jason Aldean, vignettes and more.

The network’s 32nd consecutive year of coverage will feature the entire event on ESPN or ESPN2 with simulcasts on ESPN3.com and ESPN Mobile TV. Every telecast will be offered in high definition on ESPN HD and ESPN2 HD. As part of the production of the telecasts, new elements will be introduced to showcase the quality of play, highlight the new stadium, capture the history and atmosphere of the event, and more. Details:

K Zone 2.0
For the first time, College World Series telecasts will feature “K Zone 2.0,” the enhanced version of ESPN’s Sports Emmy Award-winning K Zone. In addition to identifying the speed and location of a pitch in replays, “K Zone 2.0” is also capable of tracking the path of the ball from the pitcher’s hand through the strike zone and numerically sequencing pitches thrown. ESPN worked with Sportvision to develop the technology that is also featured in the network’s Major League Baseball and, also for the first time, Women’s College World Series telecasts.

X Mo Replays
Telecasts will utilize the X Mo replay system that films more frames per second of action than previous slow motion capabilities. The technology will eliminate motion blur and provide the viewer with clearer images, such as ball rotation, seams on the ball, a slide at the plate and more.

Music from Jason Aldean

Every telecast will incorporate songs from country artist Jason Aldean in musical highlight packages that will demonstrate the passion, essence and atmosphere of the College World Series. The video montage will include Aldean concert footage and game and scenic highlights, which will change throughout the event. Overall, ESPN will feature three songs from his current release “My Kinda Party”: “Crazy Town,” “Hicktown,” “My Kinda Party,” “Days Like These” and “Dirt Road Anthem.”

Georgia native Aldean has sold more than five million records and has posted six number one hits. His latest release, “My Kinda Party,” set a record as the highest first-week debut by a male artist in four years.

Blueprint Graphics

To signify the change in stadiums, all of the graphics in each telecast will incorporate the appearance of technical drawings similar to blueprints used for architecture or engineering designs. For every graphic, it will begin as a blueprint design that morphs into the actual stadium, team logo, player names, etc.

“Omaha to the Bigs”

New “Omaha to Bigs” vignettes will showcase Major League Baseball players discussing their experiences of playing in the College World Series, including: Darwin Barney (Oregon State, Chicago Cubs), Nick Hundley (Arizona, San Diego Padres), Alex Gordon (Nebraska, Kansas Royals) and Matt Wieters (Georgia Tech, Baltimore Orioles).

Sports Science
Telecasts will include several Sports Science segments, including host John Brenkus providing an in-depth analysis of how the location, layout and design of the new TD Ameritrade Park stadium might affect the games compared to Rosenblatt Stadium, which hosted the College World Series from 1950-2010.

Commentators
Commentator teams include Mike Patrick with analysts Orel Hershiser or Robin Ventura and reporters Kyle Peterson or Jenn Brown; Jon Sciambi with analysts Hershiser, Ventura or Nomar Garciaparra and Peterson or Brown; and Dave O’Brien with Garciaparra and Peterson. Patrick will call the Championship Series with Hershiser, Ventura, Peterson and Brown.

Additional Coverage
SportsCenter segments will originate from TD Ameritrade Park from June 20-22 and include analysts Hershiser, Ventura and Garciaparra on-set.

In addition to traditional coverage, ESPN.com and other digital platforms will provide unique, original content of the NCAA Baseball Championship. For the third consecutive year, ESPN will use social networking sites Facebook (ESPNOmaha) and Twitter (@ESPN_Omaha) to provide fans with updates and behind-the-scenes insight into the tournament. ESPN.com content includes a behind-the-scenes look at Oklahoma as it attempts to return to the College World Series, bracket analysis, and writers at many of the Regional and Super Regional sites.

NCAA College World Series Presented by Capital One
Two of the eight qualifying teams are making consecutive College World Series appearances, including defending National Champion South Carolina and Florida. No team has won the national championship back-to-back in over five decades. The first four matchups:

• First-time College World Series participant Vanderbilt will take on North Carolina, playing in its fifth College World Series in the past six years.
• Texas will play in its record 34th College World Series, taking on Florida which is making its second since 2005.
• California, making its first College World Series appearance in 19 years, will take on Virginia, which earned its second berth in the event ever and finished the season with the best record in college baseball.
• Defending Champion South Carolina will take on Texas A&M, playing in its first College World Series since 1999.

* If necessary

** If only Game 13 is necessary, it will be played at 7 p.m. on ESPN2

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ESPN’s NCAA Division I Baseball Championship schedule – a record possible 69 games across ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN3.com and ESPN Mobile TV – will continue with all possible 24 Super Regional games from the eight series sites June 10-13. ESPN will conclude coverage with every College World Series game (June 18-29) from the new TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Neb.

For the first time, all of the telecasts will be produced in high definition and every Super Regionals game will be televised nationally (select games were previously regionalized).

In addition to traditional coverage, ESPN.com and other digital platforms will provide unique, original coverage of the NCAA Baseball Championship. For the third consecutive year, ESPN will use social networking sites Facebook (ESPNOmaha) and Twitter (@ESPN_Omaha) to provide fans with updates and behind-the-scenes insight into the tournament. ESPN.com content includes a behind the scenes look at Oklahoma as it attempts to return to the College World Series, bracket analysis, and writers at many of the Regional and Super Regional sites.

NCAA Baseball Super Regionals Presented by Capital One

 * If necessary
** Schedule subject to change based on availability of if necessary games

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New: Up to 69 Games, Every Telecast in HD & on ESPN3.com; Entire Super Regionals Available Nationally

ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN3.com and ESPN Mobile TV will combine to provide a record schedule of up to 69 NCAA Division I Baseball Championship games from June 3 to June 29. The increase over the previous high of a maximum 55 games – each year of the past six NCAA Baseball Championships – is from the addition of a possible 14 games from two Regional series offered exclusively on ESPN3.com.

New elements include every telecast produced in high definition and every Super Regional game nationally televised (select games were previously regionalized).

The schedule includes complete coverage of four Regional (June 3-6) and all eight Super Regional sites (June 10-13) and every College World Series game (June 18-29) from the new TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Neb. For the first time, ESPN3.com will offer exclusive Regional series action and simulcasts of every telecast. For the ninth straight year, ESPN and ESPN2 will combine to televise the entire NCAA Men’s College World Series, including the best-of-three Series Finals.

Coverage will begin Friday, June 3, on ESPNU and ESPN3.com with eight Regional games from four sites.

• The Gainesville, Fla., site on ESPNU: Jacksonville vs. Miami at noon and Manhattan vs. Florida at 4 p.m.
• The Fullerton, Calif., site on ESPNU: Kansas State vs. Stanford at 7 p.m. and Illinois vs. Cal State Fullerton at 11 p.m.
• The Fort Worth, Texas, site on ESPN3.com: Dallas Baptist vs. Oklahoma at 3 p.m. and Oral Roberts vs. TCU at 8 p.m.
• The Corvallis, Ore., site on ESPN3.com: Georgia vs. Creighton at 4 p.m. and Arkansas-Little Rock vs. Oregon State at 9 p.m.

In addition to traditional coverage, ESPN.com and other digital platforms will provide unique, original coverage of the NCAA Baseball Championship. For the third consecutive year, ESPN will use social networking sites Facebook (ESPNOmaha) and Twitter (@ESPN_Omaha) to provide fans with updates and behind-the-scenes insight into the tournament. ESPN.com content includes a behind the scenes look at Oklahoma as it attempts to return to the College World Series, bracket analysis, and writers at many of the Regional and Super Regional sites.

Five of the analysts working the Regionals, Super Regionals and College World Series have played in the College World Series, highlighted by one who won the National Championship (Morgan Ensberg with USC in 1998), along with Robin Ventura (Oklahoma State), Kyle Peterson (Stanford), Nomar Garciaparra (Georgia Tech) and Paul Lo Duca (Arizona State).

Regionals (June 3-6): For the seventh consecutive year, ESPNU will offer complete and exclusive coverage from two Regional sites, beginning with four games Friday, June 3. This year will mark the first time ESPN3.com will offer exclusive coverage of a Regional series:

• Each site will feature four teams competing in a double-elimination format and each site winner (a total of 16 sites) will advance to the Super Regionals. 
• Clay Matvick and Peterson will work games from Gainesville, Fla.; Justin Kutcher and Ensberg from Fullerton, Calif.; Brian Estridge and John Gregory from Fort Worth, Texas; and Mark Neely and Nick Belmonte from Corvallis, Ore . 

NCAA Baseball Regionals Presented by Capital One

* If necessary

Super Regionals (June 10-13): ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN3.com and ESPN Mobile TV will combine to televise every game of the eight best-of-three Super Regionals (up to 24 games):

• ESPNU will televise up to eight games exclusively, an increase from four last year.
• Each Super Regional winner will advance to the College World Series.  
• Coverage will feature announcers Mike Patrick, Matvick, Kutcher, Dave Neal, Carter Blackburn, Dan McLaughlin, Mark Neely and Mike Gleason, and analysts Peterson, Ensberg, Garciaparra, Frank Thomas, Lo Duca, Mike Rooney, Nick Belmonte and Jay Walker. Announcer pairings are to be determined.

NCAA Baseball Super Regionals Presented by Capital One

* If necessary

College World Series: For the ninth straight year, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3.com and ESPN Mobile TV will combine to televise the entire College World Series (up to 17 games), including the best-of-three College World Series Finals. ESPN’s 32^nd consecutive year of coverage will begin June 18 and conclude June 29. 

• For the fourth year, all three games of the Championship Series will be televised live in prime time (all on ESPN Monday, June 28, to Wednesday, June 30, at 8 p.m.).
• SportsCenter segments will originate from Omaha from June 20-22. On-site analysts Orel Hershiser, Robin Ventura and Nomar Garciaparra will contribute.
• Commentators include Mike Patrick, Jon Sciambi and Dave O’Brien, Orel Hershiser, Robin Ventura and Nomar Garciaparra and reporters Kyle Peterson and Jenn Brown.
• Patrick will call the Championship Series with Hershiser, Ventura, Peterson and Brown.

NCAA College World Series Presented by Capital One

* If necessary

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On Monday, May 30, at 12:30 p.m., ESPN will televise the 30-minute NCAA Division I Road to Omaha Selection Show Presented by Capital One featuring the live announcement of the 64-team field for the NCAA Baseball Championship. Ryan Burr will host with analyst Kyle Peterson. The program will include an in-depth look at each region, key players in the tournament, analyst Keith Law discussing Major League Baseball prospects to watch and more. 

ESPN will provide extensive coverage of the NCAA Baseball Championship – including Regionals, Super Regionals and College World Series – across ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN3.com June 3 to June 29.

ESPN3.com and ESPN2 will combine to offer all 15 games of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Baseball Tournament Wednesday, May 25 through Sunday, May 29. Overall, ESPN3.com will offer 14 games while ESPN2 will simulcast the championship. It marks the second consecutive year ESPN2 has televised the championship game.

The tournament -- played at Regions Park in Hoover, Ala. -- follows an eight-team double elimination format similar to the College World Series. The tournament field includes the top teams from the conference’s Eastern and Western Divisions plus six at-large bids based on conference winning percentage.

Last season, LSU defeated Alabama 4-3 in 11 innings to win its third straight SEC baseball title.

* If both bracket winners are undefeated, there will be no games 13 or 14 on Saturday and the championship game Sunday would be Game 13.

ESPNU’s inaugural Thursday Night SEC Baseball Game of the Week will begin Thursday, Apr. 7, at 7:30 p.m. and will run seven-straight weeks through May 19. A Thursday night national game of the week is a first for the college sport, and features all eight conference teams that earned NCAA postseason bids in 2010.

“ESPNU is thrilled to feature a seven-week SEC Thursday night baseball series,” said Rosalyn Durant, Vice President, ESPNU. “Showcasing the vast talent of SEC baseball is great for the sport, fans, league and ESPNU. We appreciate the partnership with the SEC in creating this consistent Thursday night national package.”

SEC baseball is coming off a successful season that saw South Carolina win the 2010 National Championship Series, Florida advanced to the College World Series and eight SEC teams overall earned a NCAA postseason bid. It marked the sixth time since 2000 and the third straight year an SEC team played for the national title.

ESPNU Thursday Night SEC Baseball Game of the Week schedule highlights include:

• 2010 national champion South Carolina, SEC Tournament champion LSU and SEC regular-season champion Florida
• Top 25 teams that advanced to the 2010 NCAA Championship – Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, LSU, Ole Miss, South Carolina and Vanderbilt

“The Thursday night package of SEC games on ESPNU is a great opportunity for us to showcase the outstanding baseball that is played in our conference,” said SEC Commissioner Mike Slive. “The ESPNU package will be able to draw attention to the outstanding game-day atmosphere we have at our baseball stadiums as well as the rich tradition and history of SEC baseball.”

ESPNU SEC Thursday Night Baseball Schedule (Schedule subject to change)

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Highlights: Garciaparra Calling Games; Special Tributes about Rosenblatt Stadium

ESPN’s extensive coverage of the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship – featuring a scheduled 55 games across ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN3.com and ESPN Mobile TV – will continue with all 17 possible College World Series games for the eighth straight year Saturday, June 19, through Wednesday, June 30, from Omaha, Neb.

ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3.com and ESPN Mobile TV will combine to televise every game, including the best-of-three College World Series Finals, in the network’s 31st consecutive year. Every telecast will be offered in high definition on ESPN HD and ESPN2 HD.

New elements this year include:

• ESPN baseball analyst Nomar Garciaparra will work six game telecasts and provide analysis on SportsCenter from Omaha.
• In celebration of the final year of Rosenblatt Stadium, telecasts will be highlighted by special vignettes and features about the historic stadium and memorable moments of the College World Series in Omaha.
  • “Farewell to Rosenblatt” vignettes will showcase the great moments and memories since 1950, the first year the College World Series was played at the stadium.
  • “My Stadium” vignettes will feature fans and Omaha residents reliving memories of Rosenblatt Stadium.
  • Short “Omaha to Bigs” features will include Major League Baseball players discussing their experiences of playing in the College World Series in Omaha.
  • Articles, historic video moments and a Rosenblatt video essay on ESPN.com.
  • Each telecast will include a look back at the top College World Series plays.

My Stadium Vignettes

Commentator teams include Mike Patrick with analysts Orel Hershiser, Robin Ventura or Nomar Garciaparra and reporters Erin Andrews or Kyle Peterson; Sean McDonough with analyst Robin Ventura and reporter Erin Andrews; and Karl Ravech with analyst Nomar Garciaparra and reporter Kyle Peterson. Jenn Brown will host SportsCenter segments June 21-23 from Rosenblatt Stadium with analysis from Hershiser, Ventura and Garciaparra.

In addition to traditional coverage, ESPN.com and other digital platforms will provide unique, original coverage of the NCAA Baseball Championship. For the second consecutive year, ESPN will use social networking sites Facebook (ESPNOmaha) and Twitter (@ESPN_Omaha) to provide fans with updates and behind-the-scenes insight into the tournament. Details include:

• ESPN.com and the ESPN Omaha Facebook page will also serve as a location for fans to post comments and photos, and play trivia games.
• ESPN analysts will provide commentary, updates, their perspective of the action and baseball news via Twitter from the Super Regionals through the conclusion of the College World Series.

Of the eight qualifying teams, only Arizona State, which is making its 22nd overall appearance, participated in last year’s event. Arizona State faces Clemson, playing in its first College World Series since 2006 and fourth since 2000, on Sunday, June 20, at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and ESPN3.com. Matchups include:

• Coverage will begin with Florida State, making its 20th overall College World Series appearance, taking on TCU, making its first appearance, Saturday, June 19, at 2 p.m. on ESPN and ESPN3.com
• UCLA, earning its first berth in the event since 1997, will play Florida, making its first appearance since 2005.
• South Carolina, playing in its first College World Series since 2004, will take on Oklahoma, making its first since 1995.

NCAA College World Series Presented by Capital One

* If necessary

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For the sixth straight year, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN3.com and ESPN Mobile TV will offer coverage of up to 55 games of the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship from June 4 to June 30, including complete coverage from two Regional (June 4-7) and all eight Super Regional sites (June 11-14) and every College World Series game (June 19-30) from Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Neb. ESPN3.com will simulcast every ESPN and ESPN2 telecast.

Highlights:

• ESPN baseball analyst Nomar Garciaparra will work Super Regional and College World Series game telecasts.
• ESPNU will offer complete coverage of the Regional site involving Florida International sophomore infielder Garret Wittels, who is in the midst of a 54-game hitting streak, four shy of ESPN analyst and former Oklahoma State and Major League Baseball star Robin Ventura’s NCAA record set in 1987.
• In celebration of the final year of Rosenblatt Stadium, coverage will be highlighted by special vignettes and features about the historic stadium and memorable moments of the College World Series in Omaha.
  • “Farewell to Rosenblatt” vignettes will showcase the great moments and memories since 1950, the first year the College World Series was played at the stadium.
  • “My Stadium” vignettes will feature fans and Omaha residents reliving memories of Rosenblatt Stadium.
  • Short “Omaha to Bigs” features will include Major League Baseball players discussing their experiences of playing in the College World Series in Omaha.
  • Articles, historic video moments and a Rosenblatt video essay on ESPN.com.
  • Each telecast will include a look back at the top College World Series plays.
  • ESPNU will televise The Long Home Run, a documentary on Omaha and the College World Series narrated by Academy Award-winning actor Kevin Costner, Thursday, June 3, at 9:30 p.m. ET.

For the second consecutive year, ESPNU will offer both Regional sites in high definition on ESPNU HD. For the eighth straight year, ESPN and ESPN2 will combine to televise the entire Men’s College World Series, including the best-of-three Series Finals, with every game in high definition on ESPN HD or ESPN2 HD.

Coverage will begin Friday, June 4, on ESPNU with four Regional games from two sites. The Coral Gables, Fla., site will feature Florida International vs. Texas A&M at noon and Dartmouth vs. Miami at 4 p.m. Action from the Fullerton, Calif., site will pit New Mexico vs. Stanford at 7 p.m. and Minnesota vs. Cal State Fullerton at 11 p.m.

In addition to traditional coverage, ESPN.com and other digital platforms will provide unique, original coverage of the NCAA Baseball Championship. For the second consecutive year, ESPN will use social networking sites Facebook (ESPNOmaha) and Twitter (@ESPN_Omaha) to provide fans with updates and behind-the-scenes insight into the tournament. Details include:

• ESPN.com and the ESPN Omaha Facebook page will also serve as a location for fans to post comments and photos, and play trivia games.
• ESPN analysts will provide commentary, updates, their perspective of the action and baseball news via Twitter from the Super Regionals through the conclusion of the College World Series.

Seven of the analysts working the Regionals, Super Regionals and College World Series have played in the College World Series, highlighted by one who won the National Championship (Morgan Ensberg with USC in 1998), along with Robin Ventura (Oklahoma State), Kyle Peterson (Stanford), Nomar Garciaparra (Georgia Tech), Ben McDonald (LSU), Keith Moreland (Texas) and Eric Byrnes (UCLA).

• Regionals: For the sixth consecutive year, ESPNU will offer complete and exclusive coverage from two Regional sites (June 4-7), beginning with four games Friday, June 4: 
  • Each site will feature four teams competing in a double-elimination format and each site winner (a total of 16 sites) will advance to the Super Regionals.   
  • Clay Matvick, Kyle Peterson and Eric Byrnes will work games from the Coral Gables, Fla., site while Justin Kutcher and Morgan Ensberg will call games from the Fullerton, Calif., site. 
• Super Regionals: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN3.com and ESPN Mobile TV will combine to televise every game of the eight best-of-three Super Regionals (up to 24 games) June 11-14:  
  • Up to eight of ESPN and ESPN2’s possible 16 windows will feature two games and will whip around to the best action from both games for viewers in most of the nation (except in the home market of the competing teams, where the game of local interest will be the primary telecast).   
  • ESPNU will televise four games exclusively. 
  • Each Super Regional winner will advance to the College World Series.   
  • Coverage will feature eight commentator teams (site assignments are to be determined): Matvick and Peterson; Kutcher and Ensberg; Mark Neely and Robin Ventura; Pam Ward and Nomar Garciaparra; Dan McLaughlin, Nick Belmonte and Jay Walker; Mike Gleason and Mike Rooney; Carter Blackburn and Keith Moreland; and Bob Wischusen and Ben McDonald. 
• College World Series: For the eighth straight year, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3.com and ESPN Mobile TV will combine to televise the entire College World Series (up to 17 games), including the best-of-three College World Series Finals. ESPN’s 31st consecutive year of coverage will begin June 19 and conclude June 30. 
  • Every ESPN and ESPN2 game will be offered in high definition on ESPN HD and ESPN2 HD.
  • For the third year, all three games of the Championship Series will be televised live in prime time (all on ESPN Monday, June 28, to Wednesday, June 30, at 7:30 p.m.).
  • In addition to game coverage, Jenn Brown will host segments from Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha for SportsCenter June 21-23. On-site analysts Orel Hershiser, Robin Ventura and Nomar Garciaparra will contribute.
  • Commentator teams include Mike Patrick with analysts Orel Hershiser, Robin Ventura or Nomar Garciaparra and reporters Erin Andrews or Kyle Peterson; Sean McDonough with analyst Robin Ventura and reporter Erin Andrews; and Karl Ravech with analyst Nomar Garciaparra and reporter Kyle Peterson.
  • Patrick will call the Championship Series with Hershiser, Ventura, Andrews and Peterson.

 NCAA Baseball Regionals Presented by Capital One

* If necessary

 NCAA Baseball Super Regionals Presented by Capital One

* If necessary

** ESPN or ESPN2 will showcase two games within one window and “whip around” to the best action from those games in most of the nation. Viewers in the home markets of the competing teams will receive their local game in its entirety with constant updates from the other game

^ ESPN Mobile TV will simulcast one of the two games

 NCAA College World Series Presented by Capital One

* If necessary

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