Sports Media News

Keeping Up With All The Industry Press Releases

Archives for March 2012

ESPN’s Multiplatform Coverage of MLB’s Opening Week

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ESPN’s Multiplatform Coverage of MLB’s Opening Week

Baseball Tonight in Miami & Anaheim, Mike & Mike from MLB Fan Cave

ESPN’s multiplatform coverage of Major League Baseball’s Opening Week will begin with a full slate of MLB-focused programming on Wednesday, April 4, leading into ESPN’s exclusive national telecast of Opening Night – defending Champion Cardinals at new-look Marlins – at 7 p.m. ET. In total, ESPN and ESPN2 will combine to televise five games in three days Opening Week. Programming on April 4th will include:

Baseball Tonight

Baseball Tonight will be live in Miami at 6 p.m. leading into MLB Opening Night. The set will be located just outside the new Marlins Park to capture fan atmosphere surrounding the grand opening of the new stadium. Host Karl Ravech will be joined by analysts John Kruk and recently elected Hall of Famer Barry Larkin. The Baseball Tonight crew will then travel to Anaheim for Albert Pujols’ debut with the Los Angeles Angels as they host the Kansas City Royals on Friday, April 6, at 10 p.m. on ESPN2.

Mike and Mike in the Morning at the MLB Fan Cave

Mike & Mike will emanate from the MLB Fan Cave in New York on Wednesday, April 4, and Thursday, April 5, from 6-10 a.m. Guests will be announced in the coming days. Mike & Mike is available nationally on ESPN Radio and via simulcast on ESPN2.

Additional Programming Highlights

ESPN programming will feature daylong MLB season-opening discussion, debate and content on April 4, including live SportsCenter updates from Marlins Park; First Take (10 a.m./ESPN2); Numbers Never Lie (4 p.m./ESPN2); and SportsNation (5 p.m./ESPN2). ESPN will also televise a special edition of Dan Le Batard is Highly Questionable on location at Marlins Park (4:30 p.m./ESPN2). In addition, ESPN will be airing Game 162 – an MLB-produced special on the final day of 2011’s regular season – on Monday, April 2, at 8 p.m. and again on April 4, at 2 p.m. on ESPN2.

New Sunday Night Baseball Team to Call Four Games in Five Days

ESPN’s new Sunday Night Baseball team – Dan Shulman, Orel Hershiser, Terry Francona and Buster Olney – will call four games in five days to open the season, beginning with Cardinals/Marlins on Opening Night.

ESPN’s season-opening coverage continues:

Thursday, April 5

ü  Mike & Mike at the MLB Fan Cave (6-10 a.m.);

ü  First Take to feature debate and discussion on a variety of topics relating to MLB Opening Week (10 a.m. – noon);

ü  Two editions of Baseball Tonight– 12 p.m. and 7 p.m. – to provide news, highlights and analysis on top season-opening storylines;

ü  Red Sox at Tigers at 1 p.m.; Marlins at Reds at 4 p.m. (ESPN2).

Friday, April 6

ü  The Herd with Colin Cowherd onsite at Angels Stadium from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. The Herd is available on ESPN Radio and via simulcast on ESPNEWS;

ü  Baseball Tonight onsite at Angels Stadium (6 p.m.);

ü  Giants at Diamondbacks at 7 p.m.; Royals at Angels at 10 p.m. (ESPN2).

ESPN Audio

ESPN’s Opening Week radio games will feature defending the World Champion St. Louis Cardinals at the new home of the Miami Marlins on April 4 (6 p.m.); San Francisco Giants at Arizona Diamondbacks on April 6 (6:30 p.m.); Kansas City Royals at the Los Angeles Angels on April 7 (3 p.m.) and the Chicago White Sox at the Texas Rangers on April 8 (7:00 p.m.).  Jon Sciambi and Chris Singleton will describe the action for all four games as ESPN Audio kicks off its season-long national MLB coverage that will once again include the Playoffs and World Series.

ESPN.com

ü  World Series predictions from ESPN MLB experts;

ü  Launch of new-look Baseball Tonight page;

ü  WatchESPN/GameCast of all five MLB Opening Week games on ESPN;

ü  Curt Schilling’s predictions for 2012 MVP and Cy Young winners;

ü  Breaking news, essays, video/photo galleries from Opening Week.

Facebook & Twitter

ü  Twitter activity throughout MLB Opening Week from @ESPN_BBTN and @ESPN_MLB accounts;

ü  Baseball Tonight’s Facebook page will be updated with Opening Day photo/video galleries and fan questions.

ESPN Mobile

Starting Monday, April 2, fans can sign up for Close Game Alerts to be alerted when an MLB game is close in the 7th inning or later.

ESPN Deportes: Beisbol Esta Noche

Beisbol Esta Noche will be on site for a special pregame show from Marlins Park at 6:30 p.m. Commentators will include Carolina Guillen and Candy Maldonado.

ESPN International

ESPN International will present MLB Opening Week games across Latin America (South America, Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean), Africa, Middle East and the Pacific Rim (Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands).

ESPN Opening Week Schedule and Commentators

 

Date Time (ET) Game Commentators Networks
Wed., April 4 7 p.m. St. Louis Cardinals at Miami Marlins * Dan Shulman,

Orel Hershiser,

Terry Francona, Buster Olney

 ESPN, ESPN3, ESPN Mobile TV, WatchESPN
Thurs., April 5 1 p.m. Boston Red Sox at Detroit Tigers Shulman, Hershiser, Francona, Olney ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPN Mobile TV, WatchESPN
  4 p.m. Miami Marlins at Cincinnati Reds Sean McDonough, Aaron Boone,

Rick Sutcliffe,

Tim Kurkjian

 ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPN Mobile TV, WatchESPN
Fri., April 6 7 p.m. San Francisco Giants at Arizona Diamondbacks * Dave O’Brien, Nomar Garciaparra, Mark Mulder, Pedro Gomez ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPN Mobile TV, WatchESPN
  10 p.m. Kansas City Royals at Los Angeles Angels * Shulman, Hershiser, Francona, Olney ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPN Mobile TV, WatchESPN

*ESPN Radio will present national broadcasts of these games with Jon Sciambi and Chris Singleton calling the action.

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Notes from NBA TV’s Fan Night presented by Sprint – Tuesday, March 27, 2012

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Notes from NBA TV’s Fan Night presented by Sprint

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Los Angeles Lakers (104) @ Golden State Warriors (101)

 

Voting is open on NBA.com, NBA Facebook Page and Yahoo.com for next week’s Fan Night match-up that will air on April 3

Fans can select between the following games:

New York Knicks @ Indiana Pacers

San Antonio Spurs @ Cleveland Cavaliers

Philadelphia 76ers @ Miami Heat

Orlando Magic @ Detroit Pistons

New Jersey Nets @ Los Angeles Lakers

 CLIP OF THE NIGHT

(click on the link below)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Ramon Sessions joins the Fan Night Crew via Arena Link

 

***** ***** ***** 

NBA GameTime

Ernie Johnson, Brent Barry and Steve Smith

Smith on Kobe Bryant being benched earlier in the week and Bryant’s response: “I loved the way Kobe Bryant approached this. Seeing Kobe Bryant make this statement [“He (Mike Brown) is the coach….”], everything is fine.”

Barry on Kobe Bryant: “He has more responsibility to handle these kinds of situations because of the absence of Derek Fisher.”

Smith on the Lakers chances in the postseason: “When you have size, not only offensively but defensively, you can control the game.”

Smith on the Lakers lack of bench that could hinder them in the postseason: “I’m still skeptical about them having a seasoned [second] unit that can come in and be creative.”

Barry on what could hold back the Lakers from a title this season: “The bench, to me, still is a huge question mark.”

***** ***** *****

Sprint Halftime Report

Johnson, Barry and Smith

Barry on Lakers guard Kobe Bryant’s first half 4-11 FG and 8-8 FT compared to Golden State guard Klay Thompson’s 4-11 FG: “Great scorers find ways to get some points by getting to the free throw line.”

***** ***** *****

NBA GameTime presented by Hyundai

Johnson, Barry and Smith

Smith on Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol: “He doesn’t get a lot of touches anymore, but when he does he is so effective. The skill set and his length [were] too much for the Warriors front line.”

Barry on Golden State’s Klay Thompson and his play on the court: “I’m impressed with the poise with which he plays and I am also impressed at the number of things he does.  We know he was a great spot-up, stand-still shooter, but tonight we saw him put the ball on the floor. He is improving with every game and taking advantage of this opportunity.”

Los Angeles Lakers guard Ramon Session joins the Fan Night studio team via Arena Link

Sessions on being on a team that has the potential to make it to the playoffs and beyond: “To come to an organization like the Lakers and to compete not only in the playoffs but for a championship is a dream come true for me.”                                      

Sessions on balancing scoring and having Kobe Bryant trust him to run the offense: “It’s definitely something I am learning on the go. When you play with one of the best to ever play the game and to tell him to go stand in the corner and let me run this play, it definitely takes a lot. But Kobe believes in me and tells me to stay aggressive and play my game. When that time comes, I don’t think he has the problem with taking some of the wear off him.”

Barry on the potential pressures Sessions might be feeling as the replacement for Derek Fisher: “One of the interesting things is he’s replacing Derek Fisher. Derek Fisher in Los Angeles is revered for not only winning championships with the Lakers but for all the things Fisher represented for that organization for so many years.  So I wonder if Ramon Sessions thinks about that or if it’s an added pressure for him? It’s an added dynamic for this trade.”

 


Thirteen BIG EAST College Football Telecasts for 2012

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Thirteen BIG EAST College Football Telecasts for 2012
 
ESPN announced 13 of its BIG EAST Conference college football selections for the 2012 season, including two Thursday and four Friday night telecasts, three non-conference Saturday showdowns, two Championship Saturday matchups, and two games on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Additional games will be announced in the coming months. Highlights:
 
  • Every conference team will be featured in at least one of the 14 games, including new member Temple against conference foe Syracuse on the Friday after Thanksgiving on November 23. The schedule also includes four appearances by Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Syracuse; three by Connecticut, Louisville and South Florida; and one by Rutgers.
 
  • Two of the three non-conference Saturday telecasts will pit a BIG EAST member against a team ranked in the top eight of an ESPN.com early pre-season poll for 2012: No. 1 USC vs. Syracuse at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ on September 8 and No. 8 Florida State at South Florida on September 29. The other game will pit North Carolina of the ACC against Louisville on September 15. Network assignments are to be determined between ABC, ESPN and ESPN2.
 
  • The popular Thursday night ESPN College Football Primetime series will showcase the BIG EAST in two telecasts: Pittsburgh at Cincinnati (September 6 at 8 p.m. ET) and Louisville at Rutgers (November 29 at 7:30 p.m.).
 
  • Two BIG EAST games will be featured on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 the Friday after Thanksgiving, Nov. 23: South Florida at Cincinnati and Syracuse at Temple.
 
  • ESPN and ESPN2 will combine to televise four Friday BIG EAST conference showdowns in prime time, including Cincinnati at Louisville, a showdown between two of the conference’s top three teams last year, on October 26 at 8 p.m. on ESPN or ESPN2.
 
  • The season will conclude December 1 with two telecasts as part of Championship Saturday on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2: Cincinnati at Connecticut and Pittsburgh at South Florida. The conference’s automatic bid to the Bowl Championship Series has been decided in the last week of the season the past two years.
 
2012 BIG EAST Schedule as of March 27 (additional selections will be announced):
 
Date Time (ET) Game Network
Thu, Sep 6 8 p.m. Pittsburgh at Cincinnati ESPN
Sat, Sep 8 TBD USC vs. Syracuse (from East Rutherford, NJ) ABC, ESPN or ESPN2
Sat, Sep 15 TBA North Carolina at Louisville ABC, ESPN or ESPN2
Sat, Sep 29 TBA Florida State at South Florida ABC, ESPN or ESPN2
Fri, Oct 5 7 p.m. Pittsburgh at Syracuse ESPN
Fri, Oct 19 8 p.m. Connecticut at Syracuse ESPN
Fri, Oct 26 8 p.m. Cincinnati at Louisville ESPN or ESPN2
Fri, Nov 9 8 p.m. Pittsburgh at Connecticut ESPN2
Fri, Nov 23 TBD South Florida at Cincinnati ABC, ESPN or ESPN2
  TBD Syracuse at Temple ABC, ESPN or ESPN2
Thu, Nov 29 7:30 p.m. Louisville at Rutgers ESPN
Sat, Dec 1 TBD Cincinnati at Connecticut ABC, ESPN or ESPN2
  TBD Pittsburgh at South Florida ABC, ESPN or ESPN2
 
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NBC Sports Network’s MLS Coverage Continues With Live Primetime Matches On Friday And Saturday

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FC Dallas at D.C. United Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET; New England Revolution at Los Angeles Galaxy Saturday at 11 p.m. ET

“With explosive MVP Dwayne De Rosario in their ranks, they could spark into life on Friday, and light up RFK Stadium.” – Arlo White on D.C. United

“They continue to heat up game by game.” – Martino on L.A. Galaxy

NEW YORK –March 28, 2012 –NBC Sports Network’s coverage of Major League Soccer continues with two primetime games this week: Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET, D.C. United hosts FC Dallas and Saturday at 11 p.m. ET, L.A. Galaxy hosts the New England Revolution.

COMMENTATORS: The NBC Sports Group MLS announce team of Arlo White (@arlowhite, play-by-play), and Kyle Martino (@kylemartino, “Between the Benches” analyst) will call both Friday night and Saturday night games. NBC SportsTalk host Russ Thaler (@RussThaler) will host the pre-game, halftime and post-game segments on Friday live from RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., while NBC Sports Network’s Paul Burmeister hosts the coverage on Saturday from The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.

White and Martino have received praise for their work this season. Soccer America said White is “one of the best MLS commentators around” and called Martino, “NBC’s insider analyst, not simply a guy with a mike.” Additionally, The Tampa Times said NBC Sports Network’s coverage, “looked great and sounded even better with Kyle Martino between the benches, just like you might see on NBC’s hockey coverage.”

WHITE AND MARTINO BREAK DOWN THE MATCHUPS:

WHITE ON D.C.UNITED VS. FC DALLAS: “Dallas will be one of the premier teams in the tough Western Conference when they get back to full strength. Brazilian Ricardo Villar has covered for the injured David Ferreira brilliantly so far, scoring two fantastic goals. Striker Blas Perez has been involved in every goal Dallas has scored this season. He’s hot! Ben Olsen’s D.C. United are desperate for a win. Once the power of MLS, the club has fallen on hard times recently, but with explosive MVP Dwayne De Rosario in their ranks, they could spark into life on Friday, and light up RFK Stadium.”

MARTINO ON L.A. GALAXY VS. REVOLUTION: “Although they were without their ideal starting 11 the Revs were able to record their first win of the season last game against Portland. Hopefully there is room in the overhead compartment for that confidence as they make the cross-country flight to take on a dangerously talented L.A. team. A few bumps early are well in the Galaxy’s rearview as they continue to heat up game by game.”

UPCOMING MLS GAMES ON NBC SPORTS NETWORK: (All Times ET, Home Team Listed First)

Sat. April 14, Philadelphia vs. Columbus, 3:30 p.m.

Sat. April 21, Toronto vs. Chicago, 3:30 p.m.

Sat. April 28, New York vs. New England, 3:30 p.m.

For the full NBC Sports Group 2012 MLS Schedule visit www.NBCSports.com.

ProSoccerTalk on NBCSports.com: Steve Davis (@SteveDavis90), a respected soccer journalist for more than two decades, is the featured writer for ProSoccerTalk on NBCSports.com. Davis, who has covered Major League Soccer, since its inception in 1996 contributes regular posts and will provide video reports to NBCSports.com, and is expected to be an occasional guest on NBC SportsTalk, the daily hour-long news and information show the new NBC Sports Network.

# # #

Last August, Major League Soccer (MLS) and the NBC Sports Group announced a three-year media rights agreement that calls for 46 MLS games and four U.S. National Team contests to be televised live across both NBC and NBC Sports Network each season. This agreement was the first rights deal for the new NBC Sports Network. All telecasts on NBC and NBC Sports Network will consist of pre-game and post-game coverage.

–NBC Sports Group–

“30 Games, 30 Clubs, 30 Days” Returns Thur. April 5 on MLB Network

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MLB NETWORK ANNOUNCES FIRST LIVE GAME SCHEDULE FOR 2012 MLB REGULAR SEASON

30 Games, 30 Clubs, 30 Days Begins Thursday, April 5 with the Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego Padres

MLB Network Showcase, A Series of MLB Network-Produced Live Games, Begins with

Bob Costas & Jim Kaat Calling the Miami Marlins at Philadelphia Phillies on April 12

Opening Day Studio Coverage to Include More Than 10 Live Hours Starting at 10:00 a.m. ET on April 5

 

Secaucus, N.J., March 27, 2012 – With Opening Day less than two weeks away, MLB Network today announced its live game schedule for the 2012 regular season through Friday, May 4. The schedule features the return of 30 Games, 30 Clubs, 30 Days, a package of 30 live games featuring all 30 Clubs, beginning with the only prime time matchup scheduled for Opening Day on Thursday, April 5, as 2011 N.L. Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw takes the ball for the Los Angeles Dodgers against the San Diego Padres in the Padres’ home opener at 7:00 p.m. ET. The 30 Games, 30 Clubs, 30 Days schedule features eight home openers, including the 2011 World Champion St. Louis Cardinals hosting their division rival Chicago Cubs on Friday, April 13 at 3:00 p.m. ET.

Nine matinee games and two Tuesday night doubleheaders will be featured, including the 2011 A.L. Champion Texas Rangers taking on the Boston Red Sox on April 17 at 7:00 p.m. ET, followed by the 2011 N.L. East Champion Philadelphia Phillies matching up against the San Francisco Giants.

The game schedule also includes the debut of MLB Network Showcase presented by Chevrolet, a series of MLB Network-produced games, that starts with an N.L. East matchup between the Miami Marlins and the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday, April 12 at 7:00 p.m. ET. MLB Network’s Bob Costas and Jim Kaat, who were each nominated for a 2011 Sports Emmy Award, will call the game live from Citizens Bank Park. To commemorate the 100-year anniversary of Fenway Park, MLB Network Showcase will feature the Boston Red Sox hosting their division rival New York Yankees on Friday, April 20 at 3:00 p.m. ET with MLB Network’s Matt Vasgersian and John Smoltz calling the game. Pregame coverage will start with a special live edition of Intentional Talk, hosted by Chris Rose and Kevin Millar, at 1:00 p.m. ET from Fenway Park.

As part of Opening Week presented by Home Depot on MLB Network, Opening Day, Thursday, April 5, will include more than 10 hours of live studio coverage beginning with Intentional Talk with Rose and Millar at 10:00 a.m. ET, followed by the season debut of The Rundown with Matt Yallof and Lauren Shehadi at 11:00 a.m. ET. MLB Tonight will come on at 1:00 p.m. ET, leading up to a special edition of Intentional Talk at 5:00 p.m. ET live from the MLB Fan Cave in New York City. Following the Dodgers at Padres game, MLB Network’s regular season highlight show of record Quick Pitch will recap the day’s action. A preview of MLB Network’s Opening Day coverage can be viewed here. MLB Tonight will continue to air live seven days a week this season, including extended coverage on Sunday’s beginning on April 8 at 12:00 p.m. ET.

“FOX SATURDAY BASEBALL Pregame Show,” a co-production between MLB Network and FOX Sports, premieres Saturday, April 7 at 3:30 p.m. ET. For the season opener, host Matt Vasgersian will be joined by analysts Kevin Millar and Harold Reynolds. Week 1 coverage on FOX Sports features the Boston Red Sox at the Detroit Tigers, the St. Louis Cardinals at the Milwaukee Brewers, the San Francisco Giants at the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at the Kansas City Royals.

To preview the season, MLB Network will air a special live MLB Tonight: 2012 Predictions show on Wednesday, April 4 at 7:00 p.m. ET. Hosted by Greg Amsinger, the show will feature MLB Network analysts Peter Gammons, Dan Plesac, Harold Reynolds and Mitch Williams breaking down each division and making their Postseason picks. MLB Network’s panel of analysts will also serve as mock general managers in My Team Right Now: The Reality Draft on Sunday, April 1 at 8:00 p.m. ET. Hosted by Matt Vasgersian, the show will feature Eric Byrnes, John Hart, Al Leiter, Kevin Millar, Harold Reynolds and Mitch Williams each constructing the lineup they think would have the best chance to win a World Championship, using the position rankings from MLB Network’s Top 10 Right Now episodes from this past offseason. The champion will be determined by simulating a regular season and Postseason using Major League Baseball 2K12 from 2K Sports.
MLB Network’s complete game schedule through May 4 is available here. Games will be blacked out in each team’s home television territory unless otherwise announced. Viewers in areas subject to blackouts will be provided with an alternate game telecast or other programming.

 

MLB Network is the ultimate television destination for baseball fans, featuring the Emmy Award-winning MLB Tonight, live games, original programming, highlights, and insights and analysis from the best in the business, including Bob Costas, Peter Gammons, Jim Kaat, Al Leiter and Harold Reynolds. MLB Network debuted on January 1, 2009 as the largest launch in cable television history and is currently distributed in approximately 68 million cable, telco TV and satellite homes throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico. For more information and to find MLB Network in your area, go to www.mlbnetwork.com.

 

Reports from South Carolina, Texas A&M & Alabama Pro Days This Week on ‘Path to the Draft’ — NFL Network & NFL.com Programming Notes (3/28 – 4/3)

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’85 Bears vs. ’76 Raiders & ’84 49ers vs. ’00 Ravens in Final Four of NFL.com’s “Bracketology”

Seahawks Pro Bowl FB Michael Robinson on Special Edition of The Rich Eisen Podcast

Spokane Shock Host San Jose SaberCats on NFL Network’s “Net 10 Arena Football Friday” March 30 at 8:00 PM ET

Reports from South Carolina, Texas A&M & Alabama Pro Days, and Michael Floyd (Notre Dame), Michael Brockers (LSU) & Matt Kalil (USC) Profiled This Week on Path to the Draft

NFL Network’s ‘Path to Primetime’ 2012 NFL Draft coverage continues with the sixth season of Path to the Draft, which airs Monday through Friday at 6:00 PM ET up until the 2012 NFL Draft on April 26-28. With news reports, one-on-one interviews, player rankings and exclusive mock drafts, Path to the Draft is the go-to destination for the most in-depth NFL Draft coverage.

Tonight at 6:00 PM ET, NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock reports from Columbia, South Carolina for South Carolina’s pro day, which features Mayock’s top-rated outside linebacker Melvin Ingram and Mayock’s No. 2 cornerback Stephon Gilmore.

On Thursday, March 29, Mayock reports from College Station, Texas for Texas A&M’s pro day, and Bucky Brooks and Lindsay Rhodes report from Tuscaloosa, Alabama for Alabama’s pro day.

Below are quotes and video links from Monday and Tuesday’s editions of Path to the Draft:

– “He’s somewhat similar to Jake Locker. By that, I mean he’s a superior athlete…This kid has a big arm, he’s a heck of an athlete; let’s face it, he played the wide receiver position and like Jake Locker he’s not ready yet. Jake Locker wasn’t ready to the throw the ball from the pocket, [Tannehill] still has a lot to learn…If Cleveland doesn’t take him at No. 4, I have to believe Miami does at No. 8.” – Mike Mayock on Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill (3/27/12)

 

– “Dontari Poe is as gifted a defensive tackle as I’ve seen, however he doesn’t have vision on the football. His head is down, his eyes are down…The caveat to this whole discussion for me is it was similar to what I said about [New York Giants defensive end] Jason Pierre-Paul a couple of years ago. Jason Pierre-Paul had two things: he had incredible natural ability – he was a freak – and number two, he had a great motor. That’s what I would tell you about Poe; he’s a freakish athlete for his size and he has a great motor. If you have those two things, you can be coached in the rest of it as a defensive tackle.” – Mayock on Memphis defensive tackle Dontari Poe (3/26/12)

 

– Analyst Mike Mayock breaks down what he expects from quarterback Ryan Tannehill on Thursday during Texas A&M’s pro day:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-path-to-the-draft/09000d5d827e9373/Mayock-on-Ryan-Tannehill

 

– Notre Dame safety Harrison Smith sits down with NFL Network analyst Michael Lombardi for a discussion about his future in the NFL:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-path-to-the-draft/09000d5d827e9808/Harrison-Smith-one-on-one

 

– Is Andrew Luck a lock to go number one overall to the Indianapolis Colts? Michael Lombardi, Brian Baldinger and Charles Davis discuss:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-path-to-the-draft/09000d5d827e9035/Is-Luck-a-lock

 

– Analysts Mike Mayock and Brian Baldinger breakdown Memphis defensive tackle Dontari Poe:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-path-to-the-draft/09000d5d827e2e16/Better-for-Seattle-Brockers-or-Poe

 

– Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon profiled on “First Draft”:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-path-to-the-draft/09000d5d827e2d4c/First-Draft-Justin-Blackmon

 

Below is a schedule for this week’s Path to the Draft:

 

Wednesday, March 28

– Mike Mayock reports from South Carolina’s Pro Day

– Paul Burmeister, Michael Lombardi and Brian Baldinger discuss running back Trent Richardson, linebacker Courtney Upshaw and safety Mark Barron from the national-champion University of Alabama

– Path to the Draft puts the Seattle Seahawks on the clock

– Notre Dame wide receiver Michael Floyd profiled on “First Draft”

 

Thursday, March 29

– Mike Mayock reports from Texas A&M’s Pro Day

– Bucky Brooks and Lindsay Rhodes report from Alabama’s Pro Day

– LSU defensive tackle Michael Brockers profiled on “First Draft”

 

Friday, March 30

– Path to the Draft recaps the South Carolina, Texas A&M and Alabama Pro Days

– Paul Burmeister and Charley Casserly go inside the draft room

– Path to the Draft puts the Philadelphia Eagles on the clock

– USC tackle Matt Kalil profiled on “First Draft”

 

 

’85 Bears vs. ’76 Raiders & ’84 49ers vs. ’00 Ravens in Final Four of NFL.com’s “Bracketology”

 

NFL.com’s first-ever “Bracketology” to determine the greatest NFL team of all-time has reached the Final Four and only one No. 1 seed – ’85 Chicago Bears – remains. Fans can vote by visiting http://www.nfl.com/features/bracketology/alltimeteams. Voting for the Final Four matchups ends today at 5:00 PM ET.

In the Final Four, the ’85 Bears face the No. 5 seed ’76 Raiders, while the No. 3 seed ’84 49ers take on the No. 9 seed ’00 Ravens.

Analysts Willie McGinest and Daryl Johnston break down the matchups and debate which of the four teams should be crowned as the greatest team of all time:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-total-access/09000d5d827e361d/Bracketology-debate-The-semifinals

Following is a round-by-round voting schedule on NFL.com (voting ends at 5:00 PM ET on final day):

Semifinals: March 26-28

Championship: March 29-30

 

Mike Mayock’s Top 5 Position Rankings for 2012 NFL Draft

With pro days in full swing across the country, NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock unveiled his latest position rankings for the 2012 NFL Draft.

To view Mayock’s rankings, visit:

http://www.nfl.com/draft/story/09000d5d827a70e8/article/midmarch-position-rankings-for-2012-nfl-draft

 

Quarterback

1. Andrew Luck – Stanford

2. Robert Griffin III – Baylor

3. Ryan Tannehill – Texas A&M

4. Brandon Weeden – Oklahoma State

5. Kirk Cousins – Michigan State

 

Running Back

1. Trent Richardson – Alabama

2. Doug Martin – Boise State

3. David Wilson – Virginia Tech

4. Lamar Miller – Miami (Fla.)

5. LaMichael James – Oregon

 

Wide Receiver

1. Justin Blackmon – Oklahoma State

2. Michael Floyd – Notre Dame

3. Kendall Wright – Baylor

4. Stephon Hill – Georgia Tech

5. Alshon Jeffrey – South Carolina

 

Tight End

1. Coby Fleener – Stanford

2. Dwayne Allen – Clemson

3. Orson Charles – Georgia

4. Ladarius Green – Louisiana-Lafayette

5. James Hanna – Oklahoma

 

Offensive Tackle

1. Matt Kalil – USC

2. Riley Reiff – Iowa

3. Jonathan Martin – Stanford

4. Mike Adams – Ohio State

5. Cordy Glenn – Georgia

 

Guard

1. David DeCastro – Stanford

2. Kevin Zeitler – Wisconsin

3. Amini Silatolu – Midwestern State

4. Kelechi Osemele – Iowa State

5. Brandon Brooks – Miami (Ohio)

 

Center

1. Peter Konz – Wisconsin

2. Philip Blake – Baylor

3. Ben Jones – Georgia

4. David Molk – Michigan

5. Michael Brewster – Ohio State

 

Defensive End

1. Quinton Coples – North Carolina

2. Courtney Upshaw – Alabama

3. Nick Perry – USC

4. Vinny Curry – Marshall

5. Jared Crick – Nebraska

 

Defensive Tackle

1. Dontari Poe – Memphis

2. Fletcher Cox – Mississippi State

3. Michael Brockers – LSU

4. Jerel Worthy – Michigan State

T-5. Kendall Reyes – Connecticut

T-5. Devon Still – Penn State

 

Outside Linebacker

1. Melvin Ingram – South Carolina

2. Whitney Mercilus – Illinois

3. Andre Branch – Clemson

4. Ronnell Lewis – Oklahoma

5. Shea McClellin – Boise State

 

Inside Linebacker

1. Luke Kuechly – Boston College

2. Dont’a Hightower – Alabama

3. Mychal Kendricks – California

4. Keenan Robinson – Texas

5. Sean Spence – Miami

 

Cornerback

1. Morris Claiborne – LSU

2. Stephon Gilmore – South Carolina

3. Dre Kirkpatrick – Alabama

4. Janoris Jenkins – North Alabama

5. Josh Robinson – Central Florida

 

Safety

1. Mark Barron – Alabama

2. Harrison Smith – Notre Dame

3. Brandon Taylor – LSU

4. DeQuan Menzie – Alabama

5. Phillip Thomas – Syracuse

 

 

Seattle Seahawks Pro Bowl FB Michael Robinson Featured on Special Edition of The Rich Eisen Podcast — Available for Download on NFL.com & iTunes

A special edition of The Rich Eisen Podcast is available for download on NFL.com and iTunes this week.

With Eisen out of the office, Podcast producers Chris Law and Chris Brockman take the reins and share hosting duties. To check up on how he is doing, Law and Brockman call Eisen for a 30-minute conversation about the latest news in free agency and the draft.

Seattle Seahawks Pro Bowl fullback Michael Robinson appears in-studio to discuss the 2011 season for the Seahawks and the addition of quarterback Matt Flynn in free agency. Robinson, who played for Penn State, also discusses new head coach Bill O’Brien with fellow Penn State alum Law.

New York Jets beat writer for The Star-Ledger, Jenny Vrentas calls in to discuss the team’s trade for quarterback Tim Tebow, how Tebow will fit with the team and what this means for starting quarterback Mark Sanchez.

 

San Jose SaberCats Face Spokane Shock in West Division Matchup on “Net10 Arena Football” Friday, March 30 at 8:00 PM ET

The Spokane Shock (1-1) host the San Jose SaberCats (1-1) in a West Division matchup on NFL Network’s “Net10 Arena Football” Friday, March 30 at 8:00 PM ET. Ari Wolfe provides the play-by-play while Sherdrick Bonner serves as game analyst. Anthony Herron reports from the sidelines at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena in Spokane, Washington.

San Jose quarterback Mark Grieb and the SaberCats look to bounce back from a loss last week when they face quarterback Adam Froman and the Shock in a matchup of two of the top five teams in scoring offense.

 

DAY-BY-DAY PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE (all times listed are ET)

 

Wednesday, March 28

3:00 PM – America’s Game: 1986 New York Giants

4:00 PM – Sound FX: Week 9, 2011

4:30 PM – Sound FX: Week 10, 2011

5:00 PM – Sound FX: Week 11, 2011

5:30 PM – Sound FX: Week 12, 2011

6:00 PM – Path to the Draft – Wednesday

7:00 PM – NFL Total Access

8:00 PM – Top 100: NFL’s Greatest Players: #30-21

9:00 PM – Top 100: NFL’s Greatest Players: #20-11

10:00 PM – Path to the Draft – Wednesday

11:00 PM – NFL Total Access

12 MIDNIGHT – Top 100: NFL’s Greatest Players: #30-21

1:00 AM – Top 100: NFL’s Greatest Players: #20-11

 

Thursday, March 29

11:00 AM – Path to the Draft – Wednesday

12 NOON – Game of the Week: Carolina Panthers at Seattle Seahawks – 2005 NFC Championship Game

1:00 PM – Game of the Week: Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos – 2005 AFC Championship Game

2:00 PM – 1987 Washington Redskins

2:30 PM – Super Bowl XXII: Washington Redskins vs. Denver Broncos

3:00 PM – America’s Game: 1987 Washington Redskins

4:00 PM – Top 100: NFL’s Greatest Players: #30-21

5:00 PM – Top 100: NFL’s Greatest Players: #20-11

6:00 PM – Path to the Draft – Thursday

7:00 PM – NFL Total Access

8:00 PM – NFL’s Top 10: Quarterback Controversies

9:00 PM – NFL’s Top 10: Team Nicknames

10:00 PM – Path to the Draft – Thursday

11:00 PM – NFL Total Access

12 MIDNIGHT – NFL’s Top 10: Quarterback Controversies

1:00 AM – NFL’s Top 10: Team Nicknames

 

Friday, March 30

11:00 AM – Path to the Draft – Thursday

12 NOON – Game of the Week: New Orleans Saints at Chicago Bears – 2006 NFC Championship

12:30 PM – Game of the Week: New England Patriots at Indianapolis Colts – 2006 AFC Championship Game

1:00 PM – Game of the Week: Indianapolis Colts vs. Chicago Bears – Super Bowl XLI

2:00 PM – Super Bowl XXIII: San Francisco 49ers vs. Cincinnati Bengals

2:30 PM – Super Bowl XXIV: San Francisco 49ers vs. Denver Broncos

3:00 PM – America’s Game: 1989 San Francisco 49ers

4:00 PM – NFL’s Top 10: Quarterback Controversies

5:00 PM – NFL’s Top 10: Team Nicknames

6:00 PM – Path to the Draft – Friday

7:00 PM – NFL Total Access

8:00 PM – Arena Football League: San Jose Sabercats at Spokane Shock – LIVE

11:00 PM – NFL Total Access

12 MIDNIGHT – Hey Rookie, Welcome to the NFL – 2004

1:00 AM – Hey Rookie, Welcome to the NFL – 2005

2:00 AM – Path to the Draft – Friday

 

Saturday, March 31

11:00 AM – Sound FX: Pete Carroll

11:30 AM – Sound FX: Andy Reid

12 NOON – Path to the Draft – Monday

1:00 PM – Path to the Draft – Tuesday

2:00 PM – Path to the Draft – Wednesday

3:00 PM – Path to the Draft – Thursday

4:00 PM – Path to the Draft – Friday

5:00 PM – NFL’s Top 10: Linebacking Corps

6:00 PM – NFL’s Top 10: Overtime Finishes

7:00 PM – NFL Total Access – Week in Review

8:00 PM – Fans’ Choice: NFL’s Greatest Games

9:00 PM – Fans’ Choice: NFL’s Greatest Games

10:00 PM – Fans’ Choice: NFL’s Greatest Games

11:00 PM – NFL Total Access – Week in Review

12 MIDNIGHT – Fans’ Choice: NFL’s Greatest Games

1:00 AM – Fans’ Choice: NFL’s Greatest Games

2:00 AM – Fans’ Choice: NFL’s Greatest Games

 

Sunday, April 1

8:00 AM – Fans’ Choice: NFL’s Greatest Games

9:00 AM – Fans’ Choice: NFL’s Greatest Games

10:00 AM – Fans’ Choice: NFL’s Greatest Games

11:00 AM – NFL’s Top 10: Quarterback Controversies

12 NOON – NFL’s Top 10: Team Nicknames

1:00 PM – NFL Replay: New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers – Week 5, 2011

2:30 PM – Sound FX: Week 5, 2011

3:00 PM – Mike Ditka: A Football Life

4:00 PM – Sound FX: Week 11, 2011

4:30 PM – Sound FX: Week 12, 2011

5:00 PM – Sound FX: Andy Reid

5:30 PM – Sound FX: Pete Carroll

6:00 PM – Tom Landry: A Football Life

7:00 PM – NFL Follies: The New Year Mis-tackular

8:00 PM – NFL Follies: 21st Century Follies

9:00 PM – NFL Follies: Legends of the Follies

10:00 PM – NFL Follies: Best of NFL Follies

11:00 PM – NFL Follies: NFL Talkin’ Follies

12 MIDNIGHT – NFL’s Top 10: Follies

1:00 AM – NFL’s Top 10: Characters

2:00 AM – NFL’s Top 10: Foul-Ups

 

Monday, April 2

8:00 AM – NFL’s Top 10: Follies

9:00 AM – NFL’s Top 10: Characters

10:00 AM – NFL’s Top 10: Foul-Ups

11:00 AM – NFL Follies: The New Year Mis-tackular

12 NOON – NFL Follies: 21st Century Follies

1:00 PM – NFL Follies: Legends of the Follies

2:00 PM – NFL Follies: Best of NFL Follies

3:00 PM – NFL Follies: NFL Talkin’ Follies

4:00 PM – NFL’s Top 10: Follies

5:00 PM – NFL’s Top 10: Characters

6:00 PM – Path to the Draft – Monday

7:00 PM – NFL Total Access

8:00 PM – Bill Belichick: A Football Life – Part 1

9:00 PM – Bill Belichick: A Football Life – Part 2

10:00 PM – Path to the Draft – Monday

11:00 PM – NFL Total Access

12 MIDNIGHT – Bill Belichick: A Football Life – Part 1

1:00 AM – Bill Belichick: A Football Life – Part 2

 

Tuesday, April 3

11:00 AM – Path to the Draft – Monday

12 NOON – Lost Treasures: Episode #9 – Network Stars of the 70s

1:00 PM – Lost Treasures: Episode #10 – Super Bowls I-VII

2:00 PM – Super Bowl XXV: New York Giants vs. Buffalo Bills

2:30 PM – Super Bowl XXVI: Washington Redskins vs. Buffalo Bills

3:00 PM – America’s Game: 1991 Washington Redskins

4:00 PM – NFL Films Presents: Making a Name

4:30 PM – NFL Films Presents: Walter Iooss

5:00 PM – Sound FX: Jerome Bettis

5:30 PM – Sound FX: Mike Holmgren

6:00 PM – Path to the Draft – Tuesday

7:00 PM – NFL Total Access

8:00 PM – Sound FX Thursday Night Football Special Edition: San Francisco 49ers vs. Baltimore Ravens

9:00 PM – Sound FX: Week 13, 2011

9:30 PM – Sound FX: Week 14, 2011

10:00 PM – Path to the Draft – Tuesday

11:00 PM – NFL Total Access

12 MIDNIGHT – Sound FX Thursday Night Football Special Edition: San Francisco 49ers vs. Baltimore Ravens

1:00 AM – Sound FX: Week 13, 2011

1:30 AM – Sound FX: Week 14, 2011

ESPN Analysts React to Final Four Teams; Make Predictions

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With four teams set for the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament semifinals in New Orleans, a cadre of ESPN analysts – Stephen Bardo, Jay Bilas, Hubert Davis, Sean Farnham and Fran Fraschilla – has weighed in on both highly anticipated matchups and which team will walk away with the trophy. ESPN will begin its coverage live on site in New Orleans’ Jackson Square on Thursday, March 29. A full schedule of shows will be announced later this week.
Analyst National Championship Game Prediction Winner
Stephen Bardo Kentucky vs. Ohio State Kentucky
Jay Bilas Kentucky vs. Ohio State Kentucky
Hubert Davis Kentucky vs. Ohio State Kentucky
Sean Farnham Kentucky vs. Ohio State Kentucky
Fran Fraschilla Kentucky vs. Ohio State Kentucky
 
On Kentucky:
Bardo: Kentucky continues to raise its level of play despite its lack of experience. Their commitment to defense virtually ensures a national title.
Bilas: The Cats are young, über-talented, and unselfish. This is the nation’s best and most powerful team, and has dominated the tournament.
Davis:  Kentucky is the best team in the country, playing their best on both ends of the floor at the right time.
Farnham: What stood out after the game was just how little this team celebrated a trip to New Orleans which only points to the larger goal and the business-like approach Coach Cal has led by this season.
Fraschilla: The beauty of having “six starters” is that John Calipari can beat any team in the country without two or three of them playing at their best. He has managed great talent expertly this season.
On Louisville:
Bardo: This may be Rick Pitino’s finest coaching job. His team has been injury plagued all season yet he has them peaking at the right time.
Bilas: Rick Pitino’s team can press and play a tough matchup zone that gets steals and deflections.  Peyton Siva is a lightning quick point guard that can change the game with his speed.
Davis:  Peyton Siva is one of the best point guards in the country with his ability to defend, penetrate, distribute and now, the 12/15-foot jump shot.
Farnham: Rick Pitino’s team can win this game in the 60s, but if it gets into the high 70s, I feel it plays into Kentucky’s favor. Peyton Siva has to shoot the ball at a better clip than he has as of late; in the last three games, he’s shot just 32% from the field.
Fraschilla: This Cardinals team success is all about defending. Whether it’s man-to-man, matchup zone or full-court pressure, Rick Pitino has pushed all the right buttons in NCAA play this season.
On Ohio State:
Bardo: After a late bump in the road, the Buckeyes are playing through Sullinger more and having success. Deshaun Thomas has been the best player in the tournament thus far.
Bilas: The Buckeyes are outstanding defensively, and have the best low post scorer in Jared Sullinger, on-ball defender in Aaron Craft, and the tourney’s top scorer in Deshaun Thomas.  Ohio State is talented and tough.
Davis: Jared Sullinger is starting to dominate the low block, and with the consistent pay of Deshaun Thomas and Aaron Craft, the Buckeyes have an excellent chance of winning a national championship.
Farnham: Sullinger’s impact was clear on Saturday when he was limited by foul trouble in the first half against Syracuse. Defensively, the Buckeyes’ focus – as it is for so many opponents of Kansas – should be to limit points in transition and secondary break offense.
Fraschilla: Deshaun Thomas will be an X factor in the Kansas game. He has NBA scoring ability from both inside and out. Who guards him will be Bill Self’s biggest dilemma.
On Kansas:
Bardo: The Jayhawks have been the most consistent team not named Kentucky. Their versatility on offense makes them hard to game plan against.
Bilas:The Jayhawks can really guard you, and do a great job getting the ball inside for high percentage shots for Thomas Robinson. Tyshawn Taylor is having a great year, and needs to be great again for KU to win.
Davis: Kansas has one of the best players in the country in Thomas Robinson who has dominated the power forward position in college basketball all year.
Farnham: The key for success for the Jayhawks in New Orleans rests on the shoulders of Tyshawn Taylor. He can win you games, and throughout most of the Big 12, he did. But he has also been that guard that has mental lapses taking bad shots or gets careless with his passes giving life and easy looks to opponents.
Fraschilla: This time, patience is a virtue at Kansas. While this Jayhawk team is certainly talented, four of Bill Self’s five starters began their careers on the bench. They have all improved dramatically.
What was the biggest surprise of the tournament?
Bardo: The lack of buzzer beaters is what surprised me most about this year’s tourney.
Bilas: The upsets of Duke and Missouri by 15-seeds. In the history of the tournament, only four 15-seeds had won a game. But, a 15-seed has still never won another game after its first round upset.
Farnham: I thought coming into the tournament that we would have a Final Four of “power” conference teams and we do. The best of this tournament may still be ahead in New Orleans.
Fraschilla: Duke and Missouri being bounced so quickly.  It made for great theater in the first weekend.
 
What theme or moment stands out most from the tournament thus far?
Bardo: Marquette and Murray State put on a classic in their second-round matchup.
Bilas: The injuries and better teams not being at full strength.  UNC, Syracuse and Michigan State all played without key starters.  The outcomes may not have changed, and injuries are part of the game, but it left you wanting and wondering what might have been.
Fraschilla: Watching North Carolina’s seldom used Stilman White looking like Jeremy Lin for much of the Regional Finals weekend.
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Giants & Cowboys Kick Off Season On Wednesday, September 5

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The Super Bowl champion New York Giants will host the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium in the 2012 season-opening NFL Kickoff game on Wednesday, September 5 (NBC, 8:30 PM ET), the NFL announced today.

NBC will televise the game at 8:30 PM ET and NFL Kickoff 2012 at 7:30 PM ET.

Continuing a tradition that started in 2004, the previous year’s Super Bowl winner hosts the NFL Kickoff game to open the following season.

DATE SITE RESULT (HOME TEAM IN CAPS) RECAP
Sept. 9, 2004 Gillette Stadium NEW ENGLAND 27, Indianapolis 24 New England quarterback Tom Brady passes for 335 yards and three touchdowns as the defending Super Bowl champions defeat the Colts.
Sept. 8, 2005 Gillette Stadium NEW ENGLAND 30, Oakland 20 New England quarterback Tom Brady leads the offense by throwing for 306 yards and two touchdowns while running back Corey Dillon adds two scores for the defending Super Bowl champions.
Sept. 7, 2006 Heinz Field PITTSBURGH 28, Miami 17 Pittsburgh quarterback Charlie Batch passes for three touchdowns and running back Willie Parker adds 115 yards as the defending Super Bowl champions defeat Miami.
Sept. 6, 2007 RCA Dome INDIANAPOLIS 41, New Orleans 10 The Super Bowl champion Colts rack up 452 yards of offense as quarterback Peyton Manning passes for 288 yards and three TDs.
Sept. 4, 2008 Giants Stadium NY GIANTS 16, Washington 7 Quarterback Eli Manning scores a touchdown and the Giants’ defense allows just 209 total yards as the defending Super Bowl champions defeat division-rival Washington.
Sept. 10, 2009 Heinz Field PITTSBURGH 13, Tennessee 10 (OT) Pittsburgh’s Jeff Reed kicks a 33-yard game-winning field goal in overtime as the defending Super Bowl champions defeat Tennessee.
Sept. 9, 2010 Louisiana Superdome NEW ORLEANS 14, Minnesota 9 New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees throws for 237 yards and a touchdown to lead the Saints past the Vikings in a rematch of the 2009 NFC Championship Game.
Sept. 8, 2011 Lambeau Field GREEN BAY 42, New Orleans 34 Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers passes for 312 yards and three touchdowns and the Packers’ defense makes a goal-line stand on the game’s final play as the defending Super Bowl champions defeat the Saints.

# # #

Ratings and Viewership Increases for ESPN’s SportsCenter and NFL Live during Week of Unprecedented NFL News

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ESPNNewYork.com’s Best Day Ever Highlights Strong Traffic to ESPN Digital Platforms

In a week of unprecedented NFL offseason news that included Peyton Manning signing with the Denver Broncos, Tim Tebow being traded to the New York Jets, and the announcement of the NFL’s Saints bounty suspensions, ratings and viewership for ESPN’s SportsCenter shows and NFL Live on Monday through Wednesday (March 19-21) witnessed sizeable increases from the same days a year ago (March 21-23).

The three days of NFL Live shows (4 p.m. ET) averaged 666,000 households and 721,000 viewers, based on a 0.7 rating, increases of 73 percent (vs. 384,000 in 2011), 63 percent (441,000) and 75 percent (0.4 rating). All editions of SportsCenter averaged 559,000 households and 600,000 viewers based on a 0.6 rating, increases of 21 percent (461,000 in 2011), 15 percent (522,000) and 20 percent (0.5 rating) compared to the same three days a year ago. ESPN2 saw sizeable gains as well with First Take up 68 percent (421,000 vs. 250,000) among households and up 58 percent among viewers (447,000 vs. 283,000).

ESPNNewYork.com logged its best day ever with over 2.6 million unique visitors and 4.6 million page views on Wednesday.  Additionally, the site logged more than 1.9 million unique visitors to its story on Tebow’s trade to the Jets that day.  On ESPN.com, the breaking news story on the Saints’ bounty suspensions generated 1.4 million unique visitors, while on the ESPN mobile Web, Tebow-related content generated 2.3 million page views and Saints-related stories generated 970,000 page views.

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Fans Select Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors for NBA TV’s Fan Night presented by Sprint on Tuesday, March 27

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NBA TV’s Fan Night begins with the Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Philadelphia 76ers at 7 p.m. ET

NBA TV’s Fan Night presented by Sprint will feature the Los Angeles Lakers and Kobe Bryant taking on the Golden State Warriors and David Lee on Tuesday, March 27, at 10:30 p.m. ET following the matchup between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Philadelphia 76ers at 7 p.m.  The night will tip off with the AutoTrader.com Pregame Show with host Rick Kamla and NBA All-Star, NBA champion and guest analyst Bill Laimbeer at 6:30 p.m. highlighting the evening’s games throughout the league. Following the final buzzer of the first game, Kamla and Laimbeer will pass studio duties to the Fan Night crew with host Ernie Johnson and analysts Brent Barry and Chris Webber.  The Fan Night matchup was selected by fans who voted vianba.com, the NBA Facebook page and Yahoo.com.  

Fan Night voting for next week’s matchup on Tuesday, April 3, will continue on nba.com/nbatv/fannight, the NBA Facebook page and Yahoo.com from Tuesday, March 27, at 8 a.m. through Thursday, March 29, at midnight.  Fans will have the opportunity to select among the following games:

  • New York Knicks @ Indiana Pacers
  • San Antonio Spurs @ Cleveland Cavaliers
  • Philadelphia 76ers @ Miami Heat
  • Orlando Magic @ Detroit Pistons
  • New Jersey Nets @ Los Angeles Lakers

Fans can stay connected to the latest NBA action every Tuesday with The Jump presented by Sprint. Host Jared Greenberg and analysts Brent Barry, Dennis Scott and ‘chat-master’ Sekou Smith will jump start Tuesday’s basketball coverage with the live, interactive show.  Fans can submit questions and comments via NBA.com, Facebook or Twitter.  The Jump presented by Sprint will stream live on Tuesday, March 27, at 3 p.m. on NBA.com and will air at 6 p.m. on NBA TV. 

NBA TV GAMES OF THE WEEK:

MARCH 24 – 27

 

NBA TV  SCHEDULE (all times ET): March 24–27
SATURDAY, MARCH 24
8 p.m.

NBA Regular Season:  Dallas Mavericks @ Houston Rockets    
10:30 p.m.

NBA Regular Season:  Sacramento Kings @ Golden State Warriors     
SUNDAY, MARCH 25
3 p.m.

NBA Regular Season:  Phoenix Suns @ Cleveland Cavaliers     

MONDAY, MARCH 26
  8 p.m.

NBA Regular Season:  Denver Nuggets @ Chicago Bulls
  10:30 p.m.

NBA Regular Season:  New Orleans Hornets @ Los Angeles Clippers

  TUESDAY, MARCH 27 Fan Night presented by Sprint
  7 p.m.

NBA Regular Season:  Cleveland Cavaliers @ Philadelphia 76ers
  10:30 p.m.

NBA Regular Season Fan Night Winner:  Los Angeles Lakers @ Golden State Warriors     

Ernie Johnson, Brent Barry, Chris Webber

       
         

 

 NBA Digital is the NBA’s extensive cross-platform portfolio of digital assets jointly managed by the NBA and Turner Sports. Its robust offering includes NBA TV, NBA.com, NBA LEAGUE PASS, NBA LEAGUE PASS Broadband, NBA Mobile, NBADLeague.com and WNBA.com.

Turner Sports, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., presents some of the best and most popular sporting events worldwide and is a leader in televised and online sports programming.  With events airing on TBS and TNT, Turner Sports’ line-up includes NASCAR and NASCAR.COM, the NBA, Major League Baseball, professional golf, PGATOUR.COM and PGA.com.  Turner Sports and the NBA also jointly manage NBA Digital, which includes NBA TV, NBA.com, NBA League Pass, NBADLeague.com and WNBA.com. 

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