September 3, 2010

ESPNU Hits the Road with College Gameday


ESPNU LAUNCHES 2010 COLLEGE GAMEDAY TOUR

Customized Minibus with DJ Booth, Body Painting Station Headed to College GameDay Sites for 2010 Season

CHICAGO (September 1, 2010) — ESPNU is bringing the “ESPNU College GameDay Tour” to all 14 regular-season College GameDay stops for the 2010 season.  The new experiential marketing tour, featuring a fully customized ESPNU minibus, will include a DJ booth, as well as a college-themed body and face painting station where students can pick their school colors each week to display their school spirit.

At each tour stop fans will be able to listen to a live DJ, and visit the painting station before kickoff to uniquely express their true fandom in the stands.  The tour will also include several LED televisions showing live coverage of the College GameDay telecasts (televised on ESPNU from 9 – 10 AM ET and ESPN 10 AM to noon).  Throughout the event ESPNU event staff will be distributing ESPNU giveaways to fans, including T-shirts, lanyards and koozies.  Another focal point of each stop will be the ESPNU monument (a 24-foot tall monument designed in the likeness of the ESPNU logo), which will be prominently displayed on each host campus throughout the weekend.

The ESPNU College GameDay Tour begins on Sept. 4, 2010, in Atlanta for the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game pitting LSU vs. North Carolina.  Each week, the minibus will travel to the College GameDay site, which will originate from one of the day’s best games or with the most compelling storyline.  The site will generally be determined the Monday of that week’s show.  Prior to each Saturday game, the ESPNU minibus will also activate around campus beginning on Thursdays at a variety of different college football-themed events, including pep rallies and tailgates.

“We’re excited that ESPNU, a network so centric to college sports, is going to be a major part of the College GameDay fan experience this season,” said Jeffrey Gonyo, senior director of sports marketing, ESPN.  “By aligning with such an amazing television franchise, the ESPNU College GameDay Tour will literally place us right in the heart of college football each week.”

The ESPNU College GameDay Tour coincides with the announcement that ESPN’s College GameDay is expanding to three hours this season, providing an extra hour of college football analysis, news and features every Saturday.  College GameDay airs at 9 AM ET this fall on ESPNU and ESPNU HD and from 10 AM ET to noon on ESPN and ESPN HD.

The ESPNU College GameDay Tour is free to attend and fans of all ages are welcome to participate.  For more details and the complete ESPNU College GameDay Tour schedule please visit http://www.ESPNU.com.

ABOUT ESPNU
ESPNU launched March 4, 2005. The 24-hour college sports television network televises more than 650 live events annually. Action includes a variety of top football and men’s and women’s basketball games, as well as Olympic sports from 26 Division I conferences. ESPNU is the destination for premier high school programming, including elite football and basketball events. The network also has a wide-ranging agreement with the NCAA for extensive coverage of 22 NCAA Championships.

ESPNU offers over 400 original studio shows, including SportsCenterU, ESPNU Recruiting Insider, The Experts, The Bracket, BCS Countdown and is the television home of ESPN Radio’s The Herd with Colin Cowherd. The brand is also available in high definition on ESPNUHD, now in over 17 million homes. In addition, ESPNU Campus Connection is a multiplatform, student-generated content initiative to enhance the network’s link to college campuses nationwide.

ESPNU has seen a dramatic increase since its inception and is now in approximately 73 million households. 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.

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College GameDay to Kick Off Season in Atlanta Sept. 4

College GameDay to Kick Off Season in Atlanta Sept. 4

College GameDay Built by The Home Depot – expanded to three hours and now beginning on ESPNU at 9 a.m. ET and continuing on ESPN at 10 a.m. every Saturday – will open the season Sept. 4 live from Atlanta, site of No. 21 LSU vs. No. 18 North Carolina in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game (Sept. 4 on ABC at 8 p.m.). Erin Andrews will anchor several segments of the first hour on ESPNU and contribute reports, interviews and features during the ESPN portion of the two-time Emmy Award-winning program. Chris Fowler will return as show host with analysts Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit and Desmond Howard. College GameDay is entering its 24th season and the 18th consecutive year of originating from the site of one of the day’s best games or a game with the most compelling storyline.

In addition to the traditional analysis, news and features the show provides each week, the season-opening program will include:

  • Mark Herzlich Update: Tom Rinaldi reports on the comeback of Boston College senior linebacker Mark Herzlich from his battle with cancer.

  • Garrett Gilbert Feature: Erin Andrews talks with Texas quarterback Garrett Gilbert and head coach Mack Brown about the sophomore’s first season as the team’s new starting quarterback and the high expectations for the Longhorns following an appearance in last year’s National Championship Game.

  • Urban Meyer Feature: Tom Rinaldi examines the off-season for Florida head coach Urban Meyer and what went into his decisions to resign and return as head coach of the Gators within a few days.

  • Discussions: Various topics to be discussed during the show include:
  • What to expect from Notre Dame this year under new head coach Brian Kelly;
  • the pressure on Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez to bounce back from a 3-win season in 2009;
  • The expectations on defending National Champion Alabama and the obstacles to winning back-to-back titles;
  • Whether Boise State and TCU deserve their high pre-season rankings.

  • McShay on Jaquizz Rogers and Jake Locker: ESPN football analyst Todd McShay, who also serves as director of college football scouting for ESPN Scouts Inc., discusses why he thinks Oregon State junior running back Jaquizz Rogers will give opening opponent TCU problems and breaks down the play of Washington senior quarterback Jake Locker, Mel Kiper’s number one prospect for the 2011 NFL Draft.

  • New look of Florida State: Analyst David Pollack discusses the new look of Florida State under first-year head coach Jimbo Fisher, who takes over the Seminoles following the resignation of Bobby Bowden after 34 years as coach.

  • Rece, Lou and Mark: Rece Davis, host of ESPN’s daylong Saturday studio coverage with analysts Lou Holtz and Mark May, will anchor a segment featuring updates from reporters at games around the country. In addition, Holtz and May will make their picks for that day’s games.

  • Wired: Two “wired” segments, including new Tennessee head coach Derek Dooley as he takes over the Volunteers after former head coach Lane Kiffin left for USC and an entertaining look at the high intensity “big cat drill” LSU does during every practice.

  • Freshman impact: Dari Nowkhah hosts a segment from a studio in Charlotte on the freshmen players to keep an eye on in 2010.

  • On most weeks, the show will conclude with a special surprise guest – only to be revealed at the end of the show – on the set to pick their game winners for that day.

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Final Week of Preseason 2010 Features Live Doubleheader Between Patriots-Giants & Redskins-Cardinals Thursday Beginning at 7:00 PM ET — NFL NETWORK PROGRAMMING NOTES (9/1-9/7)

NFL NETWORK PROGRAMMING NOTES (9/1-9/7)

FINAL WEEK OF PRESEASON 2010 FEATURES LIVE DOUBLEHEADER ON NFL NETWORK:

Patriots at Giants Thursday at 7:00 PM ET

Redskins at Cardinals Thursday at 10:00 PM ET

Series Premiere of The Top 100: NFL’s Greatest Players Friday at 10:00 PM ET

Trio of NFL Network Specials Tuesday, September 7:

Around the Table: 2010 Season Preview at 8:00 PM ET

Episode #2 of The Top 100: NFL’s Greatest Players at 9:00 PM ET

Sinner to Saint: Anthony Hargrove’s Super Bowl Journey at 10:00 PM ET

Final Preseason Game Line-Up LIVE Doubleheader with Patriots vs. Giants at 7:00 PM ET and Redskins vs. Cardinals at 10:00 PM ET Thursday

It’s the final week of the preseason and players around the league know this is their time to shine and possibly their last chance to impress.

NFL Network’s complete coverage of the 2010 Preseason comes to a close this week with 16 matchups, including a live doubleheader Thursday starting at 7:00 PM ET with the New England Patriots vs. New York Giants, followed by Redskins vs. Cardinals at 10:00 PM ET.

Giants rookie WR Victor Cruz has caught the attention of fans and defenders alike, leading the NFL this preseason with 251 yards and four TDs, while Patriots rookie TE Rob Gronkowski looks to follow up on a solid performance last week vs. St. Louis, where he tallied two touchdown catches.

Head coach Mike Shanahan and the Washington Redskins get their last preseason warm up in the desert versus the Cardinals, who still have position battles to settle, particularly at quarterback between Matt Leinart and Derek Anderson.

First Episode of NFL Network Series “The Top 100: NFL’s Greatest Players” Premieres Friday at 10:00 PM ET

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The highly anticipated debut of the NFL Films-produced series The Top 100: NFL’s Greatest Players has finally arrived with numbers 100 through 91 being revealed Friday, September 3 at 10:00 PM ET on NFL Network.

The series, rolling out over 10 one-hour episodes this fall, reveals the greatest players of all-time, counting down from 100 to 1, as determined by a blue-ribbon panel of knowledgeable football minds that includes Ernie Accorsi (former Giants General Manager), Cris Collinsworth (former player and NBC game analyst), Mike Brown (Bengals Owner), Pat Summerall (former NFL sportscaster), Dick Vermeil (former NFL head coach) and Peter King (NFL writer).

As each member of the Top 100 is revealed, their story is told by a single “presenter” – chosen from the worlds of sports, politics, film, television and literature – who possesses particular interest in that player and insight into his greatness. Featured presenters in the premiere episode include Hall of Famers Troy Aikman and John Randall, filmmaker Spike Lee, Senator Amy Klobuchar and former Packers GM Ron Wolf.

***Episode #2 debuts on a special date and time Kickoff week of Tuesday, September 7 at 9:00 PM ET before falling into its regular time Thursday at 9:00 PM ET September 16.***

Trio of NFL Network Specials to Air Tuesday at 10:00 PM ET Include Around the Table: 2010 NFL Season Preview at 8:00 PM ET and Sinner to Saint: Anthony Hargrove’s Super Bowl Journey at 10:00 PM ET

NFL Network’s primetime lineup Tuesday, September 7 features three network specials to get viewers ready for the 2010 season. At 8:00 PM ET, Deion Sanders, Marshall Faulk, Steve Mariucci and Michael Irvin sit down to discuss the hottest storylines that sit as the framework to another exciting NFL season on Around the Table: 2010 Season Preview. No topic is left untouched as the foursome debate and discuss everything from Darrelle Revis status with the Jets to what Brett Favre’s return means for the Vikings.

At 9:00 PM ET, Episode #2 of The Top 100: NFL’s Greatest Players debuts on a special Kickoff week date and time, revealing 90-81 of Pro Football’s greatest, followed at 10:00 PM ET by Sinner to Saint: Anthony Hargrove’s Super Bowl Journey. This compelling one-hour special chronicles the life Saints DE Anthony Hargrove, who after being kicked out of the NFL following multiple failed drug tests, confronts his dark past and substance abuse issues to receive a second chance with the New Orleans Saints that materialized into a Super Bowl championship.

Told from Hargrove’s own words, the one-hour NFL Network-produced documentary also features interviews with Saints head coach Sean Payton, general manager Mickey Loomis, Rams RB Steven Jackson and numerous members of Hargrove’s support team including therapists, counselors and family members.

For a clip from Sinner to Saint: Anthony Hargrove’s Super Bowl Journey, please visit: http://ftp2.nflfilmstv.com/filmsint/ftp-inet/flashplayer.html?s_video=Preview/sbj_hargrove_trailer_83110_600ws.flv

THIS WEEK ON NFL TOTAL ACCESS: Coverage of Week 4 Preseason Doubleheader Thursday

Thursday, August 26

  • Michael Lombardi goes ‘Around the League’
  • Full coverage of Week 4 Preseason doubleheader featuring Patriots vs. Giants and Redskins vs. Cardinals

Friday, August 27

  • Jason La Canfora reports from NFL Network headquarters

THIS WEEK ON NFL.COM: Chat with NFL Insiders as Preseason Winds Down

Thursday, September 2

  • CHAT: Steve Wyche (12:00 NOON ET)
  • CHAT: Bucky Brooks (2:00 PM ET)

Friday, September 3

  • CHAT: Vic Carucci (12 NOON ET)

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

Wednesday, September 1

8:00 PM – NFL Preseason Game: Washington Redskins at New York Jets (HD)

11:00 PM – NFL Total Access (HD)

12 MIDNIGHT – NFL Preseason Game: New York Giants at Baltimore Ravens (HD)

Thursday, September 2

9:00 AM – NFL Preseason Game: Dallas Cowboys at Houston Texans (HD)

12 NOON – NFL Preseason Game: Washington Redskins at New York Jets (HD)

3:00 PM – NFL Preseason Game: Seattle Seahawks at Minnesota Vikings (HD)

6:00 PM – NFL Total Access (HD)

7:00 PM – NFL Preseason Game: New England Patriots at New York Giants (HD) – LIVE

10:00 PM – NFL Preseason Game: Washington Redskins at Arizona Cardinals (HD) – LIVE

Friday, September 3

1:00 AM – NFL Preseason Game: San Diego Chargers at San Francisco 49ers (HD)

4:00 AM – NFL’s Top 10: Undrafted Players (HD)

5:00 AM – NFL’s Top 10: Single-Season Performances

6:00 AM – NFL Preseason Game: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Houston Texans (HD)

9:00 AM – NFL Preseason Game: Baltimore Ravens at St. Louis Rams (HD)

12 NOON – NFL Preseason Game: Buffalo Bills at Detroit Lions (HD)

3:00 PM – NFL Preseason Game: Denver Broncos at Minnesota Vikings (HD)

6:00 PM – NFL Total Access (HD)

7:00 PM – NFL Preseason Game: Miami Dolphins at Dallas Cowboys (HD)

10:00 PM – The Top 100: NFL’s Greatest Players – Episode 1 (HD) – DEBUT

11:00 PM – The Top 100: NFL’s Greatest Players – Episode 1 (HD)

12 MIDNIGHT – NFL Preseason Game: Green Bay Packers at Kansas City Chiefs (HD)

Saturday, September 4

4:00 AM – NFL Preseason Game: Buffalo Bills at Detroit Lions (HD)

7:00 AM – NFL Preseason Game: Atlanta Falcons at Jacksonville Jaguars (HD)

10:00 AM – NFL Preseason Game: Green Bay Packers at Kansas City Chiefs (HD)

1:00 PM – NFL Preseason Game: Chicago Bears at Cleveland Browns (HD)

4:00 PM – NFL Preseason Game: New York Jets at Philadelphia Eagles (HD)

7:00 PM – NFL Total Access: Roster Cuts (HD) – TWO HOUR SPECIAL

8:00 PM – NFL Preseason Game: Carolina Panthers at Pittsburgh Steelers (HD)

11:00 PM – NFL Preseason Game: Seattle Seahawks at Oakland Raiders (HD)

Sunday, September 5

2:00 AM – NFL Preseason Game: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Houston Texans (HD)

5:00 AM – NFL’s Top 10: Worst Teams

6:00 AM – The Top 100: NFL’s Greatest Players – Episode 1 (HD)

7:00 AM – NFL Preseason Game: New England Patriots at New York Giants (HD)

10:00 AM – NFL Preseason Game: New Orleans Saints at Tennessee Titans (HD)

1:00 PM – NFL Preseason Game: Cincinnati Bengals at Indianapolis Colts (HD)

4:00 PM – NFL Preseason Game: Denver Broncos at Minnesota Vikings (HD)

7:00 PM – The Top 100: NFL’s Greatest Players – Episode 1 (HD)

8:00 PM – NFL Preseason Game: Miami Dolphins at Dallas Cowboys (HD)

11:00 PM – NFL Preseason Game: San Diego Chargers at San Francisco 49ers (HD)

Monday, September 6

2:00 AM – NFL Preseason Game: Washington Redskins at Arizona Cardinals (HD)

7:00 AM – NFL Preseason Game: Cincinnati Bengals at Indianapolis Colts (HD)

10:00 AM – NFL Preseason Game: New York Jets at Philadelphia Eagles (HD)

1:00 PM – NFL Preseason Game: Denver Broncos at Minnesota Vikings (HD)

4:00 PM – NFL Preseason Game: Miami Dolphins at Dallas Cowboys (HD)

7:00 PM – NFL Total Access (HD)

8:00 PM – Super Bowl Classics: Super Bowl XLIV – New Orleans Saints vs. Indianapolis Colts (HD)

10:30 PM – NFL Total Access (HD)

11:30 PM – Super Bowl Classics: Super Bowl XLIV – New Orleans Saints vs. Indianapolis Colts (HD)

Tuesday, September 7

5:00 AM – NFL Preseason Game: Chicago Bears at Cleveland Browns (HD)

8:00 AM – NFL Preseason Game: Carolina Panthers at Pittsburgh Steelers (HD)

11:00 AM – NFL Preseason Game: New Orleans Saints at Tennessee Titans (HD)

2:00 PM – Super Bowl Classics: Super Bowl XLIV – New Orleans Saints vs. Indianapolis Colts (HD)

4:30 PM – NFL Film Session: Super Bowl XLIV – New Orleans Saints vs. Indianapolis Colts (HD)

5:00 PM – Around the League (HD)

7:00 PM – NFL Total Access (HD)

8:00 PM – Around the Table: 2010 NFL Season Preview (HD) – DEBUT

9:00 PM – The Top 100: NFL’s Greatest Players – Episode 2 (HD) – DEBUT

10:00 PM – Sinner to Saint: Anthony Hargrove’s Super Bowl Journey (HD) – DEBUT

11:00 PM – NFL Total Access (HD)

2010 Monday Night Football Chalk Talk Series

2010 Monday Night Football Chalk Talk Series

Kickoff Event at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York September 13 with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Jets Owner Woody Johnson and ESPN President George Bodenheimer

The Monday Night Football Chalk Talk Series is back for its fourth year with seven planned events during the 2010 NFL season. The series will kick off Monday, September 13 at Cipriani 42nd Street in midtown Manhattan before the season-opening MNF game between the Baltimore Ravens and New York Jets at the New Meadowlands Stadium.

The MNF Chalk Talk Series renews a tradition that originally began in the 1970s with local luncheon events in the early years of sports television’s signature series.  On-air personalities in town to cover the game shared their insider perspectives with invited guests from the local community.  ESPN and the NFL launched the Chalk Talk Series in 2007 to showcase the teams and host cities participating in the weekly MNF primetime games.

This fall, ESPN commentators will participate in the luncheons, along with prominent alumni players from the competing teams, who will take part in panel discussions and question-and-answer sessions. The rotation of ESPN NFL experts will include Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden and Ron Jaworski from the MNF booth, and reporters Suzy Kolber and Michele Tafoya. Local ESPN Radio personalities in each city will also help emcee the programs.

An All Pro lineup will kick off the ESPN series Sept. 13 in New York. ESPN’s Jeremy Schaap will host with Greg Buttle, former Jets linebacker and co-host of 1050 ESPN Radio’s Jets Gameday show. Anticipated guests will include NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Jets Chairman and CEO Woody Johnson, and ESPN President George Bodenheimer. The MNF trio of Tirico, Gruden and Jaworski is scheduled to be part of the program, as are Jets alumni players Wayne Chrebet, Joe Klecko and Ken O’Brien, and former Ravens kicker Matt Stover.

“The Chalk Talk Series is a unique opportunity for ESPN to work with the NFL, the teams and sponsors to celebrate the game of football and the Monday Night Football franchise,” said John Wildhack, ESPN executive vice president, programming acquisitions & strategy. “We are thrilled to continue this successful program for a fourth season with seven events this fall, including our first in New York before the primetime opener at the New Meadowlands Stadium.”

National sponsor Dick’s Sporting Goods will continue its involvement in the program for the fourth year, along with sponsors Bud Light, Geico, Snickers, Toyota and Head & Shoulders.

Following the opening event in New York, the series will continue at Carnivale Chicago before the Packers- Bears game (Sept. 27); at Sun Life Stadium in South Florida (Oct. 4) and at Cowboys Stadium (Oct. 25), site of the NFC East MNF matchup between the Giants and Cowboys, as well as Super Bowl XLV.  Some 300 guests will be part of each MNF Chalk Talk Series event with invitations going to local civic and business leaders, sponsors and fans.  Events are scheduled for 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. in most cities on MNF game days.

Chalk Talk Series events will also include an ESPN RISE Above Award segment. One male and one female student-athlete in each city will be honored with a student-athlete award for overcoming adversity and excelling in their sports while motivating teammates/classmates to excel as well. Deserving students will be identified by the MNF host teams; the recipients will be selected by NFL Community Affairs, Team ESPN and ESPN RISE, ESPN’s commitment to engage and elevate high school athletes by providing them with recognition, resources, information and inspiration to motivate them to improve their skills and achieve their goals on and off the field of play.

2010 Monday Night Football Chalk Talk Series:

Date Host City MNF Game Luncheon Site Time
Sept. 13 New York Ravens at Jets Cipriani 42nd Street 11:00 ET
Sept. 27 Chicago Packers at Bears Carnivale Chicago 11:30 CT
Oct. 4 Miami Patriots at Dolphins Sun Life Stadium 11:30 ET
Oct. 25 Dallas Giants at Cowboys Cowboys Stadium 11:30 CT
Nov. 1 Indianapolis Texans at Colts Union Station 11:30 ET
Nov. 8 Cincinnati Steelers at Bengals Cincinnati Music Hall 11:30 ET
Nov. 15 Washington Eagles at Redskins TBD 11:30 ET

ESPN’S MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

ESPN’s Monday Night Football is the most-watched series in cable television history.  In four seasons on ESPN, Monday Night Football has registered eight of the top 10 all-time biggest household audiences in cable history, led by the Green Bay Packers-Minnesota Vikings telecast (10/5/09), which attracted cable’s largest household audience ever (an average of 15,136,000 million homes and 21,839,000 viewers). For the 2009 season, ESPN’s MNF delivered the 15 biggest household audiences (and top 14 among viewers) for cable television in 2009, averaging a 10.4 rating and 10,315,000 homes (14,382,000 viewers). It was also the first time on ESPN that the series averaged higher than a 10 rating and 14 million viewers for the season. Accompanying NFL content on ESPN.com, including “Monday Night HQ,” sparked an increase of Monday traffic to the site of 24% over the previous season with an average 84.6 million page views per week.

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ESPNU Announces Show Lineup for College Football Season

ESPNU Announces Show Lineup for College Football Season

ESPNU unveils several additions to its college football lineup for the 2010 season highlighted by a new Saturday morning block (beginning Sept. 4), which kicks off with College GameDay Built by The Home Depot at 9 a.m. ET. Following the one-hour College GameDay, ESPNU will televise SportsNation, a special college football themed version of the popular ESPN2 show, at 10 a.m., and ESPNU College Football WhipAround, a show previewing each Saturday’s biggest games, at 11 a.m. ESPNU will also begin airing an original 30-minute College Football Live every Tuesday-Friday at 4 p.m. throughout the season.

ESPNU’s College Football Programming Schedule

ESPNU College Football Saturday Tailgate (debuting Sept. 4):

  • College GameDay (9-10 a.m.) – for the first time, ESPNU will televise the first hour of College GameDay beginning Sept. 4 from Atlanta, the site of the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game featuring LSU vs. North Carolina. Chris Fowler will host the show with analysts Kirk Herbstreit, Lee Corso and Desmond Howard. Additionally, Erin Andrews will anchor several segments during the first hour on ESPNU.
  • SportsNation (10-11 a.m.) – an hour-long original college football themed show where fans can express their opinions and interact with ESPNU.
  • ESPNU College Football WhipAround (11 a.m.-noon) – hosted by Dari Nowkhah, ESPNU’s newest show will whip around the country to preview the day’s biggest college football games and to grab all the latest news and commentary. Several ESPN analysts will contribute to the show, including Brent Musburger, Todd Blackledge, Bob Davie, Bob Griese, Brian Griese and Andre Ware.

Additional College Football Programming

  • College Football Live – ESPNU will televise the college football studio show in an original, 30-minute episode Tuesday-Friday at 4 p.m. Both editions of the show (ESPN and ESPNU) will run back-to-back the same day at 6 p.m. on ESPNU.
  • ESPNU College Football: The Experts – formerly named Coaches Spotlight, this weekly three-hour studio show (televised live each Tuesday at 1 p.m.) will rotate in top college football “experts” bringing fans intelligent conversation and debate. Lowell Galindo hosts each week and will be joined by six college football analysts and insiders.
  • Crunch Time – each show (airing Mondays at 5 p.m.) will look back at the last few minutes of the best college football games from the previous week, all packaged into a one-hour program.
  • ESPNU BCS Countdown – the hour-long live studio show, hosted by Galindo, will discuss the ever-changing college football standings live Mondays at 6 p.m. ESPN’s Mike Bellotti, David Pollack and Tom Luginbill will share analyst responsibilities.
  • ESPNU Road Trip – a 30-minute series which taps into the tradition, rivalry and revelry on select college campuses that is synonymous with the college football experience (airing Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.; Oct. 13 and 27 at 6:30 p.m.).
  • ESPNU Recruiting Insider – a weekly hour-long studio show (airing Thursdays at 5 p.m.), hosted by Galindo, will discuss high school sports and athletes and their future impact on the college scene, and provide inside information surrounding recruiting news. The show will include analysis from Luginbill, Craig Haubert, Jamie Newberg and Corey Long.
  • SportsCenterU – ESPNU’s news and information show, hosted by Galindo, Luginbill and Charles Arbuckle, focuses on men’s and women’s intercollegiate athletics (televised Thursday and Saturday nights, following the 10:30 p.m. game, with re-airs Friday and Sunday mornings).

ESPNU College Football Fall Lineup (Dates and times subject to change)

Day Time Program
Saturday 9 a.m. – 10 a.m. College GameDay Built by The Home Depot
10 a.m. – 11 a.m. SportsNation
11 a.m. – noon ESPNU College Football WhipAround
Tuesday – Friday 4 – 4:30 p.m. College Football Live
Monday 5 – 6 p.m. Crunch Time
Monday 6 -7 p.m. ESPNU BCS Countdown
Tuesday 1 – 4 p.m. ESPNU College Football: The Experts
Wednesday 7:30 – 8 p.m. ESPNU Road Trip
Thursday 5 – 6 p.m. ESPNU Recruiting Insider
Thursday, Saturday Following 10:30 p.m. game SportsCenterU

ESPNU
The 24-hour college sports television network televises more than 650 live events annually and offers over 400 original studio shows. ESPNU has seen a dramatic 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 ESPNUHD, now in over 17 million homes.

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Aikman: “Green Bay is the Team to Beat in the NFC North”

FOX SPORTS NOTES, QUOTES & ANECDOTES

Reds Battle Cardinals in NL Central Race Saturday on FOX

Aikman, Johnson, Pereira, Shanks & Goren Preview 2010 NFL Season

Aikman: “Green Bay is the Team to Beat in the NFC North”

REDS-CARDS BATTLE FOR NL CENTRAL – It’s September and the home stretch is here as the FOX SATURDAY BASEBALL GAME OF THE WEEK presents three enticing matchups on Saturday, Sept. 4 at 4:00 PM ET. Triple Crown and MVP-candidate Joey Votto leads the Reds into St. Louis and look to put away Albert Pujols and the Cards. In Minneapolis, a pair of first-place teams look to solidify their playoff position as the Twins host the Rangers. Out West, the Padres aim to increase their NL West lead as they take on the Rockies. This week, the pregame show originates live from PETCO Park in San Diego with host Chris Rose. Once game action begins, Rose joins analyst Mark Grace in the booth.

For instant updates throughout the week and during games from the entire MLB on FOX crew, follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MLBONFOX.  Fans can gain more access to exclusive FOX Sports content by logging on to www.facebook.com/foxsports and www.myspace.com/foxsports.

GAME PLAY-BY-PLAY/ANALYST COV.

Cincinnati Reds at St. Louis Cardinals                          Dick Stockton, Tim McCarver                         44%

& Ken Rosenthal

Busch Stadium – St. Louis, MO

MARKETS INCLUDE:  Atlanta, Birmingham, Buffalo, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Greensboro, Greenville, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Knoxville, Louisville, Memphis, Miami, Milwaukee, Nashville, Norfolk, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Raleigh, Richmond, St. Louis, Tulsa, Washington, West Palm Beach

Probable Pitchers: Travis Wood, LHP (4-2, 3.53 ERA) vs. Adam Wainwright, RHP (17-9, 2.30 ERA)

Texas Rangers at Minnesota Twins                              Josh Lewin & Eric Karros                                37%

Target Field – Minneapolis, MN

MARKETS INCLUDE:  Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Fort Myers, Hartford, Houston, Minneapolis, New Orleans, New York, Oklahoma City, Portland, Providence, San Antonio, Seattle, Tampa

Probable Pitchers: Colby Lewis, RHP (9-11, 3.56 ERA) vs. Carl Pavano, RHP (15-10, 3.52 ERA)

Colorado Rockies at San Diego Padres                       Chris Rose & Mark Grace                                18%

PETCO Park – San Diego, CA

MARKETS INCLUDE:  Albuquerque, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco

Probable Pitchers: Jason Hammel, RHP (9-7, 4.32 ERA) vs. Clayton Richard, LHP (12-6, 3.50 ERA)

AIKMAN, JOHNSON, PEREIRA & SHANKS PREVIEW 2010 SEASON – NFL on FOX lead analyst and Hall of Famer Troy Aikman, two-time Super Bowl-winning coach Jimmy Johnson, FOX Sports rules analyst Mike Pereira along with FOX Sports President Eric Shanks and FOX Sports Vice Chairman Ed Goren previewed FOX Sports’ NFL coverage and the 2010 season on a press call yesterday afternoon.

A replay of the entire call is now available by dialing 719-457-0820 and entering pass code 5222094 when prompted. The call can also be heard as an audio file by clicking on this link: http://video.foxsports.com/podcast/nflonfoxcall.mp3

TROY AIKMAN ON NFC NORTH

Packers – “I like Green Bay.  Aaron Rodgers is playing as well as anyone at the quarterback position.  I would expect his play to continue for the Packers.  Green Bay is the team to beat in the NFC North.”

Vikings – “Minnesota is awfully good but I’m a little concerned with Sidney Rice (hip surgery) going down. Percy Harvin (migraines) is a concern and that’s got to be a little unsettling as a quarterback.  Chester Taylor is a guy that they lost that’s more significant than what a lot of people have talked about.”

Bears – “I have tremendous respect for Mike Martz and the job that he’s able to do on the offensive side of the ball.  The turnovers and interceptions in particular are what needs to be cleaned up from Jay Cutler’s game and getting sacked as much as he has in a limited amount of time is another concern.  The Bears are a few players away from being able to contend.”

Lions – “Detroit is going to be a fun team to watch.  I have a vested in interest in Matthew Stafford, a local kid from where I live now, and would love to see him do well.  I think the Lions are starting to slowly put some players around him and the Lions could surprise a few teams.”

JIMMY JOHNSON ON PACKERS, VIKINGS, COWBOYS & NFC EAST

Packers “I really like what Aaron Rodgers did last year and how good he’s looked in preseason.  The Packers have all the weapons offensively and I like their scheme on the offensive side of the ball.  I am a little concerned with some of the problems that they could have injury wise on defense.”

Vikings – “Even though they do have some concerns with the receivers, they still should be able to run the ball extremely well and they still play outstanding defense with the way they rush the passer.”

Cowboys – “You can’t be impressed with what the Cowboys have done in preseason but make no mistake about it that team is filled with talented players on both sides of the ball. Work ethic, toughness and chemistry on your team are what allow you to go out and play week in and week out.  The Cowboys are talented enough to turn it on once the season starts but I don’t know if they’ll have the consistency.  I am concerned about that offensive line and whether or not they can open up the holes and protect Tony Romo.”

MIKE PEREIRA ON UMPIRE REPOSITIONING

“The NFL first started experimenting with this in 1998 in NFL Europe and some preseason games.  Over the last year, they looked at the number of times the umpire got knocked down and felt that something needed to be done.  Now, we’re seeing that a couple things need to be worked out and maybe some things that weren’t anticipated. They need to figure out how to signal to the quarterback that the umpire positioned behind the offensive line is ready thus allowing the quarterback to snap the ball.  Secondly, they’re going to have to define what is normal position for the umpire in a hurry-up situation. Everyone knew adjustments were going to have to be made. It’s good they happened in Week 3 of the preseason so once we get into the season I don’t think it will be much of an issue.”

AIKMAN ON HIS EXPERIENCE OF STARTING AS A ROOKIE

“I was 0-11 as a starter. When you put the time in each week and you come off the field on Sunday and have nothing to show for it it’s hard. The hard part for a young QB is not to lose confidence. For me fortunately, Jimmy and the rest of the personnel people were able to put some good players around me in short period of time so the struggles didn’t last that long. I always considered that rookie season a blessing, it made me realize that winning in the NFL is hard. Even when we were winning Super Bowls, every week I knew that winning was hard.”

AIKMAN’S IMPRESSION OF BRADFORD & REACTION TO HIS WEARING NO. 8 BECAUSE OF HIM

“Sam is going to get hit. The Rams haven’t been very good. They have to get better players around him. You don’t want to see him get banged up. But if he goes through this experience with a team that isn’t very good, he’s learning and not holding back a team that has high expectations. I like him, a lot. I was surprised when I heard he choose No. 8 because of me. I had no idea that he even knew what I had accomplished as a player. It’s a big deal. Here you have a guy who’s had great success. He’s won the Heisman, he’s been the No. 1 pick in the draft and for him not to take his college number and take a number and say it was because of him looking up to me, it means a lot. I think he’s a heck of a talent, I like his demeanor, and I like his athleticism. I think he can be a real superstar.”

JOHNSON ON HIS EXPERIENCE OF STARTING AIKMAN AS ROOKIE QUARTERBACK

“We not only had a rookie QB, we had a rookie owner, a rookie head coach, a rookie running back and Troy’s back-up was a rookie. I didn’t have a lot of choices. We were a young team that was going to take some hits but I thought that was the best way for us to get better. I felt bad for Troy, especially in the Philadelphia game, but in the long run it made Troy a better player quicker than what he would have been if I put him on the sidelines. It made our team better because they all came together to where we had a chance to make the playoffs the next year if Troy had stayed healthy. Then we did make the playoffs and won the Super Bowl. We got good in a hurry because we played so many young guys.”

AIKMAN ON REPEATING AS SUPER BOWL CHAMPIONS

“The reason not many teams repeat is because it’s hard to win it the first time. To get everything right and win a World Championship is extremely difficult. There’s a tendency to look at the player say that he’ll be fine because he’s proven he can do it. You don’t put as much emphasis on getting it right the first time. There has to be more of a self scouting and self awareness on how you are playing. When we were able to repeat we worked as hard, if not harder after we won our first Super Bowl. A lot of it had to do with and Jimmy and a lot of it had to do with the type of players we had. When we starting going downhill, even with the same guys in place, we didn’t put as much emphasis on the little things.”

– FOX SPORTS –

ESPN and BYU Reach Agreement for Football Rights Beginning in 2011

ESPN and BYU Reach Agreement for Football Rights Beginning in 2011

ESPN, Inc. and Brigham Young University (BYU) have reached an eight-year agreement for exclusive rights to BYU home football games across multiple ESPN platforms for the 2011 season through the conclusion of play in 2018. ESPN has an option to extend the agreement through 2019.

“BYU is nationally recognized as an outstanding university and for the history and tradition of its premier athletic programs,” said Burke Magnus, ESPN senior vice president, college sports programming. “Once BYU decided to chart an independent course for football, we both recognized it is a good opportunity to build and grow our strong 30- year relationship. With this agreement, college football fans around the country will see the quality and pageantry of BYU as well as the passion and enthusiasm of its supporters.”

“ESPN’s long history of televising some of the great games in Cougar football history was one of the reasons we reached out to them when we began this process,” said BYU President Cecil O. Samuelson. “We’re thrilled to return to an official relationship with the family of networks that has done so much for us over the years, and which has a well deserved reputation for high-quality productions. We’re also grateful to ESPN for accommodating our in-house broadcasting arm, BYU Broadcasting.”

ESPN will receive first selection rights to all BYU home games and any neutral site matchup where BYU is the designated home team. Details include:

  • An annual minimum of three games on ESPN, ESPN on ABC or ESPN2, including telecasts on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
  • An annual minimum of one game on ESPNU.
  • ESPN3.com, ESPN Mobile TV and ESPN GamePlan will be able to simulcast any ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN on ABC telecast.
  • BYU content will also be available on ESPN Classic, ESPN.com and ESPN Mobile Properties.

Any games not selected by ESPN will be available on BYU Broadcasting.

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NBC Sports Begins 20th Season Broadcasting Notre Dame Football When Fighting Irish Host Purdue This Saturday

Mike Mayock Makes NBC Sports Debut; Notre Dame Stadium Hosts First-Ever Cable-Cam System; Eurosport to Broadcast Home Games Internationally

NEW YORK – September 1, 2010 – A new head coach, new game analyst, new camera and new distribution platforms highlight NBC Sports’ 20th season broadcasting Notre Dame football, which begins this Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET when the Fighting Irish host in-state rival, the Purdue Boilermakers.

Mike Mayock, one of television’s premier college football and NFL Draft experts, makes his NBC Sports debut, joining veteran Notre Dame football commentators Tom Hammond (play-by-play) and Alex Flanagan (sideline reporter). Mayock was hired in August to fill the game analyst role vacated by Pat Haden, who left to become the new Athletic Director at USC, his alma mater.

Also making a debut at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday will be ActionCam, an overhead cable-camera system which will provide viewers of the Purdue game with never-before-seen angles. ActionCam was successfully tested at the Blue and Gold game this spring.

The 2010 Notre Dame football season will include more NBC Sports distribution platforms than ever before, including robust digital and mobile features, iPhone and iPad apps, and an international agreement with Eurosport to broadcast games in Europe and Asia.

Notre Dame enters the 2010 season led by new head coach Brian Kelly, who recently compiled a 34-6 record (.850) in three seasons at Cincinnati. The Irish are 53-26-2 all time against Purdue, have won 15 of the past 16 at home against the Boilermakers, and four the past five overall.

MAYOCK ON KEYS TO THE GAME: “I’m interested to see how balanced Brian Kelly’s spread offense is going to be. Notre Dame has talented running backs and Purdue gave up a lot of yards on the ground last year. But the Boilermakers also have four new starting defensive backs. For Purdue, Robert Marve, who started 11 games as a true freshman at Miami in 2008, is the key. He’s more athletic than most spread offense quarterbacks, which means that throwing and running are options.”

HAMMOND: “Working games at Notre Dame is the absolute best. The atmosphere, pageantry and tradition is unmatched. This year there is a genuine level of excitement with the Brian Kelly era beginning. I’m as curious as anyone to see how his new offensive and defensive schemes are going to play out.”

FLANAGAN ON THE FIRST GAME OF THE SEASON: “During the off-season, there are countless articles, rankings and evaluations, but the thing about the first game is you really don’t know what you have until you get out there. It’s the same for both teams. It’s going to be interesting.”

DIGITAL & INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION

NOTRE DAME EXTRA: For the first time, the entire Notre Dame-NBC Sports schedule will be streamed live on NBCSports.com. “Notre Dame Extra” will feature a simulcast of the broadcast feed plus one additional online-only bonus camera throughout the game.

“Notre Dame Extra” will employ a full HD-quality player using Microsoft Silverlight and Smooth Streaming that will help set new benchmarks for live streaming video cross-platform. The video player will include full DVR functionality allowing the user to pause and scroll back-and-forth – even review plays in “slo-mo” — all while watching live video.

Extra will also feature live coverage of the Notre Dame and visiting teams’ bands at halftime, in-game highlights, as well as a live, online-only postgame that will include head coach Brian Kelly’s press conference.

NOTRE DAME CENTRAL APP: iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad users can get complete NBC Sports coverage of the Notre Dame 2010 college football season with the Notre Dame Central app. Users can access live scores, stats, video highlights & archives, and much more. Fans can also purchase an upgrade to get LIVE access to every NBC Sports broadcast of Notre Dame football games. The iPhone update for the 2010 season will be available prior to the September 4 season opener against Purdue, with an iPad-specific version to come later in the season.

LIVE MOBILE BROADCASTS: NBC Sports’ live coverage of every Notre Dame home football game is available on both NBC 2Go and NBC Sports Mobile.

NOTRE DAME ON NBC SPORTS MOBILE: Fans can receive news and scores right on their cell phones with the NBC Sports Mobile Web site or the NBC Sports iPhone app. Fans can also sign-up for exclusive text alerts with scoring updates and daily news. To find out how, users can just text the word ND to 51515 or visit http://m.NBCSports.com.

EUROSPORT: NBC Sports and the Eurosport group have signed an international television rights agreement that provides Eurosport 2 with exclusive broadcast rights to 2010 Notre Dame home football games across Europe and Asia. Games will be broadcast throughout Europe live exclusively on Eurosport 2, and to the 14 countries where Eurosport Asia Pacific is distributed.

MORE ON MIKE MAYOCK: In addition to his NBC Sports role, Mayock, a former NFL defensive back, is NFL Network’s leading college football and NFL Draft analyst. He is featured on numerous NFL Network programs throughout the year, including Playbook and NFL Total Access, and provides content for all NFL Draft-related programming.

“Mike’s knowledge of and passion for college football has resulted in him becoming one of the most respected voices in the game,” said NBC Sports executive producer Sam Flood when Mayock was hired in August. “He possesses a relentless work ethic and perfect pedigree as a former player and son of a coach. We are excited to add him to our team.”

For additional information on Mike Mayock, please click here: http://www.nbcuniversal.presscentre.com/Content/Detail.aspx?ReleaseID=1309&NewsAreaID=2&ClientID=4

THE NOTRE DAME-NBC SPORTS RELATIONSHIP: The University of Notre Dame and NBC Sports continue their television relationship for the 20th consecutive season in 2010. On June 19, 2009, a five-year renewal to televise all Notre Dame home football games was announced, giving NBC Sports the rights to Fighting Irish home games through the year 2015. NBC Sports began its original contract with Notre Dame in 1991.

The most recent extension provides NBC Sports with rights to Notre Dame home games from 2011 through 2015, extending the partnership between the University and network to 25 years. Notre Dame will provide seven home games per season to NBC Sports and an additional eighth off-site game airing in primetime as part of the agreement. This year’s eighth game takes place on November 20 from Yankee Stadium when the Irish face Army.

NBC SPORTS’ 2010 NOTRE DAME SCHEDULE

Sep 4               Purdue                         3:30 p.m. ET

Sep 11             Michigan                      3:30 p.m. ET

Sep 25             Stanford                       3:30 p.m. ET

Oct 9               Pittsburgh                     3:30 p.m. ET

Oct 16             Western Michigan        2:30 p.m. ET

Oct 30             Tulsa                            2:30 p.m. ET

Nov 13            Utah                             2:30 p.m. ET

Nov 20            Army                            7 p.m. ET (at Yankee Stadium)

Lee Corso Honored with NCFAA Contributions to College Football Award

Lee Corso Honored with NCFAA Contributions to College Football Award

ESPN’s Lee Corso – one of college football’s most knowledgeable, opinionated and entertaining analysts and a part of the two-time Emmy Award winning College GameDay Built by The Home Depot from its first year in 1987 – will be the recipient of National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) 2010 Contributions to College Football Award. The award given annually by NCFAA, an association of all the major awards in college football, recognizes exceptional contributions to college football and a lifetime of achievement and integrity.

“I am humbled and honored to receive the NCFAA Contributions to College Football Award, especially following the previous recipients of the award,” said Corso. “I have enjoyed my involvement in college football – as a player, coach and analyst for the past 52 years. It has been an amazing ride.”

Corso will be the ninth recipient of the award with previous honorees including Darrell Royal, Keith Jackson, Vince Dooley, Tom Osborne, Chuck Neinas, Frank Broyles, Bobby Bowden and LaVell Edwards. The award will be presented to Corso Thursday, Dec. 9 as part of The Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards on ESPN at 7 p.m. ET.

NCFAA President Danielle Moorman added, “We cannot think of a more deserving individual than Lee Corso for this award. As a player, coach and broadcaster, Lee is woven into the fabric of college football and his presence on College GameDay has helped the show become the most authoritative and comprehensive in college football.”

Corso joined ESPN in 1987 after 28 years as a coach at the college and professional levels, including 17 seasons as a head coach. While he is known for his opinions, analysis and daring predictions, Corso’s style of picking his winning team from the featured game by donning that team’s mascot head has become a fan favorite and the most anticipated moment of each show.

In 2001, Sporting News magazine selected Corso as the 17th most influential person in college football. The magazine in January 2004 ranked Corso and fellow GameDay hosts – Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit – as 2003’s “Most Powerful Media Personalities in Sports.”

Corso was head coach at Louisville from 1969-72 and led the Cardinals to two Missouri Valley Conference titles and their second-ever bowl game, the 1970 Pasadena Bowl. He then moved to Indiana in 1973 where he spent 10 seasons as the head coach of the Hoosiers, leading the school to their first bowl victory in 75 years, a 38-37 decision over previously unbeaten Brigham Young in the 1979 Holiday Bowl. He coached Northern Illinois in 1984 before taking over the reins of the Orlando Renegades of the United States Football League (USFL) in 1985 for one season.  He began his coaching career as an assistant coach for 11 seasons (1958-68) at Florida State, Maryland and Navy. In addition, from January-July 1991, Corso served as General Manager of the World League’s Orlando Thunder.

Corso began his television career serving as an analyst on bowl games for Mizlou (1979-82) and USFL games for ABC (1983). He debuted on ESPN in 1987 as a game analyst, calling one season of Arena Football and two seasons of college football. Corso’s seasoned presence and insightful analysis on College GameDay have helped the show earn a huge following.  The in-season Saturday morning show won a Sports Emmy in 2009 and 2007 and received nominations in 2000 and 2003. In 2006, College GameDay received the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame’s Outstanding Contribution to Amateur Football Award.

Corso, whose college roommate was actor Burt Reynolds, received four varsity letters in both football and baseball at Florida State. He is a member of the Hall of Fame at Florida State and the Louisville. Corso was also inducted into the state of Florida Sports Hall of Fame in St. Petersburg. In 2006, he received the Florida State Alumni Association’s Gold Medal, the highest alumni honor.

A graduate of Florida State University, Corso earned a bachelor of arts degree in physical education and a master’s degree in administration and supervision. Corso is director of business development for Dixon Ticonderoga, Heathrow, Fla., an international diversified manufacturer and marketer of writing and arts products.

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FOX Sports & St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Team Up For 2010 NFL Season

FOX Sports & St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Team Up

For 2010 NFL Season

America’s #1 Sports Network and Country’s Top Children’s Cancer Hospital

Tackle Childhood Cancer Together this Fall

Memphis, Tenn. – (August 31, 2010) – America’s #1 sports network and top children’s cancer hospital are tackling childhood cancer together this NFL season. This Fall, FOX Sports has teamed with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to help kids who are sidelined by cancer and other deadly diseases. FOX Sports Supports, the network’s charitable initiative now in its third year, is a unique program that raises awareness, provides financial assistance and spurs volunteerism for health charities selected by FOX Sports employees.

“We are honored to partner with a tremendous organization like St. Jude for the 2010 NFL on FOX season,” said Bill Wanger, Executive Vice President, FOX Sports.  “Using our unmatched on-air talent, brand and reach, our goal is to raise awareness for St. Jude so they can continue to fight for all the courageous children and families affected by this terrible disease.”

Earlier this month, NFL on FOX on-air personalities Troy Aikman, Terry Bradshaw, Joe Buck, Jay Glazer, Jimmy Johnson, Howie Long Curt Menefee, Pam Oliver and Michael Strahan visited St. Jude. The group learned first-hand about the hospital’s ground-breaking research, innovative treatments and first-class patient care, and filmed a series of public service announcements that will air throughout the entire football season including Super Bowl Sunday. In addition, FOX Sports will support St. Jude through numerous on-air mentions all season long and will also be involved in St. Jude events and activities.

“I played a long time in the NFL and have played with and seen a lot of tough and courageous individuals, but nobody can match the courage and determination of these wonderful children at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital,” said FOX NFL SUNDAY analyst Terry Bradshaw.

“I was awed by their spirit, attitude and determination and everyone at FOX Sports will do whatever it takes this season and beyond to help them conquer their battle against cancer.”

While at St. Jude the FOX team also met with patients in the fight of their lives against cancer and other deadly diseases. One patient they all could easily relate to was Shon, a 17-year-old high school football player from Mississippi.  One of the state’s top high school players in 2009, Shon was recruited to play offensive tackle for Auburn University.  Shon is currently being treated for ALL, the most common form of childhood cancer, and he’s unfortunately had to put his college football dreams on hold while he battles his disease.

“Cancer is like my opponent,” said Shon, who started playing football at age 5. “Right now, the doctors are like my coaches.  They give me a game plan so that when my treatment is over, I’ll have beaten cancer. The most important thing in my life right now is to get cancer out of the way so I can play football again.”

St. Jude treats patients, like Shon, from around the world, and no child is ever turned away because of a family’s inability to pay for treatment. The hospital largely relies on public donations to help keep that promise.

“We are so honored to have been selected by FOX Sports employees as their partner during this NFL season,” said Richard C. Shadyac Jr., CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising organization of St. Jude. “We’ve been finding cures and saving kids for nearly 50 years and this opportunity helps us recruit millions of football fans to join our team in the fight against deadly diseases like cancer.”

Football fans also can help settle the score against childhood cancer this season by visiting www.stjude.org/foxsports. It features exclusive behind the scenes footage from the talent’s visit to St. Jude, patient stories, photos and ways for the public to support the Hospital’s mission.

About FOX Sports

FOX Sports is the flagship network of the FOX Sports Media Group. As America’s top-rated network for sports for 13 straight years (1997-2009), FOX Sports boasts rights agreements with each of the nation’s highest-rated sports. FOX Sports is the exclusive national over-the-air television rights holder for Major League Baseball, including the All-Star Game, alternating League Championship Series and World Series (2007-2013); the National Football League’s NFC package, including the NFC Championship Game and Super Bowls XLV and XLVIII (2006-2013); NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from February through May, including the Daytona 500 (2007-2014); the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic and the UEFA Champions League Final. Since its inception in 1994, FOX Sports has earned 82 Emmy Awards for production excellence. David Hill and Ed Goren are the Executive Producers of FOX Sports.  For the latest sports news, opinion and video, log on to www.FOXSports.com. Fans can gain more access to exclusive content by following FOX Sports on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MLBONFOX, http://twitter.com/NFLONFOX and http://twitter.com/NASCARONFOX and by logging on to www.facebook.com/foxsports and www.myspace.com/foxsports.

About St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is internationally recognized for its pioneering work in finding cures and saving children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases.

St. Jude is the first and only pediatric cancer center to be designated as a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute. Founded by late entertainer Danny Thomas and based in Memphis, Tenn., St. Jude freely shares its discoveries with scientific and medical communities around the world. St. Jude is the only pediatric cancer research center where families never pay for treatment not covered by insurance. No child is ever denied treatment because of the family’s inability to pay. St. Jude is financially supported by ALSAC, its fundraising organization. In 2010, St. Jude was ranked the most trusted charity in the nation in a public survey conducted by Harris Interactive, a highly respected international polling and research firm. St. Jude was also named the nation’s top children’s cancer hospital in the 2010-11 Best Children’s Hospitals rankings published by U.S. News & World Report. For more information, go to www.stjude.org and follow St. Jude on www.facebook.com/stjude and www.twitter.com/stjude.


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