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Archives for August 2010

Westwood One Announces All-Star Announcers For The 2010 NFL Season

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WESTWOOD ONE

ANNOUNCES

ALL-STAR ANNOUNCERS

FOR THE 2010 NFL SEASON

— Kevin Harlan joins Boomer Esiason on Monday Nights with Randy Cross, Dave Sims,

James Lofton, Ian Eagle, Trent Green, Tony Boselli, Mark Malone, Kevin Kugler and Howard David rounding out the lineup. —

New York, NY – August 27, 2010– Westwood One announced today its lineup of all-star broadcasters for the 2010-2011 NFL season. Veteran NFL broadcaster Kevin Harlan will join Boomer Esiason as the lead play-by-play voice for Monday Night Football and Super Bowl XLIV. In addition, Randy Cross will also provide analysis for select Monday Night games and the Playoffs. Dave Sims returns as play-by-play announcer for Sunday Night games and will be joined by NFL Hall of Famer James Lofton. Ian Eagle and Trent Green will team up for Westwood One’s Thursday Night broadcasts.

“Three nights a week and twice on Sunday afternoon, football fans nationwide get their NFL from Westwood One. They deserve the best and that’s exactly what we are giving them this fall,” said Gary Schonfeld, President of Westwood One Network. “The best match-ups, the most expansive schedule of games and the engaging voices that immerse fans in all the excitement unfolding on the fields of America’s most popular sport. It’s time to get back to football.”

Full broadcast teams for the NFL on Westwood One are as follows:

Sunday Night Football

Play-by-Play:              Dave Sims

Color Analyst:            James Lofton

Sunday Afternoon Doubleheaders

Play-by-Play:              Howard David

Color Analyst:            Tony Boselli

Play-by-Play:              Kevin Kugler

Color Analyst:            Mark Malone

Monday Night Football

Play-by-Play:              Kevin Harlan

Color Analyst:            Boomer Esiason (or Randy Cross)

Thursday Night Football

Play-by-Play:              Ian Eagle

Color Analyst:            Trent Green

Westwood One remains the exclusive network radio partner of the NFL primetime package, broadcasting the most games and the best match-ups throughout the entire NFL season.  Westwood One has been an NFL network radio partner for more than four decades and the exclusive network radio partner since 1987. As the exclusive radio partner of the NFL, the Westwood One 2010-2011 NFL broadcast schedule features 58 national games, including: the Hall of Fame game, Opening Kickoff game, 17 Monday Night games, including one doubleheader, 17 Sunday Night games, 10 Thursday and Saturday Night games (including Thanksgiving Night), Thanksgiving Day doubleheader, 12 Postseason games, including the NFL Playoffs, the AFC and NFC Championship Games, the AFC-NFC Pro Bowl and Super Bowl XLV in North Texas. Westwood One also delivers specialty programs, including: The NFL Today, NFL Preview, NFL Insider, NFL Sunday, and NFL Fantasy Football Forecast.

In addition to the 58 game primetime package, Westwood One will also present one weekly doubleheader starting on Sunday, September 12, 2010 and continuing each Sunday through January 2, 2011. The first few weeks of doubleheader match-ups are listed below, while the remaining weeks will be chosen as the season progresses to ensure the best possible games. All stations airing Westwood One’s NFL Football coverage can be found using the Station Finder located at www.westwoodone.com beginning Wednesday, September 8, 2010.

Westwood One is the leader in play-by-play sports broadcasts on radio. Westwood One’s sports lineup includes regular season NFL football, the Playoffs and the Super Bowl; NCAA Football and Basketball including the Final Four; College World Series; Frozen Four; the Masters, the Olympics and more.

WESTWOOD ONE 2009-2010 NFL BROADCASTERS

Kevin Harlan makes his return to Westwood One as the new full-time play-by-play voice for Monday Night Football games. Harlan was the play-by-play voice of select Monday Night Football games throughout the 2009 NFL season as well as for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four on Westwood One from 2003-2007. Harlan also currently calls play-by-play for CBS Sports’ coverage of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament and NBA Basketball on TNT. Harlan joined CBS Sports in 1998 as an NFL play-by-play announcer, after having served in the same capacity for Fox Sports since 1994. A veteran football and basketball broadcaster, this will be his 26th consecutive season broadcasting the NFL and this year’s NBA season marks his 23rd broadcasting the NBA.  Harlan spent nine seasons (1985-93) as the voice of the Kansas City Chiefs and was the voice of the Minnesota Timberwolves for nine seasons as well.

Boomer Esiason provides color commentary for Westwood One’s critically acclaimed Monday Night Football broadcast team and this marks his tenth year broadcasting for the network. Esiason co-host’s The NFL Today for CBS Sports and also served as the Monday Night Football analyst for ABC Sports for two seasons before joining Westwood One.  Boomer also spends mornings co-hosting a daily radio show on WFAN in New York, and co-hosts NFL Preview each week on Westwood One as well. Prior to embarking on a broadcasting career, Esiason was one of the most prolific quarterbacks in NFL history. He spent 14 years in the NFL and quarterbacked the Cincinnati Bengals to Super Bowl XXIII. In 1988, Esiason was named NFL MVP by the Pro Football Writers of America and the Associated Press and was named the NFL’s Man of the Year in 1995.

Randy Cross will serve as analyst for select Monday night games this season after filling the same role last year for Westwood One’s coverage of Thursday  Night Football. He previously worked games for the network from 1990-92, including Super Bowl XXIV. Cross also served three years as a studio analyst for THE NFL TODAY on CBS and four years at NBC Sports as an analyst for its NFL broadcasts, selected Notre Dame games, the 1995 Fiesta Bowl and as a reporter for Super Bowl XXXII. A 13-year NFL veteran and three-time Pro Bowler, Cross was a center and guard for the San Francisco 49ers and helped lead the team to three Super Bowl championships.  A two-time All-American at UCLA, he was the 49ers’ second-round pick in 1976 and missed only eight games over 13 years.

Dave Sims returns for his fifth season as Westwood One’s play-by-play announcer for Sunday Night Football.  Before switching to primetime, Sims called Westwood One Sunday afternoon games as well as the NFL Playoffs for nearly a decade. The two-time Emmy Award winner has also called play-by-play for NCAA Basketball regular season games and tournament coverage for the past seven years and in 2003, also hosted the NCAA Women’s Final Four. In addition to his Westwood One duties, Sims called the Big East Football TV Game of the Week for many years, is currently the TV play by play voice of the Seattle Mariners and has written for the New York Daily News.

James Lofton returns for his second season as an analyst for Sunday Night Football on Westwood One.  Lofton served as analyst and sideline reporter for the NFL on Westwood One from 1999 – 2001 and recently rejoined the Network after a seven-year coaching stint with the San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders. He was the No. 1 draft pick of the Green Bay Packers in 1978, beginning a long career as an NFL wide receiver. In 16 season playing for Green Bay, the Los Angeles Raiders, Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Rams, and the Philadelphia Eagles, Lofton caught 764 passes for 14,004 yards, which was the most in NFL history at the time of his retirement. In 13 playoff games, Lofton caught 41 passes for 759 yards and eight touchdowns, including a seven-reception game in Super Bowl XXVI. He was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2003.

Ian Eagle enters his third year as play-by-play announcer for Westwood One’s NFL Thursday night coverage. For the past three years, Eagle also called the action for Westwood One’s coverage of the SEC Basketball Championship and the Regional Semi-Finals and Finals of the NCAA Tournament. Eagle is primarily known for his work with CBS Sports, calling NFL games and NCAA Basketball games since 1998. He also has served as the play-by-play announcer for the NBA’s New Jersey Nets television broadcasts since 1995, after having called play-by-play for radio broadcasts the previous year. He was the play-by-play radio voice for the New York Jets in 1997 and hosted Jets pre- and post-game shows on WFAN from 1993 to 1996. Eagle joined WFAN Radio in New York in 1990 as a producer and debuted as host of his own show in 1992. Eagle was awarded the Bob Costas Award for Outstanding Sportscasting while attending Syracuse University.

Trent Green joins Westwood One as a game analyst after spending last season in the same capacity with FOX Television. Prior to beginning his broadcast career last year, Trent spent 15 seasons in the NFL, playing quarterback for five different franchises. He was a member of the Super Bowl XXXIV Champion Rams, but enjoyed his best seasons with Kansas City from 2001-2006. While wearing a Chiefs uniform, he became only the 4th quarterback in NFL history to have three consecutive seasons of 4000 yards or more passing. He finished his career with 162 touchdowns and over 28,000 yards passing. In addition to his role as Thursday Night Football Analyst on Westwood One, Green also serves as a studio analyst for the NFL Network and as an analyst for preseason games on television for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Howard David will once again serve as play-by-play announcer for Sunday Afternoon games. David returned to the network last season after an eight-year hiatus. He previously spent 23 years with CBS Radio/Westwood One broadcasting College Football, College Basketball, Masters Golf, US Open Tennis, the Olympics and NFL Football including six seasons as the voice of Monday Night Football and the Super Bowl. David’s broadcast background also includes calling play-by-play for the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins, as well as NBA Basketball with the New Jersey Nets, Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics. He has also hosted talk shows at WQAM in Miami, Sporting News Radio and currently co-hosts a show for Sirius NFL Radio. David was chosen as New Jersey Sportscaster of the Year four times, the NY “Air Award” for broadcast excellence and is also a recipient of a New York Emmy Award.

Tony Boselli has been elevated to full-time color analyst for Westwood One’s broadcasts of Sunday Afternoon NFL games. Boselli began his national broadcasting career in 2007, working as a game analyst for the NFL on FOX.  In 2009, he joined Westwood One where he worked as a part-time analyst for both NFL and College Football. In addition, Boselli also co-hosts “Sports Final Radio,” a local daily morning radio show on 1010 XL AM in Jacksonville. The first player ever drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars, Boselli was chosen #2 overall in the 1995 NFL Draft. After six seasons with the Jaguars, which included five Pro Bowls, three All-Pro teams and two trips to AFC Championship Game, he retired in 2006.  Selected as a member of the 1990s NFL All-Decade Team, Boselli was the first inductee into the Jaguars ring of honor, and received the prestigious Ed Block Courage Award in 2000. Boselli is a 1994 graduate of the USC where he was a 3-time All-American and winner of the 1994 Morris Trophy, given annually to the top offensive lineman in the Pac 10.

Kevin Kugler returns for a second season as play-by-play announcer for Sunday Afternoon NFL games. For the previous four seasons he has been the lead voice of the College Football Game of the Week and has called the past six College World Series for the Network as well. Kugler also serves as the radio play-by-play announcer for the NCAA Men’s Final Four broadcast and as the lead announcer for Westwood One’s regular season college basketball package. In addition, Kugler broadcast the Masters and the 2008 Summer Olympics for Westwood One, including calling the Gold Medal Basketball game in Beijing. Kugler also co-hosts a daily sports talk show in Omaha, and recently won the Nebraska Sportscaster of the Year Awards for the 5th time.

Mark Malone returns for a third season as an analyst and sideline reporter for the NFL on Westwood One, and will second season as the host of NFL Insider. Malone spent a decade with ESPN where he hosted many NFL shows including Edge NFL Match-up, NFL Tonight, and Monday Night Countdown. Prior to joining Westwood One, he served as Sports Director for WBBM-TV in Chicago, where he garnered four Emmys for his work. Malone, an All-American quarterback at Arizona State and first-round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers, played for 10 years in the NFL, quarterbacking the Steelers to the 1984 AFC Championship Game.

Jim Gray joined Westwood One in 2001 as host of the network’s Monday Night Football pre-game and halftime shows and this marks his tenth season fulfilling the same role for the network. Gray also serves as courtside reporter for Westwood One’s coverage of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four and as on-course reporter for the Masters. A prominent network television reporter for over two decades, Gray currently covers boxing for Showtime, is a contributor to the Golf Channel, and also has served as a courtside reporter for the NBA on CBS, NBC, ABC and most recently ESPN.  Gray’s numerous credits include: seven Olympic Games, 22 Masters, twelve Super Bowls, seven World Series and 15 NBA Finals. Gray has won eight Emmy Awards and also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Scott Graham returns for his second season as pregame, halftime and postgame host for the network’s Sunday NFL coverage. Graham has spent over twenty years as a radio and television sportscaster including play-by-play for both the NFL and NFL Europe on FOX. He has also spent the last 13 seasons as The Comcast Network’s primary play-by-play voice of college basketball, and continues to call college hoops for ESPN. On the radio side, Graham served as the play-by-play voice of the Philadelphia Phillies for eight seasons from 1999-2006. For nearly a decade prior to that, he hosted the pregame and postgame shows for the Phillies on CBS Radio in Philadelphia. Since 2003, Graham has narrated a variety of programs, commercials, and features produced by NFL Films.  His voice has most often been heard on NFL Game of the Week, in weekly game previews on NFL.com, and in various season highlight films for NFL teams.

About Westwood One

Westwood One (NASDAQ: WWON) is one of the nation’s largest providers of network radio programming and one of the largest domestic providers of traffic information in the U.S. Westwood One serves more than 5,000 radio and 165 TV stations in the U.S. Westwood One provides over 150 news, sports, music, talk and entertainment programs, features and live events to numerous media partners. Through its Metro Traffic business, Westwood One provides traffic reporting and local news, sports and weather to more than 2,250 radio and TV stations. Westwood One also provides digital and other cross-platform delivery of its Network Radio and Metro Traffic content to over 700 radio, television and newspaper affiliates.

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2010 Boost Mobile Elite Event on ESPNU HD

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2010 Boost Mobile Elite Event on ESPNU HD

—Under Armour Slam Dunk Contest Live August 27

—Boost Mobile Elite 24 Game Live August 28

ESPNU HD will televise the 2010 Boost Mobile Elite 24 event live from Venice Beach, Calif., over two days this weekend. The event, launched in 2006 at New York’s Rucker Park, will feature 24 of the nation’s top high school basketball players in the Under Armour Slam Dunk Contest, Friday, August 27, 8 p.m. EDT, and the Boost Mobile Elite 24 game on Saturday, August 28, 7:30 p.m. EDT. Host Eamon McAnaney will be joined by ESPN Analyst Jay Williams, and Bobbito Garcia a.k.a. Kool Bob Love, who will call the game.

Friday night’s Under Armour Slam Dunk contest will be judged by Boost Mobile Elite 24 alums John Wall, Brandon Jennings and Tyreke Evans, and Los Angeles Clipper Baron Davis. In addition to event participants, the contest will feature local contestants Norman Powell, Lincoln High School (San Diego, Calif.) and Gabe York, Orange Lutheran High School (Orange, Calif.).

Saturday’s game will feature local high school basketball coaches Reggie Morris, Jr. of St. Bernard (Playa Del Rey, Calif.) and Derrick Taylor of Taft High School (Woodland Hills, Calif.), and SportsCenter’s Stan Verrett and Neil Everett with the Wizards’ John Wall and the Bucks’ Brandon Jennings.

2010 Boost Mobile Elite 24 Teams:

Raymond Lewis Squad

Head Coach: Reggie Morris, Jr.

Assistant Coaches: John Wall & Stan Verrett

Name High School Pos.
Bradley Beal Chaminade College Prep School (St. Louis, Mo.) SG
DeAndre Daniels Taft High School (Woodland Hills, Calif.) SF
Jahii Carson Mesa High School (Phoenix, Az.) PG
Johnny O’Bryant East Side High School (Cleveland, Miss.) C
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Greenville High School (Greenville, Ga.) SG
Kyle Wiltjer Jesuit (Portland, Ore.) PF
Michael Gbinije Benedictine (Richmond, Va.) SF
Myck Kabongo Findlay Prep (Las Vegas, N.V.) PG
Quddus Bello Westchester Country Day School (Winston-Salem, N.C.) SG
Quincy Miller Westchester Country Day School (Winston-Salem, N.C.) PF
Rakeem Christmas Academy of the New Church (Brynn Athyn, Pa.) PF
Shabazz Muhammad Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) SG

Marques Johnson Squad

Head Coach: Derrick Taylor

Assistant Coaches: Brandon Jennings & Neil Everett

Name High School Pos.
Adonis Thomas Melrose High School (Memphis, Tenn.) SF
Alex Murphy St. Mark’s School (Southborough, Mass.) SF
Amir Garrett Findlay Prep (Las Vegas, N.V.) SF
Austin Rivers Winter Park (Winter Park, Fla.) PG
DaJuan Coleman Jamesville-DeWitt High School (DeWitt, N.Y.) C
Jabari Brown Oakland High School (Oakland, Calif.) SG
James McAdoo Norfolk Christian (Norfolk, Va.) PF
LaQuinton Ross Life Center Academy (Burlington, N.J.) SF
LeBryan Nash Lincoln High School (Dallas, Texas) SF
Nick Johnson Findlay Prep (Las Vegas, N.V.) SG

Boost Mobile Elite 24 participants are selected by high school basketball experts from ESPN RISE, ESPN College Basketball Recruiting and other leading talent evaluators.  Players were selected based on their performances at AAU tournaments and national summer camps. Boost Mobile Elite 24 player participation is strictly determined by parental/legal guardian permission, and high school and state association guidelines.

Event sponsors include: Boost Mobile, title sponsor; Under Armour, apparel and slam dunk content; Wilson, basketballs and Gatorade, hydration.

Media interested in media credentials should contact: crystal.howard@espn.com.

About Boost Mobile Elite 24

Launched in 2006 by RISE Magazine, the Boost Mobile Elite 24 is the only basketball event in the country to feature the top 24 high school male basketball players regardless of class year or shoe affiliation.  Launched and played in New York’s famed Rucker Park its first four years and moved to Los Angles’ Venice Beach in its fifth year, Boost Mobile Elite 24 touts alumni that include NBA rookies John Wall, Lance Stephenson and Derrick Favors, NBA players Tyreke Evans, Jerryd Bayless, Kevin Love and Brandon Jennings, and college-bound Harrison Barnes, Kyrie Irving and Jarred Sullinger. The game has featured guest coaches that include current and former NBA stars Chauncey Billups, Kenny Anderson, Ben Gordon, Jason Kidd and Baron Davis; and its inaugural game was the subject of the documentary “Gunnin’ for that #1 Spot”, which debuted at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival, and was produced by Beastie Boy Adam Yauch and his production company Oscilloscope.

About ESPN RISE

ESPN RISE represents ESPN’s commitment to engage and elevate high school athletes by providing them with recognition, resources, information and inspiration that can motivate them to improve their skills and achieve their goals to be the best athletes they can.  ESPN RISE assets include ESPN RISE, GIRL, Hardwood and Gridiron magazines; ESPNRISE.com, and more than 160 high school events including Elite 11, Elite 24, ESPN RISE Games, ESPN RISE National High School Invitational, Faster to First, Area Code Baseball and Nike Combines/Nike SPARQ Mini Camps.  ESPN RISE is uniquely positioned to provide high school athletes and the company’s core fans with compelling high school sports content across all ESPN platforms.

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.

About Boost Mobile

Boost Mobile, one of Sprint’s prepaid brands, offers wireless phones and services with no long-term contracts. Boost Mobile redefines value for wireless consumers with its ‘Monthly Unlimited’ service, offering unlimited nationwide talk, text, Web, e-mail, IM and 411 for $50 per month, and with its ‘BlackBerry Monthly Unlimited’ service, offering unlimited nationwide talk, text, Web, e-mail, IM and 411 for $60 per month. Boost Mobile offers nationwide service on the Nationwide Sprint Network, reaching more than 276 million people, and on the Nextel National Network, reaching more than 277 million people, with no activation or long distance fees. Boost Mobile offers a selection of quality handsets from Motorola, Sanyo, Research In Motion (RIM) and Samsung, ranging from entry-level to high-end devices. Boost Mobile phones are available nationwide at nearly 20,000 major retail stores, including Best Buy, RadioShack, Target and Wal-mart, Sprint retail stores, independent wireless dealer locations, and on HSN, a leading TV home shopping network; and Re-Boost® is available at approximately 100,000 locations throughout the United States. Experience Boost Mobile on the Web at MySpace, Facebook and Twitter; and purchase products at www.boostmobile.com.

About Under Armour, Inc.

Under Armour® (NYSE: UA) is a leading developer, marketer, and distributor of branded performance apparel, footwear, and accessories. The brand’s moisture-wicking synthetic fabrications are engineered in many different designs and styles for wear in nearly every climate. The Company’s products are sold worldwide and worn by athletes at all levels, from youth to professional, on playing fields around the globe.  The Under Armour global headquarters is in Baltimore, Maryland, with European headquarters in Amsterdam’s Olympic Stadium, and additional offices in Denver, Hong Kong, Toronto, and Guangzhou, China. For further information, please visit the Company’s website at http://www.underarmour.com.

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2010 FIBA Men’s World Championship Tips Off Aug. 28

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2010 FIBA Men’s World Championship Tips Off Aug. 28

All 80 Games Available Live on ESPN3.com

ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Classic will combine to televise at least 11 games from the 2010 FIBA Men’s World Championship in Istanbul, Turkey, including every game featuring the USA World Championship Team, the semifinals, third-place game and championship game.  Action begins Saturday, Aug. 28, when the United States faces Croatia live on ESPN Classic at noon ET (re-airing at 11 p.m. on ESPN2).  Additionally, for the first time, all 80 tournament games will be available live on ESPN3.com, ESPN’s broadband network.

ESPN’s international basketball expert Fran Fraschilla will provide analysis for all telecasts, with Marc Kestecher and Kevin Connors sharing play-by-play.

The 2010 USA World Championship Team, led by defending NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder and fellow NBA All-Stars Chauncey Billups (Denver Nuggets), Rajon Rondo (Boston Celtics) and Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls), will attempt to avenge the team’s bronze medal finish during the 2006 World Championship.  The United States Men’s Senior National Team went on to win the gold medal during the 2008 Olympic Games.

ESPN’s 2010 FIBA Men’s World Championship Schedule

(subject to change; all games available via ESPN3.com)

Date Time (ET) Teams (Commentators) Network
Sat, Aug 28 12 p.m. Croatia vs. U.S.A. (Connors, Fraschilla) ESPN Classic
(re-airs at 11 p.m., ESPN2)
Sun, Aug 29 9:30 a.m. U.S.A. vs. Slovenia (Kestecher, Fraschilla) ESPN2
(re-airs at 6 p.m., ESPN2)
Mon, Aug 30 2:30 p.m. Brazil vs. U.S.A. (Kestecher, Fraschilla) ESPN
(re-airs at 11 p.m., ESPN2)
Wed, Sept 1 12 p.m. U.S.A. vs. Iran  (Kestecher, Fraschilla) ESPN
(re-airs at 11 p.m., ESPN2)
Thu, Sept 2 9:30 a.m. Tunisia vs. U.S.A. (Kestecher, Fraschilla) ESPN2
(re-airs at 12:30 a.m., ESPN2)
*Sun, Sept 5 or Mon, Sept 6 11 a.m. or 2 p.m.
(re-airs at 11 p.m., ESPN2)		 U.S.A. vs. TBD (Kestecher, Fraschilla) ESPN Classic or ESPN2
*Wed, Sept 8 or Thu, Sept 9 11 a.m. or 2 p.m.
(re-airs at 11 p.m., ESPN2, if Sept 8; 1:30 a.m., ESPN2, if Sept 9)		 U.S.A. vs. TBD (Kestecher, Fraschilla) ESPN
Sat, Sept 11 12 p.m. Semifinal #1 (Kestecher, Fraschilla) ESPN Classic
(re-airs at 1:30 a.m., ESPN2)
2:30 p.m. Semifinal #2 (Kestecher, Fraschilla) ESPN Classic
(re-airs at 9 a.m., ESPN2, Sept 12)
Sun, Sept 12 12 p.m. Third-Place Game  (Kestecher, Fraschilla) ESPN Classic
(re-airs at 5 p.m., ESPN2)
2:30 p.m. Championship Game (Kestecher, Fraschilla) ESPN
(re-airs at 7 p.m., ESPN2)

*eighth-round and quarterfinal telecast dates/times contingent upon the United States’ performance in the preliminary round

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Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the New York Jets – Episode 3 debuts Wednesday, August 25th

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HARD KNOCKS:  TRAINING CAMP WITH THE NEW YORK JETS

AUG. 25 EPISODE

HBO Sports, in association with NFL Films and the New York Jets, provides an all-access look at what it takes to make it in the National Football League in HARD KNOCKS:  TRAINING CAMP WITH THE NEW YORK JETS.  The first sports-based reality series – and one of the fastest-turnaround reality series – continues its five-episode sixth season, presented in HD, WEDNESDAY, AUG. 25 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.  Other hour-long episodes debut subsequent Wednesdays at the same time, with an encore play immediately following each episode’s debut at 11:00 p.m., culminating in the Sept. 8 season finale.

Episode #3

Debut:  WEDNESDAY, AUG. 25 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT)

Other HBO playdates:  Aug. 25 (11:00 p.m.), 26 (2:30 p.m., midnight), 27 (noon, midnight), 28 (12:30 p.m., 11:00 p.m.), 29 (11:15 a.m.) and 30 (11:30 a.m., 8:00 p.m., 2:35 a.m.)

HBO2 playdates:  Aug. 29 (11:30 p.m.) and 31 (10:00 p.m.)

The Jets travel to Charlotte to meet the Carolina Panthers in week two of the pre-season schedule.  Wide receiver Braylon Edwards is profiled.  The team breaks camp in Cortland, NY and heads back to Florham Park, NJ.

A 24-person NFL Films crew is living at Jets training camp, shooting up to 1,000 hours of video over the course of the series.  Camera and sound crews are given unencumbered access to the players’ and coaches’ meeting rooms, training facilities, dormitories and practice fields.

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ESPN & the 2010 US Open: Multi-Platform, Worldwide Coverage

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ESPN & the 2010 US Open: Multi-Platform, Worldwide Coverage

Brackets Announced on ESPN2 August 26; 100 Hours on ESPN2 HD, Nearly 400 on ESPN3.com

’30 for 30’ Documentary Unmatched Sept. 14 – Intimate Portrait of Evert-Navratilova Rivalry

ESPN will present unprecedented multi-platform and worldwide coverage throughout the entire two weeks of tennis’ final Grand Slam event of 2010, the US Open from New York August 30 – September 12.  Fans will enjoy 100 hours in high definition on ESPN2 HD, nearly 400 hours on ESPN3.com’s multi-court offering plus coverage across ESPN’s platforms in the U.S. and around the world.

ESPN’s multimedia coverage will begin Thursday, Aug. 26, with the live, exclusive announcement of the tournament’s men’s and women’s singles brackets on ESPN2 with the 2010 US Open Draw Announcement Special at noon ET.  Chris McKendry will host the one-hour show, with Mary Joe Fernandez, Brad Gilbert and Patrick McEnroe.  The program will also be available on ESPN3.com and ESPN Mobile TV.

During the first week of the tournament, ESPN2’s coverage will start at 1 p.m. each weekday and will continue non stop for at least 10 hours through both the day and evening sessions.  The latter, Primetime at the US Open presented by IBM, will begin at 7 p.m. and continue until 11 p.m. or when play is concluded, whichever is later. On opening night, Monday, August 30, a ceremony celebrating those who “Dream, Succeed and Inspire” will precede the action.  Four-time US Open champion Martina Navratilova, fan-favorite James Blake and reigning US Open Wheelchair singles and doubles champion Esther Vergeer will be honored.  The ceremony in Arthur Ashe Stadium will be hosted by ABC News’ Christiane Amanpour and will feature a special musical performance by Grammy winner Gloria Estefan.

The second week, ESPN2 will have Primetime at the US Open presented by IBM at 7 p.m. on Labor Day Monday, Sept. 6, followed by day-long windows Tuesday – Thursday starting at 11 a.m.  (There is a two-hour gap on Thursday, Sept. 9 from 6-8 p.m.)

While ESPN2 is on the air, SportsCenter will have the right to cut-in live for updates and key moments.  SportsCenter’s daytime edition is on ESPN until 3 p.m. with later editions from 6-7 p.m. and 11 p.m.-midnight.  In addition, as of Monday, August 30, it is also on ESPNEWS 3-6 p.m. and 7-11 p.m.

On the final day of the tournament, Sunday, Sept. 12, ESPN2 will televise live the women’s doubles championship at 1 p.m., and will review all the action at 9 p.m. with a special two-hour edition of SportsCenter at the US Open. As with the other three Grand Slams, ESPN2 will work with Tennis Channel to bring fans virtually round-the-clock coverage during the US Open, each utilizing its own commentators.

Fans will enjoy a new view of the court at Arthur Ashe Stadium on ESPN2 HD.  In a first for any Grand Slam event in tennis, a camera will fly over the court on a four-point aerial system.  The angle should be both dramatic for walk-ons, ceremonies and walk-offs and incisive for replays.

ESPN2’s Commentator Lineup

The dean of ESPN’s tennis team is Cliff Drysdale, a former US Open finalist who has been with ESPN since its first tennis telecast September 14, 1979, exactly one week after the network launched, making him second in ESPN tenure among commentators behind only Bob Ley. Chris Fowler, ESPN’s lead studio anchor for Grand Slam tennis since 2003, will serve as a host and call matches. Mike Tirico of Monday Night Football, Hannah Storm and Chris McKendry will also serve as hosts.  John and Patrick McEnroe will again often be paired in the booth, and the rest of the ESPN tennis team returns:  Darren Cahill, Mary Carillo, Mary Joe Fernandez, Brad Gilbert and Pam Shriver.  In addition, Rick Reilly and Tom Rinaldi will contribute features and essays during the first week of action.

More US Open from ESPN, Inc.

ESPN3.com, the company’s signature live sports broadband network, will cover the action from five courts beginning at 1 p.m. the first five days. ESPN3.com will also simulcast ESPN2 for the full tournament, select additional court coverage and a simulcast of the Women’s Doubles final for a total of approximately 375 hours of US Open tennis on the web.

ESPN3.com is ESPN’s live sports broadband network, giving fans a 24/7 online destination that delivers more than 3,500 live, global sports events annually. It is available at no additional cost to fans who receive their high-speed Internet connection from an affiliated service provider, and is currently available in more than 53 million homes – a majority of U.S. broadband homes.  It is available via dozens of Internet Service Providers of all sizes nationwide, including Comcast, AT&T, Verizon, Cox, Charter, Windstream, RCN, Insight, Frontier, Cavalier, Mediacom, Conway, Grande Communications and many more. It is also available at no cost to approximately 21 million U.S. college students and U.S.-based military personnel via computers connected to on-campus educational networks and on-base military networks.

ESPN.com

  • US Open Central:  ESPN.com will again feature US Open Central, a dynamic content application that will feature the official live scoring for all matches throughout the tournament. Additionally, US Open Central will be available for the first time on the ESPN Mobile Web site.
  • The Pulse: A multi-tool application with all-court scoring, match stats, Cover It Live conversations, poll questions, rolling Twitter feeds and scrolling bottom line.
  • Digital Serve: Exclusive daily dotcom video segment previewing the next day’s action.
  • Slam Central: A daily destination for all US Open fixtures.
  • Open Notebook: An aggregation of what the latest happenings are on the grounds of Flushing Meadows. From interviews, latest results, and even vetting the food, fans will get a taste of everything.

ESPN Interactive TV will be presented on DIRECTV. During the ESPN2 telecast windows for the first five days, a six-screen mosaic will include the ESPN2 program, along with matches with commentary from five other courts. In total, viewers will have access to more than 435 hours of live tennis action and 140 extra matches.  Production will be enhanced with press conferences, interviews and features that will be added during court changeovers and between matches.  All six screens can be expanded to full screen or picture-in-picture at the touch of the remote button.  In addition, DIRECTV will offer “Matches On Now,” a graphic across the bottom with scores from each of the matches currently on the court channels, with the ability to tune directly to the match, and “Results,” an instant look at real-time scores and schedule info for matches ahead – all without leaving the match the viewer is watching.

ESPN International will offer 140 hours of live coverage on nine networks covering Sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean and in high definition in Latin America. Coverage to Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America will be anchored by Luis Alvarez and Eduardo Varela with analysts Javier Frana and Jose Luis Clerc and reporters Sophie Cortina and Miguel Simon. Sam Gore and Mark Brown will handle English play-by-play with analyst Kathy Rinaldi. Latin America’s ESPN Play will feature over 300 hours of live streaming coverage which will include up to four tennis courts in separate windows. Additional Spanish content will be available on ESPN360.com, ESPNdeportes.com and ESPN Mobile, featuring daily webisodes of “ESPNiando” hosted by Varela, access to reports from New York and daily highlights.

ESPN Deportes, the Spanish-language U.S. network, will present 15 hours of live action during the first week of the US Open. Luis Alvarez and Eduardo Varela will handle the play-by-play with the analysis of Argentinean former tennis players Javier Frana and Jose Luis Clerc. Sophie Cortina will serve as reporter. ESPNdeportes.com will also serve U.S. Hispanic fans featuring daily webisodes of “ESPNiando” with the latest news and information. In addition, the site will offer special daily reports, highlights from New York and updates on Twitter by Varela, Cortina, and Alvarez.  ESPN Deportes Radio will feature daily segments during the morning drive show Al Amanecer.

ESPN Mobile TV will present 74 live hours of live action, including men’s and women’s quarterfinals and the women’s doubles final, in addition the one-hour 2010 US Open Draw Announcement Special on Thursday, Aug. 26 at noon.

‘30 for 30’ Documentary Unmatched

Even after the championships are awarded, tennis fans will be able to continue to enjoy the sport with a unique and personal look at the rivalry between Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova with Unmatched on Tuesday, Sept. 14 at 8 p.m.  Directed by award-winning filmmakers Lisa Lax and Nancy Stern Winters, and produced by ESPN’s own Hannah Storm, and part of ESPN’s acclaimed “30 for 30” series of 30 documentaries, Unmatched tells the story of one of the greatest rivalries in sports and captures these two extraordinary athletes’ views on tennis and an ever-changing world.  Filmed over the course of a few days in a variety of settings – relaxing, jogging, driving, hitting on the court and more – and without narration or host, the two reflect upon their differences and similarities and public personas.

ESPN Classic:  Great US Open Matches from the Past

All this week and during the tournament, ESPN Classic will present great US Open matches from the past.  They range from the 1974 Women’s Final between Billie Jean King and Evonne Goolagong (won by King 3–6, 6–3, 7–5, airing Sunday, Aug. 29 at 6 p.m.) to last year’s dramatic five-set men’s final in which Juan Martin del Potro upset Roger Federer (Sunday, Aug. 29 at 11 p.m.).

Of special note are showings of two particularly noteworthy matches upon significant anniversaries:

  • the 1980 Men’s Final – 30 years ago – when John McEnroe defeated Bjorn Borg 7-6, 6-1, 6-7, 5-7, 6-4 for his second of four US Open titles (Aug. 29 at 9 p.m. and Sept. 7 at 9 a.m.),
  • and a 20th anniversary look back at the 1990 Men’s Final, in which Pete Sampras won the first of his 14 major titles, downing Andre Agassi 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 to become the youngest US Open men’s champion (Aug. 25 at 9 p.m. and Sept. 9 at 9 a.m.)

Two more Evert-Navratilova matches will lead into Unmatched on Tues., Sept 14.  The ESPN Classic schedule:

Date Time (ET) Match
Tue, Aug 24 9-11 p.m. 1984 Men’s Semifinal: John McEnroe vs. Jimmy Connors
Wed, Aug 25 9-11 p.m. 1990 Men’s Final: Pete Sampras vs. Andre Agassi
Thur, Aug 26 9-11 p.m. 1995 Men’s Final: Pete Sampras vs. Andre Agassi
Fri, Aug 27 9-11 p.m. 1989 Men’s Quarterfinal:  Jimmy Connors vs. Andre Agassi
Sat, Aug 28 7-8 a.m. 1979 Women’s Final: Tracy Austin vs. Chris Evert Lloyd
8-10 a.m. 1981 Women’s Final: Tracy Austin vs. Martina Navratilova
10 a.m.-Noon 1984 Women’s Final: Martina Navratilova vs. Chris Evert Lloyd
Sun, Aug 29 7-9 a.m. 1976 Men’s Final: Jimmy Connors vs. Bjorn Borg
9 a.m.-Noon 2001 Men’s Quarterfinal: Pete Sampras vs. Andre Agassi
6-7 p.m. 1974 Women’s Final: Billie Jean King vs. Evonne Goolagong
7-9 p.m. 2004 Women’s Quarterfinal: S.Williams vs. Jennifer Capriati
9-11 p.m. 1980 Men’s Final: John McEnroe vs. Bjorn Borg
11 p.m.-2 a.m. 2009 Men’s Final: Roger Federer vs. Juan Martin del Potro
Mon, Aug 30 2-4 a.m. 1994 Men’s Final: Andre Agassi vs. Michael Stich
Tue, Sept 7 9-11 a.m. 1980 Men’s Final: John McEnroe vs. Bjorn Borg
Thur, Sept 9 9-11 a.m. 1990 Men’s Final: Pete Sampras vs. Andre Agassi
Tue, Sept 14 4-6 p.m. 1988 Australian Open W.Semifinal: Evert vs. Navratilova
6-8 p.m. 1984 Women’s Final: Martina Navratilova vs. Chris Evert Lloyd

ESPN – All Four Slams, All In One Place

Tennis has been part of ESPN since its first week on the air and provided many memorable moments, but it has never been as important as today, with the US Open joining the lineup in 2009, giving ESPN all four Grand Slam events, something no other U.S. network has ever done, let alone in one year.

ESPN debuted September 7, 1979, and the first tennis telecast was exactly one week later, September 14, a Davis Cup tie, Argentina at U.S. from Memphis with Cliff Drysdale on the call and John McEnroe playing.

ESPN has presented the Australian Open since 1984, the French Open since 2002 (plus 1986 – 1993) and Wimbledon since 2003.

ESPN2 & the 2010 US Open

Date Time (ET) Event
Mon, Aug 30 1-11 p.m. First Round Action
Tues, Aug 31 1-11 p.m. First Round Action
Wed, Sept 1 1-11 p.m. Men’s First Round/Women’s Second Round Action
Thur, Sept 2 1-11 p.m. Second Round Action
Fri, Sept 3 1-11 p.m. Men’s Second Round/Women’s Third Round Action
Mon, Sept 6 7-11 p.m. Round of 16
Tues, Sept 7 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Men’s Round of 16, Women’s Quarterfinals
Wed, Sept 8 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Quarterfinals
Thur, Sept 9 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Men’s Quarterfinals
8-11 p.m. Men’s Quarterfinals, Mixed Doubles Final
Sun, Sept 12 1-3 p.m. Women’s Doubles Final
9-11 p.m. SportsCenter at the US Open

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“Sunday Night Football” Vikings-49ers Matches Best NFL Preseason Week 2 Overnight In 7 Years

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SNF Again Dominates Sunday Night; Beats Second Place CBS by 76%

NEW YORK – August 23, 2010 – Last night’s “Sunday Night Football” Vikings- 49ers preseason game matched the best overnight rating in seven years for any NFL preseason Week 2 game on any network. The 7.2 overnight rating and 12 share (8:15-11 p.m. ET) for the Minnesota Vikings-San Francisco 49ers preseason game, which saw the return of Brett Favre (who was in for a total of four plays), equaled the Cowboys-Seahawks (7.2/12 on 8/22/05) for the best Week 2 preseason game since the 7.8/13 for the Buccaneers-Rams game on August 18, 2003 on ABC.  Last night’s broadcast peaked from 8:30-9 p.m. ET at an 8.1/13.

NO. 1 BROADCAST OF THE NIGHT: “Sunday Night Football” was the No. 1 broadcast of the night in the metered markets and dominated its time period, beating second-place CBS in the time slot by 76 percent (7.2 vs. 4.1).

SNF CONTINUES TO DOMINATE SUNDAY NIGHTS: This continues a trend for SNF dominating Sunday nights.  The last “Sunday Night Football” broadcast, The Hall of Fame Game on Sunday, Aug. 9, was the No. 1 broadcast of the night.  In the regular season last year, “Sunday Night Football” was the most watched Sunday night primetime broadcast in a record 15 of 16 (94 percent) weeks.  In 2008, SNF won 13 of 16 (81 percent) Sunday nights after winning 11 of 16 in 2007 (69 percent) and nine of 16 in 2006 (56 percent).

BESTS COMPETITIOION IN PRIMETIME: In primetime from 7-11 p.m. ET, NBC averaged a 6.3/11 in metered-market households, highest for any network on a Sunday since August 8 (6.4/11, Cowboys-Bengals Hall of Fame Game) and second-highest for any network on a Sunday since June 13 (NBA Finals, Game 5 on ABC).

Top 10 Metered Markets:

1. Minneapolis, 21.3/35

2. Sacramento, 14.4/27

3. Milwaukee, 14.1/23

4. New Orleans, 12.9/19

5. San Francisco, 12.4/28

6. Las Vegas, 11.3/19

7. Fort Myers, 10.5/17

T8. Oklahoma City, 10.1/16

T8. Columbus, 10.1/16

T8. Charlotte, 10.1/16

NCTC Reaches Long-Term Carriage Agreement For NFL Network and NFL RedZone

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NCTC REACHES LONG-TERM CARRIAGE AGREEMENT FOR NFL NETWORK AND NFL REDZONE

The National Cable Television Cooperative (NCTC) and NFL Network today announced that they have reached a new, long-term agreement for carriage of NFL Network.  As part of this deal, NCTC members will now be able to provide NFL Network and NFL RedZone for their subscribers.

Jeff Abbas, NCTC President and CEO commented: “There is no shortage of sports networks seeking distribution, but NFL Network has proven to be both the premiere sports television franchise and one often requested by cable subscribers. NCTC is happy to help members kick-off the football season with a new master agreement for NFL Network and NFL RedZone. NCTC appreciates NFL Network’s recognition and accommodation of the unique needs of our diverse membership.”

“The NFL season is here and we are pleased that NFL Network and NFL RedZone will now be available to NCTC members,” said John Malkin, vice president affiliate relations NFL Network.  “More fans can now enjoy the only network dedicated entirely to football featuring every preseason NFL game and Thursday Night Football regular season games, as well as the exciting NFL RedZone that highlights every touchdown from every game on Sunday afternoons.”

17 of the top 20 cable operators in the United States are NCTC members. These operators and other NCTC members will be able to carry NFL Network and NFL RedZone. NCTC serves more than 26.7 million cable subscribers.

NFL Network is the destination for all that happens around the sport of football, during the season and throughout the year.  NFL Network airs seven days a week, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and provides viewers with nearly 2,000 hours a year of original programming including: NFL Total Access, NFL GameDay, NFL Replay, The Coaches Show, NFL’s Top 10, Sound FX, Playbook, NFL Classic Games and the Emmy award-winning America’s Game series. In addition, NFL Network offers live games in high-definition with Thursday Night Football, featuring eight NFL regular season games in primetime, every NFL preseason game, the Senior Bowl plus extensive coverage of the NFL Draft, Hall of Fame ceremony, NFL Scouting Combine and Super Bowl.

NFL RedZone, produced by NFL Network, whips around every NFL game on Sunday afternoons delivering the touchdowns and most exciting moments as they happen and in high definition.  When a team goes inside the 20-yard line, fans see the crucial plays live.  The channel keeps fans up-to-date in real time, switching from game to game with live look-ins, highlights and a chance to see every important play. For more information on NFL RedZone, visit www.nfl.com/redzonetv.

About the National Cable Television Cooperative

The National Cable Television Cooperative, Inc. (NCTC) is a Kansas not-for-profit corporation that operates as a programming and hardware purchasing organization for nearly 1,000 member companies who own and operate cable systems throughout the United States and its territories. 17 of the top 20 cable operators in the U.S. are NCTC members, who collectively serve over 26.7 million cable subscribers. NCTC is located in Lenexa, Kansas.

About NFL Network

NFL Network airs seven days a week, 24 hours a day on a year-round basis and is the only television network fully dedicated to the NFL and the sport of football. Fans turn to NFL Network to receive information and insight straight from the field, team headquarters, league offices and everywhere the NFL is making news.

NFL Network gives fans unprecedented year-round access to all NFL events, including the Super Bowl, Playoffs, regular season, preseason, Pro Bowl, Pro Football Hall of Fame induction weekend, NFL Draft, Scouting Combine, Senior Bowl, league meetings, minicamps and training camps.  For more information log onto NFL.com, the exclusive home of NFL Network, NFL video highlights, NFL chats, news and information.

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Twins & Rangers Match Up on MLB Network August 24 & 26

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AL DIVISION LEADERS MINNESOTA TWINS AND TEXAS RANGERS MATCH UP ON MLB NETWORK ON AUGUST 24 AND 26

Game Schedule Also Includes Philadelphia Phillies Hosting Houston Astros on August 26 and Boston Red Sox Against AL East First-Place Tampa Bay Rays on August 28

Secaucus, N.J., August 19, 2010 – The AL West first-place Texas Rangers host the AL Central first-place Minnesota Twins on Tuesday, August 24 at 8:00 p.m. ET, part of MLB Network’s live game schedule for August 24-28. Viewers in select markets will see the NL East first-place Atlanta Braves visit the Colorado Rockies at 8:30 p.m. ET. The Rangers will face the Twins once again during Thursday Night Baseball on August 26 at 8:00 p.m. ET with MLB Network’s Matt Vasgersian and John Smoltz calling the game live from Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Viewers in the Rangers and Twins markets will see the St. Louis Cardinals, who trail the Cincinnati Reds by three games in the NL Central, take on the Washington Nationals at 7:00 p.m. ET live from Nationals Park.

The Philadelphia Phillies, who are leading the NL Wild Card race, host the Houston Astros during MLB Matinee on August 26 at 1:00 p.m. ET. On Friday, August 27, the Florida Marlins travel to Turner Field to match up against the Braves in the first of a three-game series at 7:30 p.m. ET. Viewers in select markets will see an AL showdown between the New York Yankees and the Chicago White Sox at 8:00 p.m. ET live from U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago. The Yankees are currently tied with the Tampa Bay Rays for first place in the AL East. Rounding out the week, Saturday Night Baseball features the Boston Red Sox, who are 5 ½ games back in the AL East, at Rays on August 28 at 7:00 p.m. ET while viewers in select markets will see Yankees at White Sox at 7:00 p.m. ET.

Following each game, MLB Tonight, MLB Network’s Emmy Award-winning signature nightly studio show, will come on with bonus coverage and look-ins at live games in progress. Quick Pitch, MLB Network’s highlights show of record, airs nightly with recaps of all the great fielding & scoring plays from the day’s games.

MLB Network’s August 24 – August 28 live game schedule:

All times ET and subject to change, check MLBNetwork.com for updates

Unless otherwise announced, games will be blacked out in each club’s home television territory

Date               Time               Game

August 24      8:00 p.m.      Minnesota at Texas

8:30 p.m.      Atlanta at Colorado [In select markets]

August 26      1:00 p.m.      Houston at Philadelphia

8:00 p.m.*     Thursday Night Baseball: Minnesota at Texas – Matt Vasgersian and John Smoltz

7:00 p.m.      St. Louis at Washington [In Twins & Rangers markets only]

August 27      7:30 p.m.      Florida at Atlanta

8:00 p.m.     New York Yankees at Chicago White Sox [In select markets]

August 28      7:00 p.m.      Boston at Tampa Bay

7:00 p.m.      New York Yankees at Chicago White Sox [In select markets]

MLB Network launched on January 1, 2009 as the largest debut in cable television history and is currently available in approximately 55 million cable, telco TV and satellite homes throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico. In its inaugural year, MLB Network was honored with four Sports Emmy Awards and 12 nominations by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. With live games, original programming, highlights, classic games, and coverage of baseball events, MLB Network is the ultimate television destination for baseball fans. For more information and to find MLB Network in your area, go to www.MLBNetwork.com. www.Facebook.com/MLBNetwork www.Twitter.com/MLBNetwork

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“Sunday MLB on TBS” to Broadcast National League Face Off Between Giants and Cardinals

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“Sunday MLB on TBS” to Broadcast National League Face Off Between the San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals

“Sunday MLB on TBS” continues on August 22 with two National League contenders as the St. Louis Cardinals host the San Francisco Giants at Busch Stadium at 2 p.m. (ET).  Ernie Johnson will call play-by-play alongside analysts Ron Darling and David Wells.

“Sunday MLB on TBS” includes match-ups on TBS every Sunday afternoon throughout the regular season.  The network will also begin providing exclusive coverage of the Division Series and the American League Championship Series (ALCS) in October 2010.

TBS has broadcast MLB coverage for more than 30 years serving as the exclusive home of the MLB Division Series (DS) and one League Championship Series (LCS) since 2007 and home of Atlanta Braves coverage from 1977 to 2007.

SUNDAY MLB ON TBS SCHEDULE:

DAY/DATE

TIME (ET)             EVENT

Sunday, Aug. 22

2 p.m.                          San Francisco Giants @ St. Louis Cardinals

Announcers: Ernie Johnson (play-by-play), Ron Darling (analyst) and David Wells (analyst)

SUNDAY MLB ON TBS UPCOMING SCHEDULE:

Sunday, Aug. 29

2 p.m.                          New York Yankees @ Chicago White Sox

Announcers: Ernie Johnson (play-by-play) and Ron Darling (analyst)

Sunday, Sept. 5

1:30 p.m.                     Chicago White Sox @ Boston Red Sox

Announcers: Brian Anderson (play-by-play), Ron Darling (analyst) and John Smoltz (analyst)

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Brett Favre Sits Down With SNF’S Al Michaels

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INTERVIEW TO AIR AT HALFTIME AS 49ERS HOST VIKINGS ON “SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL” THIS SUNDAY AT 8 PM ET

NEW YORK – Aug. 19, 2010 – Al Michaels, the six-time Emmy Award-winner who is in his 25th season as the voice of the premier primetime NFL package, will interview Vikings QB Brett Favre this weekend.  The interview will air at halftime of the “Sunday Night Football” preseason game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Minnesota Vikings. Coverage on NBC begins at 8 p.m. ET.  Michaels and Cris Collinsworth will have the call from Candlestick Park in San Francisco with Andrea Kremer handling the reporting duties.

DUNGY AND HARRISON IN THE BOOTH: Emmy-nominated Tony Dungy and Rodney Harrison, analysts from NBC Sports’ critically acclaimed NFL studio show “Football Night in America,” will join Al and Cris in the booth during the second half of the game.

COACH SINGLETARY MIC’D FOR SOUND: 49ers head coach Mike Singletary will wear a wireless microphone to provide sounds of the game for the SNF broadcast.

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Filed Under: NBC