Archives for March 2014

Chris Fowler Signs Extension with ESPN Through 2023

March 14, 2014 By admin

Versatile Commentator to Call Saturday Night Football & New College Football Playoff Games; Continues on GameDay & Marquee Tennis Events

Multisport commentator Chris Fowler – widely regarded as one of the most versatile and talented announcers in television – will remain with ESPN as a lead voice on many of the network’s marquee events, primarily college football and tennis Majors, through 2023.

Fowler, who called ESPN’s Thursday night college football series from 2006 to 2009, will return to the college football booth as part of the nine-year extension, working play-by-play on the weekly Saturday Night Football series on ABC with analyst Kirk Herbstreit and sideline reporter Heather Cox. Fowler, Herbstreit, who have worked together on ESPN’s College GameDay Built by The Home Depot since 1996, and Cox will also usher in the new era in college football, teaming up to work a College Football Playoff Semifinal game and the College Football National Championship. He will continue to host College GameDay, a position he has held since 1990.

He will also remain an integral part of ESPN’s tennis coverage, highlighted by the four Majors — Wimbledon, US Open, French Open and Australian Open — where he hosts and calls matches. These include championships from Australia, Wimbledon and, beginning with ESPN’s exclusive coverage in 2015, the US Open.

“Chris Fowler is a one-of-a-kind talent who brings an amazing work ethic to every project he works on,” said John Wildhack, ESPN Executive Vice President, Programming and Production. “His ability to skillfully document some of the world’s most popular sporting events continues to impress sports fans year after year and his love for college football is on full display every week on GameDay. Chris will bring the same great qualities to the Saturday Night Football stage and new College Football Playoff, joining his long-time colleague Kirk Herbstreit and respected reporter Heather Cox.”

Fowler joined ESPN in July 1986 as the first host/reporter of Scholastic Sports America for two years. Over the years, he has also hosted the network’s coverage of the FIFA World Cup soccer, SportsCenter, SportsCentury, horse racing’s Triple Crown races, men’s college basketball including on-site Final Four coverage and the first few editions of the X Games and Winter X Games.

“I am very excited about hosting GameDay for a 25th year and extending my work with Kirk Herbstreit for a 19th season and beyond,” said Fowler. “There is a strong legacy of top college football voices on ABC, from Chris Schenkel to Keith Jackson to Brent Musburger. I’m looking forward to returning to the booth and being a part of that incredible tradition. As for tennis, I can’t wait to continue and expand my role in ESPN’s industry-leading coverage.”

In addition to College GameDay, a three-time Emmy-winning Saturday morning college football preview show that originates from one of the day’s major games, Fowler has hosted ESPN’s Heisman Trophy Presentation since 1994 and ESPN’s The Home Depot College Football Awards show since its inception in 1993. He was the play-by-play voice of ESPN’s Thursday College Football Primetime games from 2006-2009 and previously had been a sideline reporter, beginning in 1988.

Fowler also served as a host for ESPN’s month-long, on-site studio coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup from South Africa, where he anchored pre-, halftime and post-match shows, along with SportsCenter, for the FIFA World Cup segments.

Fowler hosted ESPN’s NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four coverage (1992-2005) and was a host on select editions of the inaugural season of the college basketball version of College GameDay in 2005. From 1998-2007, Fowler added horse racing to his resume, serving as an on-site host for ESPN & ESPN2’s extensive Triple Crown coverage (Kentucky Derby, Preakness, Belmont Stakes). He served as the host of SportsCenter’s on-site coverage of top auto racing events, including the Daytona 500 in 2006 and 2007. In the past, Fowler anchored SportsCenter and served as co-host of the X Games from its inception in 1995-2000, as well as the Winter X Games (1998-2000). He also received two Emmy Awards for his work as host and narrator of the celebrated SportsCentury series.

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FOX Sports 1 to Televise WFAN’s THE MIKE FRANCESA SHOW

March 14, 2014 By admin

Iconic New York Sports Talk Radio Host Brings

Unique Insights to National Television

New York – Mike Francesa, a true icon of sports talk radio in America, is coming to FOX Sports.

FOX Sports and CBS RADIO’s WFAN-AM/FM, the most listened to sports radio station in the nation, have reached a multi-year, multi-media agreement that brings Francesa’s wildly successful radio show to the nation’s newest sports networks, FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2, live from coast-to-coast. The announcement was made today by David Nathanson, General Manager & Chief Operating Officer, FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2.

THE MIKE FRANCESA SHOW begins weekday telecasts Monday, March 24 on FOX Sports 1 (1:00-4:00 PM ET) and FOX Sports 2 (4:00-6:00 PM ET), continuing to originate from WFAN’s lower Manhattan studios and broadcast locally at 66AM and 101.9FM. The show is also streamed live via FOX Sports GO through participating video providers.

“We are thrilled to add Mike Francesa to our FOX Sports family of channels,” said Nathanson. “Mike is without question one of the most popular sports personalities in New York and has maintained a significant national reputation through his syndicated NFL show and his WFAN program, which was previously simulcast on YES. He’s knowledgeable and opinionated with an ability to attract top-name guests who appeal to sports fans everywhere. This is a fantastic addition to FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2.”

“I’m thrilled to be teaming with FOX Sports – a brand that continues to expand across the entire sports landscape,” said Francesa. “The combination of WFAN with FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2 will prove to be a powerful partnership.”

Added Don Bouloukos, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, CBS RADIO New York: “Mike is the gold standard of sports radio hosts with a loyal following second to none. This move gives him a platform to grow his audience and provides WFAN with another venue to reach passionate sports fans nationwide.”

Francesa has for more than 25 years been the on-air cornerstone of WFAN, the nation’s first all-sports talk radio station launched in July 1987. Since 2008, Francesa has hosted his own afternoon show, Mike’s On, on WFAN. From 1989 to 2008, he had a critically acclaimed on-air partnership with Chris “Mad Dog” Russo, who together co-hosted the Mike and the Mad Dog Show. In 2000 the Francesa/Russo duo became the first sports-talk hosts ever to win the Marconi Award for Major Market Personality of the Year, an award Francesa received as an individual in 2012, placing him on a very select list of multiple Marconi winners, and the first sports radio host to ever earn radio’s biggest honor more than once. Both Talkers Magazine and Radio Ink recognized Francesa as the No. 1 sports talk host in the country, and Talkers ranked him the 35th most important radio talk show host of all time.

The St. John’s University graduate resides on Long Island with his wife, Roe, and their three children, Jack, Emily and Harrison.

— FOX SPORTS/CBS RADIO —

Road to the Final Four® Begins Selection Sunday on CBS and truTV

March 14, 2014 By admin

CBS Airs Exclusive Live First-time Announcement of 2014 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship Field of 68 on Sunday, March 16, at 6 p.m. ET

Infiniti Selection Sunday on truTV follows at 7 p.m. with In-Depth Bracket Analysis and Interviews with NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee Members

“NCAA March Madness Confidential” Returns; Chronicling Wichita State, Creighton,

San Diego State and Oklahoma during their NCAA Tournament Journeys

CBS Sports and Turner Sports will begin the road to the Final Four with the exclusive, live first-time announcement of the pairings for the 2014 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship on the NCAA Basketball Championship Selection Show on Sunday, March 16, at 6 p.m. ET on CBS.

Greg Gumbel will host the one-hour show, joined by Clark Kellogg, Doug Gottlieb and Seth Davis live from the CBS Broadcast Center in New York. In addition, Ron Wellman, Chairman of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee, joins live from Indianapolis to provide an in-depth look into the selection process.

Immediately following the Selection Show at 7 p.m., the Infiniti Selection Sunday on truTV studio show will provide in-depth analysis of the entire tournament field from Turner Studios in Atlanta. Ernie Johnson will host the one-hour special, joined by Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and CBSSports.com college basketball columnist Gary Parrish. Also, Matt Winer will conduct interviews with select members of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee in Indianapolis to discuss the bracket and provide details regarding the group’s deliberations throughout the weekend. Gumbel, Anthony, Gottlieb and Davis will also join the show live via satellite from New York.

Turner Sports and CBS Sports’ joint coverage of the 2014 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship will include the return of NCAA March Madness Confidential, providing behind-the-scenes access with four NCAA Tournament bound teams: *No. 2-ranked Wichita State, *No. 8-ranked San Diego State, No. 14-ranked Creighton and No. 17-ranked Oklahoma. Production crews will be embedded with the teams beginning Selection Sunday with features airing throughout coverage across the Networks, as well as on NCAA.com, chronicling their NCAA Tournament journeys.

CBS Sports and Turner Sports will provide live coverage of all 67 games from the 2014 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship across four networks – TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV. For the first time in the event’s 76-year history, the 2014 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship National Semifinals will be presented on cable live across three networks – the traditional game coverage on TBS and “teamcasts” or team-specific telecasts airing on TNT and truTV – to provide fans with a variety of viewing options for this marquee event. For the 33rd consecutive year, CBS will broadcast the NCAA National Championship.

Additionally, the NCAA Basketball Championship Selection Show will be available via NCAA® March Madness® Live at www.ncaa.com/marchmadness, the March Madness Live® app via online, tablets and mobile devices.

Follow us on Twitter: @MarchMadnessTV for schedule updates and the latest NCAA Tournament broadcast news and information.

*AP Poll as of 3/10/14

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Men’s College Hoops: Selection Sunday Highlighted by Three Title Games & Extensive Analysis of Tourney Field

March 13, 2014 By admin

Men’s College Hoops: Selection Sunday Highlighted by Three Title Games & Extensive Analysis of Tourney Field

Multiple Studio Shows, Greg Shaheen Returns
10 Hours of Coverage on ESPNU on Monday
Requiem for The BIG EAST Documentary Debuts Sunday

ESPN’s extensive multiplatform coverage of Selection Sunday, March 16 – the day the 68-team field for the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship is announced – will include studio shows across ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU; the ACC, SEC and Sun Belt Championships; and the debut of ESPN Films’ 30 for 30 documentary Requiem for The BIG EAST.

Many of the sport’s top experts will contribute throughout the day, including Jay Bilas, Dan Dakich, Seth Greenberg, Jeff Goodman, Andy Katz, Joe Lunardi, Bruce Pearl, Digger Phelps, Miles Simon, Dick Vitale and Jay Williams.

Greg Shaheen, who oversaw the operation of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship as the senior vice president of championships and alliances until 2012, will provide insight into the selection process of the Tournament Committee across ESPN platforms for a second consecutive year.

The day will tip off with a two-hour College Basketball Live beginning at 11 a.m. ET on ESPN2 and continuing on ESPN at noon. The show will review Championship Week Presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods and provide a preview of the ACC (ESPN & ESPN Radio) and Sun Belt (ESPN2) championship games at 1 p.m. and SEC title game at 3:15 p.m. on ESPN.

Studio coverage will include two-hour Bracketology Presented by Staples programs at 7 p.m. on ESPN and 9 p.m. on ESPN2; SportsCenter following the SEC title game that will give a thorough analysis of all tournament-bound teams; and a three-hour Tournament Countdown: The Experts at 9 p.m. on ESPNU. The college sports network will also announce the NIT field with the NIT Selection Show at 8:30 p.m.

Details of Selection Sunday studio programming:

College Basketball Live at 11 a.m. on ESPN2 and ESPN

The special two-hour College Basketball Live – 11 a.m. on ESPN2 and continuing on ESPN at noon – will review the conference tournament results, look at the potential NCAA Championship field and preview the day’s upcoming conference championships. Rece Davis will host with analysts Bilas, Phelps and Williams.

SportsCenter at 5:30 p.m. (or at Conclusion of SEC Title Game) on ESPN
In addition to reporting on the latest sports news, the SportsCenter edition following ESPN’s coverage of the SEC championship will provide up-to-the-minute updates of the tournament selections with host Davis and analysts Bilas, Dakich, Greenberg, Phelps, Vitale (via satellite) and Williams evaluating the brackets shortly after they are announced.

Bracketology Presented by Staples at 7 p.m. on ESPN
The two-hour program will include extensive, in-depth analysis of the bracket in each region. Host Davis will be joined by analysts Bilas, Dakich, Greenberg, Phelps, and Williams with Vitale to discuss multiple tournament topics and reveal their Elite Eight, Final Four and Championship game teams. In addition, Katz will interview NCAA Championship Chairman Ron Wellman from Indianapolis.

Bracketology Presented by Staples at 9 p.m. on ESPN2
Extensive discussion of the tournament field will continue on ESPN2 with an additional two hours of Bracketology Presented by Staples at 9 p.m. Chris Cotter will host with analysts Dakich, Pearl and Simon providing insight and predictions for every game. In addition, a “Bracketology” National Champion will be crowned during the program.

Tournament Countdown: The Experts at 9 p.m. on ESPNU
After the selections are announced, a panel of experts will discuss each first- and second-round game, providing viewers insight into filling out their own brackets, on Tournament Countdown: The Experts at 9 p.m. on ESPNU. Anish Shroff will host with analysts Fran Fraschilla, Dino Gaudio, Adrian Branch and Tim Welsh.

Debut of 30 for 30 Documentary Requiem for The BIG EAST Premieres on Selection Sunday

ESPN’s coverage of Selection Sunday will conclude with ESPN Films’ 30 for 30 documentaryRequiem For The BIG EAST will premiere on Sunday, March 16, at 9 p.m. after Bracketology on ESPN. The film, directed by Peabody Award-winning filmmaker Ezra Edelman, explores the meteoric ascension of the BIG EAST Conference and how it became the most successful college basketball sports league in America—but later found itself fighting for survival in a new era. The film is told primarily through the lens of famed BIG EAST coaches such as Jim Boeheim, Lou Carnesecca, Rick Pitino and John Thompson, former BIG EAST commissioner Mike Tranghese, and some of its most iconic players like Patrick Ewing, Chris Mullin and Ed Pinckney. It chronicles the rivalries and successes that led many of them to become household names.

10 Hours of Tournament Countdown Programming Monday on ESPNU

ESPNU will provide 10 hours of Tournament Countdown programming on Monday, March 17. Coverage will begin at 1 p.m. with a five-hour Tournament Countdown: Katz Korner featuring interviews with top coaches and players, roundtable discussions and tournament predictions. Katz will be joined by Gaudio and Welsh.

ESPNU will also televise a two-hour College Basketball Live: Tournament Countdown with host Dari Nowkhah and analysts Branch and Cory Alexander at 6 p.m. and a three-hour Tournament Countdown: The Experts with Shroff, Gaudio, Branch, Welsh and Alexander at 9 p.m.

SportsCenter Tonight Selection Sunday Special on ESPN Radio

ESPN Radio will provide extensive analysis of the tournament field on the SportsCenter Tonight Selection Sunday Special on March 16 from 6:30 p.m. (or at conclusion of NBA broadcast) to 11 p.m. SportsCenter host Doug Kezirian and basketball analyst Kara Lawson will discuss the brackets and conduct interviews with tournament bound coaches and players.

ESPN.com Tournament Challenge

Both the Men’s Tournament Challenge and Women’s Tournament Challenge bracket games on ESPN.com return for their 17^th seasons on the digital hard court and will once again be free for entrants to submit up to 10 entries. Last year, the Men’s Tournament Challenge game was the most popular bracket game in the nation, with nearly 8.15 million brackets, up 26 percent compared to the previous year and setting a new record. At the peak period, fans registered 8,123brackets per minute (135 brackets per second). Additional details will be released on Monday, March 17.

ESPN, ESPNU and ESPN2’s Schedule for Sunday and Monday

Date	Time (ET)	Show	Network
Sun, Mar 16	11 a.m.	*College Basketball Live*	ESPN2
	noon	*College Basketball Live*	ESPN
	1 p.m.	ACC Championship	ESPN & ESPN Radio
	1 p.m.	Sun Belt Championship	ESPN2
	3:15 p.m.	SEC Championship	ESPN
	5:30 p.m.	*SportsCenter*	ESPN
	6:30 p.m.	*SportsCenter Tonight Selection Sunday Special*	ESPN Radio
	7 p.m.	*Bracketology Presented by Staples*	ESPN
	8:30 p.m.	*NIT Selection Show*	ESPNU
	9 p.m.	*Requiem For The BIG EAST*	ESPN
	9 p.m.	*Bracketology Presented by Staples*	ESPN2
	9 p.m.	*Tournament Countdown: The Experts*	ESPNU
Mon, Mar 18	1 p.m.	*Tournament Countdown: Katz Korner*	ESPNU
	6 p.m.	*College Basketball Live: Tournament Countdown*	ESPNU
	9 p.m.	*Tournament Countdown: The Experts*	ESPNU

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NBC Sports Group’s Live Coverage Of Atlantic 10 Men’s Basketball Championship Tips Off On Thursday

March 13, 2014 By admin

Coverage of First Round and Quarterfinal Games on NBCSN, Select NBC Sports Regional Networks and NBC Sports Live Extra

Former NBA Head Coach Stan Van Gundy to Serve as Analyst

STAMFORD, Conn. – March 11, 2014 – For the second consecutive year, NBC Sports Group will present live coverage of the Atlantic 10 Men’s Basketball Championship from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. More than 16 hours of coverage of the first round and quarterfinals begins Thursday on NBCSN and select NBC Sports Regional Networks. All games telecast on NBCSN will also be streamed live on NBC Sports Live Extra – NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets.

Coverage of the first round tips off with La Salle–St. Bonaventure at noon ET on select NBC Sports Regional Networks. At 2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, Dayton will face the winner of the play-in game between George Mason and Fordham. NBCSN’s coverage continues at 6:30 p.m. ET when Richmond takes on Duquesne. First-round coverage will wrap up at 9 p.m. ET when UMass takes the court against Rhode Island, on select NBC Sports Regional Networks.

NBCSN’s coverage of the quarterfinals begins on Friday at noon ET, when No. 18 Saint Louis takes on the winner of La Salle–St. Bonaventure. NBCSN’s coverage of the quarterfinals is also highlighted by a matchup between No. 23 Virginia Commonwealth and the winner of Richmond-Duquesne. (Further information on all game telecasts is listed below.)

Mike Corey will manage play-by-play for all games on NBCSN and NBC Sports Regional Networks. Analyst David Kaplan will join Corey for NBC Sport Group’s coverage of the first two games on Thursday, and the first game on Friday. Former NBA head coach and NBCSN analyst Stan Van Gundy will join Corey for coverage of the second two games on Thursday, and the final three games of the day on Friday.

Dave Briggs will host NBCSN’s college basketball studio show and will be joined by former New Jersey Nets and UConn forward Donny Marshall.

A-10 Tournament Games on NBCSN and NBC Sports Regional Networks

DATE	GAME	TIME	NETWORKS
Thursday	La Salle–St. Bonaventure (first round)	Noon	CSN Philadelphia CSN Mid-Atlantic CSN New England SNY CSN Northwest TCN Pittsburgh
Thursday	Dayton-TBD (first round)	2:30 p.m.	NBCSN
Thursday	Richmond-Duquesne (first round)	6:30 p.m.	NBCSN
Thursday	UMass-Rhode Island (first round)	9 p.m.	CSN Mid-Atlantic CSN New England SNY CSN Northwest TCN Philadelphia TCN Pittsburgh
Friday	Saint Louis-TBD (quarterfinal)	Noon	NBCSN
Friday	St. Joseph’s-TBD (quarterfinal)	2:30 p.m.	NBCSN
Friday	VCU-TBD (quarterfinal)	6:30 p.m.	NBCSN
Friday	George Washington-TBD (quarterfinal)	9 p.m.	NBCSN

NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA

NBC Sports Live Extra – NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets – offers live stream coverage of all A-10 Men’s Basketball Championship games telecast on NBCSN.

Coverage will be streamed via “TV Everywhere,” the media industry’s effort to make quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms.

For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra. The NBC Sports Live Extra app for mobile devices and tablets is available at the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and on select Android handset and tablet devices within Google Play.

Coverage airing on NBCSN will live stream to PCs, mobile devices and tablets through NBC Sports Live Extra, and to the digital platforms of participating cable, satellite, and telco services, via “TV Everywhere,” which is available on an authenticated basis to subscribers of participating MVPDs.

Click here for the participating cable/satellite/telco companies offering NBC Sports Live Extra:
http://nbcsportsgrouppressbox.com/2013/08/16/nbc-sports-live-extra-providers/

ABOUT THE A-10 ON NBCSN

In 2013-14 NBCSN will air 25 A-10 regular season games featuring all 13 member schools, including University of Dayton, Duquesne University, Fordham University, George Mason University, The George Washington University, La Salle University, the University of Massachusetts, the University of Rhode Island, Richmond University, St. Bonaventure University, Saint Joseph’s University, Saint Louis University and Virginia Commonwealth University.

ABOUT THE A-10

The Atlantic 10 Conference was formed in 1976 and consists of 13 diverse members across seven states and Washington, D.C. The membership consists of University of Dayton, Duquesne University, Fordham University, George Mason University, The George Washington University, La Salle University, the University of Massachusetts, the University of Rhode Island, Richmond University, St. Bonaventure University, Saint Joseph’s University, Saint Louis University and Virginia Commonwealth University. The mission and goal of the Atlantic 10 is to provide an enhanced student-athlete experience through 21 nationally competitive championship sports, while securing strong brand, equity, and revenue resources for its member institutions. The conference is committed to integrity, educational excellence and providing quality equitable championship experiences for more than 6,000 student-athletes, coaches, and support staff.

For more information about NBC Sports Group shows and properties, including press releases, photos, talent and executive bios and headshots, please visit NBCSportsGroupPressBox.com

–NBC Sports Group–

Matt Vasgersian & John Smoltz Added to MLB on FOX Starting Rotation

March 13, 2014 By admin

Renowned Broadcaster and Future Hall of Famer Team Up To Call

MLB Games on FOX and FOX Sports 1

New York – FOX Sports added to its already deep MLB lineup, today announcing that former Cy Young Award winner John Smoltz and nationally renowned broadcaster Matt Vasgersian team up to call MLB games on the FOX Broadcast Network and FOX Sports 1. The announcement was made by John Entz, Executive Vice President, Production & Executive Producer, FOX Sports. Smoltz and Vasgersian join the game roster that already includes Joe Buck, Harold Reynolds and Tom Verducci, reporters Erin Andrews and Ken Rosenthal, and play-by-play announcers Kenny Albert and Thom Brennaman.

“We are thrilled to add Matt and John to our arsenal of MLB on FOX broadcasters,” Entz said. “Both are very well respected within the game, and each has a style that resonates with viewers.”

A familiar face to sports fans, Vasgersian has called MLB and NFL on FOX telecasts and hosted FOX Sports’ national pregame show from the MLB Network studios in Secaucus, N.J. He continues to work in the booth and studio for MLB Network, and along with recently announced MLB on FOX lead game analyst Harold Reynolds, has been part of the multi-Emmy Award winning program MLB Tonight. Vasgersian has also worked on NBC Sports’ Olympics broadcast team, most recently having called ski jumping at the Sochi Games, a role he also held in Vancouver (2010) and Torino (2006). Before joining FOX Sports and MLB Network, Vasgersian served as the television play-by-play voice of the San Diego Padres and Milwaukee Brewers.

Smoltz pitched more than two decades in the Major Leagues, primarily with the Atlanta Braves, earning eight All-Star selections and winning the Cy Young Award in 1996. After undergoing Tommy John surgery, Smoltz made the switch from starter to reliever, spending four seasons in the bullpen before resuming his starting role. Smoltz is the only player in MLB history with more than 200 career wins and 150 career saves, and is one of just two players to have recorded a 20-win season and a 50-save season. Smoltz also continues to work as a game and studio analyst for MLB Network and previously spent time in the booth for TBS during the network’s regular and postseason games. Smoltz made his television broadcasting debut in August 2008, and served as an analyst for 45 games during the 2010 season on Peachtree TV.

FOX Sports, MLB’s primary broadcast rights holder since 1996 and exclusive national broadcast partner since 2001, this year begins a new eight-year, multiplatform media rights agreement that adds national cable and digital coverage to its portfolio, doubling regular season exposures, mostly on Saturdays, from 26 to 52 combined on the FOX Broadcast Network and FOX Sports 1, with 20 Saturday doubleheaders, 10 exclusively on FOX Sports 1 and 10 split between FOX Sports 1 and the FOX Broadcast Network. For the first time ever, all regular season games, Division Series, League Championship Series, World Series games and the All-Star Game broadcast by FOX Sports are being streamed live via FOX Sports GO through participating video providers. Click here for the MLB on FOX schedule: http://foxs.pt/OHkT1X.

In addition to game coverage, FOX Sports last week announced its expanded studio coverage, including the introduction of MLB WHIPAROUND on FOX Sports 1, a baseball-specific show airing weeknights with quick-turnaround highlights of in-progress games, news and analysis, live from Los Angeles. Ryan Field and Chris Myers host individual editions, with one or two analysts from the rotation of Frank Thomas, Eric Karros, Gabe Kapler and C.J. Nitkowski. MLB WHIPAROUND premieres Monday, March 31, and airs Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday nights from 10:00-11:00 PM ET and most *Wednesdays from 12:00-1:00 AM ET (*airs at 10:00 PM ET on Wednesdays without prior programming conflict).

For more information and for news and updates all year long, visit FOXSports.com and follow @MLBonFox on Twitter.

— FOX SPORTS —

ESPN’s Brent Musburger and Jesse Palmer Signed as Lead SEC Network Announce Team

March 13, 2014 By admin

Sports broadcasting legend Brent Musburger will be joined by college football analyst Jesse Palmer in the booth every Saturday on the SEC Network when it launches next fall. The Hall of Fame sportscaster and the former Florida quarterback have each reached an agreement with ESPN to be the lead college football game commentators on the new network. The pair will kick off the season with Texas A&M at South Carolina on the SEC Network Thursday, Aug. 28.

“Brent Musburger is a cultural icon who has been guiding fans through many of sport’s most spectacular moments for decades,” said John Wildhack, ESPN Executive Vice President, Programming and Production. “His big-game performance and unmistakable style will elevate our football coverage on the SEC Network. Serving as the definitive play-by-play voice for this major network launch represents an exciting new chapter in his legendary career and reinforces our commitment and investment in the SEC Network.”

Wildhack continued, “Jesse Palmer has quickly established himself as one of college football’s most insightful, entertaining and dedicated analysts. As a former SEC quarterback, he brings the perfect combination of playing experience and deep conference knowledge to the SEC Network. Partnering him with Brent on this new national platform will create a memorable booth for college football fans everywhere.”

Musburger is one of the most recognized voices in the history of sports television and he will continue to be a staple of ESPN’s sports coverage with a multi-year contract extension. In addition to lending his voice to one of the three football games slated for the network each Saturday, Brent will remain a play-by-play announcer for Big 12 college basketball games across ESPN networks. He and Palmer will call multiple college football bowl games on ESPN as well.

Musburger will make appearances on behalf of SEC Network and, after more than 20 years at ESPN and ABC, his role will continue to include sharing his expertise and experiences as a mentor.

“I’m delighted to be staying with ESPN, thrilled to be able to call the best football conference in the nation every week and am really looking forward to working with Jesse, who I covered while he was at Florida,” said Musburger. “Jesse has tremendous football knowledge, knows this league very well and does his homework. He has a tremendous future in this business.”

Musburger’s new booth partner, Palmer, has also reached a new agreement with ESPN that includes the role. In addition to calling Saturday games for the conference with the most BCS Champions, he will continue as an analyst on ESPN’s Thursday Night College Football package. Palmer’s expertise will also be featured in ESPN’s extensive post-season coverage.

“I am honored and humbled at the rare opportunity to help launch a national network of this magnitude and to do so alongside, Brent, a legend within the sport and the industry” said Palmer. “”Playing in the SEC represented four of the greatest years of my life and I feel incredibly fortunate to now have the opportunity to cover this great conference. Year after year, their on-field success continues the conference’s standard of excellence and their passionate fan base is second to none.”

Musburger and Palmer join a growing roster of nationally recognized on-air commentators for the SEC Network that include Joe Tessitore, Tim Tebow and Paul Finebaum. Additional ESPN and SEC Network college football announcements will be made at a later date.

“The pairing of Brent and Jesse as our lead team speaks to the caliber of talent we will have on the network and the commitment to quality that we are making,” said Stephanie Druley, ESPN Vice President, Production, College Networks. “We are establishing an incredible roster that SEC fans and followers expect and deserve.”

About SEC Network

The Southeastern Conference and ESPN have signed a 20-year agreement through 2034 to create and operate a multiplatform network which will launch in August 2014. The new network and its accompanying digital platform will air SEC content 24/7 including more than 1,000 events in its first year. The network will televise approximately 45 SEC football games, more than 100 men’s basketball games, 60 women’s basketball games, 75 baseball games, and events from across the SEC’s 21 sports annually. Programming will also include studio shows, original content such as SEC Storied, spring football games, signing day and pro days coverage. Hundreds of additional live events from various sports will be offered exclusively on the digital platform. AT&T U-Verse, DISH and National Rural Telecommunications cooperative (NRTC) have agreed to carry the SEC Network.

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MLB Network Leads Off the 2014 Season with More than 40 Live Game Telecasts

March 13, 2014 By admin

Schedule Includes MLB Opening Series Sydney 2014, Boston Red Sox’s Home Opener,

and a New Slate of Sunday Afternoon Games

Bob Costas, Matt Vasgersian, Jim Kaat, John Smoltz, Sam Ryan & Tom Verducci to Call

MLB Network Showcase Games All Season Long

March 12, 2014 – With the 2014 season approaching, MLB Network today announced its first schedule of live regular season games, which includes more than 40 game telecasts beginning with the exclusive national telecast of the MLB Opening Series Sydney 2014 next weekend.

MLB Network’s Matt Vasgersian and John Smoltz will have the call live from the Sydney Cricket Ground as the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers match up in a two-game series in Australia on Saturday, March 22. The first game will air live at 4:00 a.m. ET, immediately followed by a replay telecast at 7:30 a.m. ET, and the second game live at 10:00 p.m. ET. Former Australia cricket captain and International Cricket Council Hall of Fame member Ian Chappell of Australia’s Nine Network will join Vasgersian and Smoltz for commentary throughout each game.

Back in the U.S., MLB Network will televise nine games during Opening Week from April 1 through April 6, including the World Series champion Boston Red Sox’s home opener against the Milwaukee Brewers on MLB Network Showcase on Friday, April 4 at 2:00 p.m. ET with Bob Costas, Jim Kaat and Sam Ryan on the call. The next day, the 2013 National League champion St. Louis Cardinals will face the Pittsburgh Pirates in a rematch of the 2013 NLDS on Saturday, April 5 at 7:00 p.m. ET. MLB Network will begin a new slate of Sunday matinee games for the first half of the season as the Baltimore Orioles travel to Detroit to face the Tigers on April 6 at 1:00 p.m. ET.

Later in the month, MLB Network Showcase will travel to Boston on Patriots’ Day, April 21 for a special matinee telecast of the Orioles against the Red Sox at 11:00 a.m. ET, called by Costas, Kaat and Tom Verducci. The next night, the same MLB Network Showcase crew will call the New York Yankees at Red Sox on April 22 at 7:00 p.m. ET. MLB Network’s Intentional Talk with Chris Rose and Kevin Millar will also head to Boston and air live from Fenway Park on April 21 and 22 at 5:00 p.m. ET.

The remainder of MLB Network’s April game schedule is available here, including the following matchups on MLB Network Showcase presented by Chevrolet (all times Eastern):

Fri., April 4, 2:00 p.m.: Milwaukee Brewers at Boston Red Sox (Costas, Kaat and Ryan)

Thu., April 10, 7:00 p.m.: Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees (Costas, Smoltz and Verducci)

Thu., April 17, 7:00 p.m.: St. Louis Cardinals at Washington Nationals (Vasgersian, Smoltz and Ryan)

Mon., April 21, 11:00 a.m.: Baltimore Orioles at Boston Red Sox (Costas, Kaat and Verducci)

Tues., April 22, 7:00 p.m.: New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox (Costas, Kaat and Verducci)

Tues., April 29, 7:00 p.m.: Seattle Mariners at New York Yankees (Costas, Smoltz and Ryan)

Games will be blacked out in each team’s home television territory unless otherwise announced. Viewers in areas subject to blackouts will be provided with an alternate game telecast or other programming.

MLB Network’s commercial-free, highlights-focused Strike Zone channel will return on Tuesday, April 1 at 7:00 p.m. ET, taking viewers on a high-speed trip around MLB on Tuesday and Friday nights during the regular season. When live game telecasts air on MLB Network, MLB Network Strike Zone brings fans to every game across the league, with up-to-the-minute highlights, live look-ins and updates. MLB Network Strike Zone is available on providers across the country including AT&T U-verse, Bright House Networks, DirecTV, DISH, Google Fiber and Time Warner Cable.

SiriusXM and Major League Soccer Team Up to Offer Live Coverage of 2014 Season

March 13, 2014 By admin

SiriusXM listeners nationwide get “MLS Game of the Week,”

plus extensive coverage of MLS Cup Playoffs

Seattle Sounders FC v. Toronto FC airs Saturday on SiriusXM FC, channel 94

NEW YORK – March 13, 2014 – SiriusXM FC, SiriusXM’s exclusive 24/7 soccer channel, will offer live nationwide radio coverage of the 2014 Major League Soccer season, featuring a live “MLS Game of the Week” broadcast throughout the regular season plus coverage of the MLS Cup Playoffs, it was announced today by SiriusXM and Major League Soccer.

This week’s matchup will feature Seattle Sounders FC v. Toronto FC on Saturday, March 15 with pre-game coverage starting at 4:00 pm ET/1:00 pm PT on SiriusXM FC (channel 94). SiriusXM began carrying select MLS games on the service in 2012. This will be the most extensive schedule aired by the satellite radio provider to date.

SiriusXM’s coverage will include a live broadcast of the 2014 AT&T MLS All-Star Game on August 6, featuring the MLS All-Stars hosting German powerhouse and reigning European Champion FC Bayern Munich at Providence Park in Portland, OR.

SiriusXM will also offer extensive coverage of the 2014 MLS Cup Playoffs, including MLS Cup, MLS’ championship game.

“Major League Soccer continues to grow in popularity and we’re excited to expand our coverage to deliver more MLS games than ever before to our listeners across the country,” said Steve Cohen, SiriusXM’s SVP of Sports Programming. “Soccer fans are among the most passionate fans in sports and SiriusXM FC offers those fans a level of access to their sport that few other media outlets do.”

In addition to live play-by-play, SiriusXM FC will air MLSsoccer.com’s Extra Time Radio show, covering the world of Major League Soccer and featuring guests from around the soccer scene.

“We have received extremely positive feedback from our fans about our games being on SiriusXM FC,” said Larry Tiscornia, vice president of broadcasting for MLS. “Our fans want to be connected with their Clubs and the League at all times and this is another amazing avenue for that access – from regular season games, the AT&T MLS All-Star Game, MLS Cup Playoffs, MLS Cup and ExtraTime Radio, this partnership helps them enjoy our content throughout the season.”

SiriusXM FC (channel 94) airs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and offers the most comprehensive soccer coverage available in radio. In addition to Major League Soccer matches, SiriusXM listeners get live play-by-play from the Barclays Premier League, La Liga, Serie A and Ligue 1, UEFA Champions League, FA Cup, Capital One Cup and the UEFA Europa League.

Complementing the game coverage on the channel is a daily lineup of soccer talk shows hosted by an expert cast of former players, coaches, executives and journalists including John Harkes, Tony Meola, Ray Hudson, Charlie Stillitano, Neil Barnett, Roger Bennett, Michael Davies and entertainer Kevin Flynn. For more info on SiriusXM FC visit www.SiriusXM.com/FC. Follow the channel on Twitter @SiriusXMFC.

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Rick Reilly to Focus on Television Duties for ESPN Starting July 1

March 13, 2014 By admin

Rick Reilly, ESPN.com’s long-time front-page columnist, has decided to go part-time. Beginning July 1, Reilly will let his weekly column go and concentrate on television duties for ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown, presenting his weekly four-minute human interest features as well as other features and essays for SportsCenter and Sunday NFL Countdown.

“It was an unusual request,” Reilly joked. “I’m thankful they’re letting me do it.”

“Rick consistently produces compelling features that are poignant, uplifting and oftentimes hilarious, and he will continue to be part of our storytelling on Monday Night Countdown and other programs,” added Mark Gross, senior vice president, production and remote events.

Reilly, who will be inducted into the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association (NSSA) Hall of Fame on June 9, will continue to work on books and screenplays, foster his Nothing But Nets anti-malaria campaign, and travel the world.

“I’ve been writing sports for a living, non-stop, since I was 20,” said Reilly, 56. “I figured out recently that I’ve published over two million words, all on sports. I’m ready to try something new.”

Reilly began writing for ESPN.com and ESPN the Magazine in 2008. He was at Sports Illustrated for 23 years before that. He has been named National Sportswriter of the Year 11 times. In 2009, he won the Damon Runyon Award for Outstanding Contributions to Journalism.

“Thanks to ESPN.com for six wildly fun years, especially to [senior deputy editor] John Hassan and [Vice President, Editorial, ESPN Digital & Print Media] Patrick Stiegman. There’s a reason it’s the best sports website in the world.”

Stiegman added: “Rick consistently distinguished himself with his unique voice, penchant for humor and most important, ability to find and tell compelling stories. His weekly columns were regularly among the most read and shared on our site, and the body of his work over the course of his writing career speaks for itself. He’s a Hall of Famer for a reason.”

Reilly’s newest book — a collection of his best ESPN work — is due out May 13. It will be his 11th.

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