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TRANSCRIPT: JOHNNY WEIR & TARA LIPINSKI KENTUCKY DERBY CONFERENCE CALL

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THE MODERATOR:  Good afternoon, everybody, and welcome to today’s Kentucky Derby conference call.  Our record 15 and a half hours of live coverage begins tomorrow, Wednesday, at 5:30 p.m. eastern on the Kentucky Derby Draw Show on NBCSN and culminates this Saturday, May 2nd, at 4:00 p.m. eastern on NBC with our coverage of the 141st Kentucky Derby.

Joining us on today’s call are our lifestyle and fashion consultants Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski who return for their second Derby fresh off last weekend’s White House correspondents dinner.  Also with us is NBC’s Kentucky Derby coordinating producer Rob Hyland.  Each will make a brief opening comments and then we’ll take your questions.

ROB HYLAND:  Thanks, Dan.  Tara and Johnny return to cover lifestyle and fashion at this year’s Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby, and we’re really excited about having them back.  This event is so much more than just a horse race, and you don’t have to be a sports fan to know of Churchill Downs and the images it conjures up – high fashion, infield revelers, mint juleps and obviously the famed twin spires. As soon as last year’s show ended, our production team was already thinking about ways to expand their role this year, and we have a lot of fun elements planned for this weekend, and I look forward to this weekend’s shows.

JOHNNY WEIR:  Hi, everyone.  Thanks for taking the time to talk to us, even if over the phone, not in person, but I personally am so excited to return to the Derby for the second year in a row.  Working with NBC and Rob, and of course my munchkin Tara Lipinski.  We had the best time last year, and when we go to events like the Kentucky Derby or the Super Bowl this year, or of course the Olympics, we not only see ourselves as sporting experts but also as sort of cultural attachés.  We are right in the living room with the rest of America, who is experiencing a lot of this special event for the first time.  So, we’re super excited about our role with NBC and taking over all of the NBC social media for the week leading up to the Derby, and it’s just such an exciting time and a way for us to celebrate spring and celebrate sports.

TARA LIPINSKI:  Yeah, and I feel the same way.  I’m just excited to go back a second time.  Last year was my first time ever going to the Derby, so my eyes were wide open, and I was in awe, and it was just so much fun, and of course this year I feel like a pro going back.

But I think also what’s exciting for me is that Johnny and I, coming off of Sochi, one of our first big events last year was the Kentucky Derby, so everything was very new to us, and I think over this past year, we’ve settled into this new role which I’m very grateful for, because obviously we’re skating experts, but to be able to branch off and sort of expand our roles has been a dream.  It’s so exciting to be at the Super Bowl or at the Kentucky Derby.

I feel like we’ve settled in, and we’re ready to do even more and have more fun with it.  So I can’t wait to get there.

I guess it’s a question for Rob and also for Tara and Johnny.  Rob, can you talk about how do you put these guys into such a huge, long broadcast over a couple of days, and then I guess for Johnny and Tara, knowing that it’s obviously horse racing in the middle of it but so much more, how do you find your niche in the middle of all that?

ROB HYLAND:  I’ll start.  Obviously the broadcast is a balance of sports, lifestyle, entertainment, and your question is just that.  It is a mix of all of those things.  Fitting Johnny and Tara in naturally is pretty easy with a telecast like this.  We have so much airtime throughout the day that we can continually go back down the red carpet, we can go to the paddock balcony to check in with them.  We have various locations for them where they will appear throughout the telecast and show case different elements to the Kentucky Derby and the Kentucky Oaks.

We fit that around the racing, and the race reports throughout the day, but there are natural times where they will occur.

TARA LIPINSKI:  Yeah, and I would just say that for me being part of an event like this, I feel like we’ve fit pretty easily, because it’s so obvious that we’re not commentating on the horses, and this event is just so much more than that, as well.  You have the hats and the fashion and the mint juleps, and it’s just such a big, fun, social event that I feel like Johnny and I get to give sort of a behind the scenes sneak-peek at what goes on at these big sporting events.

JOHNNY WEIR:  And for me, I think as a viewer of these events, you may not necessarily have ever been to or thought of going to, my job is to help people at home understand what’s going on, understand the environment, understand what they’re seeing, what the event smells like, feels like, and make it very visceral, very real life so everyone sitting in their living room can come and make them want to put on a hat and celebrate this amazing sporting event with us all. I think Tara and I have really shown our fans and the American public that we really will dig in and try anything, and for the most part we’re pretty good at it.  We have the best time, and I think fitting us into a broadcast, brushing off my own shoulders while saying it, is pretty easy because we are open and able to do a lot of different things.

TARA LIPINSKI:  Yeah, I think Tara and Johnny are up for anything.

If I could ask a follow up quickly, in terms of your first time last year going there, did it meet any expectation?  Did anything surprise you?  What did you take away from that heading into this year?

JOHNNY WEIR:  Well, I had attended the Derby once before just as a guest of the event, and last year was my first time there in an official capacity.  The two experiences were quite different, quite eye opening in their own ways.  You know, the first time I went, I had only ever watched it on television with my parents and friends, and it just seemed like a very faraway, sort of crazy day with hats and mint juleps, and why was this event so special. Then when I went there, it was just so wonderful, almost in a very small way like the Olympic Games where you get completely caught up in the environment.

Last year the hustle and bustle and moving through crowds and trying to get to our marks and our places was quite eye opening. I think the most shocking thing about the Kentucky Derby both times that I’ve been is the line at the airport to leave.  That’s shocking in a bad way, because everyone tries to get out the next morning all at the same time, and it takes forever.

TARA LIPINSKI:  Yeah, and I would just say pretty much the same thing.  For me it was actually my very first time, so it was just a little bit overwhelming, but very exciting, and I just never realized how huge of an event it is when you’re there, as far as the party and just sitting on our little paddock. We were looking down the first day, and everyone was out there in their bright colors and hats, and it’s just such a fun and fresh event that for me, I just couldn’t wait to get back this year.

Can you kind of talk about everything that’s going on this week?  You’ve had a whirlwind week.  Tell me about the experience coming off the White House Correspondents’ dinner and heading into the Kentucky Derby.  How do you juggle both events, two very different and major events?

TARA LIPINSKI:  It’s been hectic, just speaking about fashion, the amount of outfits and shoes that I’m bringing, and I’m sure, Johnny, you’re in the same boat, we like surpassed what we’ve done in the past.  Going to the White House, again, that was like the first time for both events that we were ever invited back, and it was a pretty big honor. So, getting a dress for that and then planning about five looks for the Derby, it’s been having me run all over the city.

JOHNNY WEIR:  And for me, definitely the most hectic and stressful part is getting the look all put together and making sure that my hat is done because, again, this year I’m doing a wild and crazy custom hat by Kerin Rose. I am very micromanaging, so everyone that’s doing anything for me, I have to be a part of the process, and I don’t just trust that the FedEx box will get there; it’s fine.  Definitely packing and going to the White House Correspondents’ dinner over the weekend, and then I was at home visiting with family and will actually leave for the Derby tomorrow. Doing everything sort of remotely is super difficult.

But it’s all worth it when we have that moment where we are on camera and we’re live, and we know that not only what we have to say and what we bring to the table as far as energy, but our fashions and our looks really entertain people, and I think we’ve really found our stride, and Tara and I, we’re pretty much matched up on wavelengths where we don’t even have to talk and we’ll end up matching.

TARA LIPINSKI:  Yes.

JOHNNY WEIR:  It’s very special.  You know, it’s all about the entertainment, and as natural born entertainers, it comes easy to us, but it is stressful preparing and getting everything into suitcases with wheels so you can actually get to the destination.

You were kind enough last year, Johnny, to give us a little sneak peek on that Pegasus hat.  Could you give a little sneak peek this year, and do you indeed plan to have it sent in by FedEx?

JOHNNY WEIR:  Yes, my hat will be arriving by FedEx later in the week, but the only thing I’ll give away is that my hat this year, last year it was very literal, it was called Pegasus, but this year it’s a little more conceptual. I’ve entitled it ‘To the Victor Goes the Spoils.’  Think of that what you will, but it’s going to be very aggressive and very fun, and I’ll be very proud to wear it.

College Lacrosse: Final Week Leads into One-Hour NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Selection Show

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The final week of the college lacrosse season culminates with the NCAA Lacrosse Selection Show Presented by Northwestern Mutual – when the men’s bracket will be exclusively announced – on Sunday, May 3, at 9 p.m. Host Anish Shroff will be joined by analysts Quint Kessenich and Paul Carcaterra for expert insight and analysis.

Before the field is selected, conference champions will be crowned across ESPNU and ESPN3. Men’s highlights include:

  • The Ivy League Championship, played at top-seeded Brown in Providence, R.I., begins Friday, May 1, with the semifinals on ESPN3, starting at 5 p.m., followed by the finals on ESPNU Sunday, May 3, at noon.
  • The America East Championship title game will air on ESPNU on Saturday, May 2, at 10 a.m.
  • A non-conference matchup between Boston University vs. No. 5 Duke will be played Sunday at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN3.

Women’s highlights:

  • The Big Ten Women’s Championship title game, from College Park, Md., will be shown on ESPN3 on Sunday at noon, in addition to a same-day tape-delayed airing at 5 p.m. on ESPNU.
  • The Atlantic Sun Women’s Championship will be carried by ESPN3 beginning Wednesday, April 29 with quarterfinal action, followed by the semis on Friday and the title game on Sunday at 1 p.m.
  • A non-conference tilt showcasing No. 17 Johns Hopkins and No. 4 Duke will be shown on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. on ESPN3.
  • The America East Championship will be carried on ESPN3 at noon.
  • The Big South Women’s Championship title game will be played on Sunday and carried on ESPN3 at 2 p.m.
Date Time (ET) Games / Commentators Networks
Wed, Apr 29 1 p.m. Atlantic Sun Women’s Lacrosse Championship (Jacksonville, Fla.): Quarterfinal #1 ESPN3
  3:30 p.m. Atlantic Sun Women’s Lacrosse Championship (Jacksonville, Fla.): Quarterfinal #2 ESPN3
Fri, May 1 5 p.m. Ivy League Championship (Providence, R.I.): Semifinal #1 – No. 15 Princeton vs. No. 10 Cornell
Eamon McAnaney, Ryan Boyle		 ESPN3
  Atlantic Sun Women’s Lacrosse Championship (Jacksonville, Fla.): Semifinal #1 ESPN3
  Atlantic Sun Women’s Lacrosse Championship (Jacksonville, Fla.): Semifinal #2 ESPN3
  8 p.m. Ivy League Championship (Providence, R.I.): Semifinal #2 – No. 11 Yale at No. 9 Brown
Eamon McAnaney, Ryan Boyle		 ESPN3
Sat, May 2 10 a.m. America East Championship (highest seed): Final
Mike Corey, Quint Kessenich		 ESPNU
Sun, May 3 11:30 a.m. No. 17 Johns Hopkins at No. 4 Duke (women) ESPN3
  Noon Ivy League Championship (Providence, R.I.): Final
Eamon McAnaney, Ryan Boyle		 ESPNU
  Big Ten Women’s Championship (College Park, Md.): Final
Mark Dixon, Courtney Connor		 ESPN3$
  America East Women’s Lacrosse Championship (Stony Brook, N.Y.): Final ESPN3
  1 p.m. Atlantic Sun Women’s Lacrosse Championship (Jacksonville, Fla.): Final ESPN3
  2 p.m. Big South Women’s Championship (site of No. 1 seed): Final ESPN3
  2:30 p.m. Boston University at No. 5 Duke ESPN3

$ – same-day tape delayed Sunday, May 3, at 5 p.m. on ESPNU

 

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Transcript of SportsCenter Coast-to-Coast Media Conference Call

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As fans enjoy one of the biggest single weeks of top sports events ever, ESPN SportsCenter is coast-to-coast, including doing live shows all week from Las Vegas prior to Mayweather vs. Pacquiao, live shows from the NFL Draft in Chicago and reporting from multiple other events in one of its most logistically-challenging weeks. Full details HERE.

SportsCenter anchors Lindsay Czarniak and Steve Levy and ESPN Senior Vice President, SportsCenter and News Rob King, discussed SportsCenter’s big week in a media conference call today. A transcript of the call follows:

ROB KING:  Thanks everybody for joining the call.  I was just thinking this morning that a year ago this time we were furiously preparing to go into the new studio.

And at that time all we really thought about was ways in which to get inside those four walls and do incredible stuff for sports fans.  And now we look at where we are this week, it’s kind of amazing to think not only are we filling those studios in Bristol and Los Angeles with really cool content but the sports world has exploded this week and SportsCenter is working really hard to be wherever sports news is happening.

So this week has just represented itself as amazing opportunity for SportsCenter to connect fans and a real pleasure to have Lindsay and Steve and the other anchors and the talented people behind the scene out there working their tails off to tell all the stories that we’re going to need to tell this week.

 

Q — Lindsay, you started your week in Las Vegas and then you’re going to Chicago for the draft and then back to Vegas.  What’s this week been like for you so far? 

LINDSAY CZARNIAK:  It has been energetic, and it’s funny because Rob says this time last year I was on maternity leave and I was actually getting ready to come back to work in a few weeks at the Indy 500.  And it’s funny as I look at that and think about how life has changed professionally in terms of us being on the road and having the ability to do this, it’s awesome.

So it’s been wild but a fun sense of wild for me, and I guess we’ve kind of gotten used to the travel aspect of it, which is good.  So so far it’s been a lot of fun out here.

You can sort of feel the energy ramping up each day.  Pacquiao’s arrival has been awesome here.  The hotel where we are it’s just been completely buzzing.  So for us it’s really, really cool.

 

Q — Steve Levy, you’re doing some stuff in Bristol and heading to Chicago and then to Las Vegas to finish out your week.  What’s this week going to be like for you?

STEVE LEVY:  Well, a year ago also I was like Lindsay, just getting back from maternity leave myself.

And then I’ve had a successful run as well since then.  I’ve bounced back nicely.  You’ll see my body has gotten back in shape.

LINDSAY CZARNIAK:  You’ve lost weight.

STEVE LEVY:  It’s a great week.  You feel so lucky to be in the industry and then on top of that to be at ESPN and then the people who make these kinds of decisions think highly enough to send you to the places that you want to be, and that’s, of course, at all the big sporting events.

So I’ll anchor 11:00 tonight from our beautiful new billion‑dollar studios, and then head for Chicago tomorrow night.  Do post draft immediately after the first round of the draft with John Anderson from Chicago.

I’m told and it gives you an idea how big the idea the event is, the draft, it will probably be the second highest rated SportsCenter of the year.  And think about that.  That’s three and a half hours after the first couple of picks are already made.  But that’s the appetite of the NFL fan.

They’re so glued.  They want more.  Want more.  And at ESPN, specifically SportsCenter, we’re there to give it to them.  Nobody has ever had to twist my arm to go to Las Vegas.  So I’m looking forward to that on Friday and being involved in the post‑fight coverage on Saturday.

And I’ll add this as well, the cherry on top for me is sort of a sporting event that won’t get as much attention but maybe should, a week from tonight, in New York, will be the sports television Emmy Awards.

And I predict Stuart Scott will win, as he should, in the category of anchor/host.  And I predict good things for, a big Stuart Scott night, and also our former boss George Bodenheimer being on that night as well.

When I say the week for me it’s Tuesday to Tuesday.  It’s going to be spectacular.

 

Q          Rob, just logistically trying to put this all together, is it something you anticipate months ahead of time and you tell people, okay, you’re not taking vacation the week of ‑‑ the last week of April, first week of May, or is it something that sprung upon you once the Mayweather fight came into existence? 

ROB KING:  Great question.  We were already aware that this was going to be a busy week, because when the NFL moved the draft to this point in the year and to Chicago, we knew that was going to be a signature event.

And we always know that the NHL and NBA playoffs are going to be in the mix, but we didn’t have any idea, for example, that Saturday, if games go a certain way it could be the beginning of a Cavs‑Bulls series. We knew the Red Sox would play the Yankees that weekend.  The Kentucky Derby first Saturday in May also happens to be my birthday, so I was acutely aware.

So we’ve been planning for this month since about the time we left the Super Bowl.  The announcement of the fight changed the dynamic incredibly, because even next week we’re going to be at the Players Championship on Wednesday.  And we have plans to get on the road.

But when you have an event like this and a venue like this, it really does up the ante.  So I would say we’ve spent pretty much since 48‑hour window after the announcement of the fight thinking about how the fight plays into this week, and it has been a massive logistical challenge.

 

Q          Steve, considering being out in Vegas for this fight, how does that location, with all the craziness and the clubs and obviously the thousands of people there affect how you do your job?

STEVE LEVY:  You know, boxing and Las Vegas, they just seem to go hand in hand.  The craziness of boxing, the not knowing what will happen, that coincides with the Vegas vibe, too.

And I’ve been lucky enough to go to a couple of big fights in Las Vegas.  But this sort of has off‑the‑charts marquee value, I think.  I give credit to Colin Cowherd.  I think he said this may be the last fight that we all ever care about.

You think about that, that might be more of a statement on the sport of boxing but it also speaks to the drawing power and the magnitude of Pacquiao and Mayweather.  Look, it is the glitz.  It is the glamour.

You think about how short the actual main event might be even if it goes the distance.  And yet all the hype surrounding it.  You know, it’s nowhere near a Super Bowl in terms of the length of game, and yet we’re giving it complete Super Bowl treatment and then some.

And instead of 53‑man rosters like at the Super Bowl, there are two main guys.  I guess you could throw in the trainer and promoter if you wanted to, but there are two major stories here.

So this is an off‑the‑charts individual sporting event.  I just hope it lives up to the hype and that’s got to be near impossible considering the amount of hype and I can’t imagine it being any other place.  I don’t know another city that could do this sporting event justice the way Las Vegas can and will.

So I can’t wait to get out there.  I love the city even when there is no fight or no sporting event myself.

 

Q          Do you think the fact that it is like as you said maybe the last fight people really care about.  Is that going to affect your coverage and kind of the historical aspect of it? 

STEVE LEVY:  I think again you can see by the amount of people, the amount of production people behind the scenes, I think we have four sets ‑‑ we don’t even have four sets at the Super Bowl, I don’t think.  So that gives you an idea of where we stand.

I think we won’t know about the history until the fight is over and we see what happens and where it goes from there.  But in terms of buildup, in terms of the ramping up of the week, I can’t think of another event like this, other than the Super Bowl.

And, again, the story lines are so much smaller because again you’re dealing with really two individuals.  But the city has a lot to do with it.  I think Las Vegas does have a lot to do with it and is really the only city in the U.S. and maybe the world that could do a sporting event of this nature, do it justice.

 

Q          Lindsay, since you’ve been in Las Vegas already for a couple of days, do you want to add to that?

LINDSAY CZARNIAK:  I think Levy just hit it out of the park.  It’s all that and, yeah, it’s what I’ve seen, it’s sort of what I talked about.  The fans have descended already here.  First of all, you notice everywhere you’re walking, just the items they’ve got for sale and the crowds.  But the fans that are draping the lobbies as we walk in waiting for a sight of Manny Pacquiao, that’s evident.  And it’s been extremely exciting.

I talked about the buzz.  And I do think what is Vegas, to Steve’s point, just completely adds to it, because people aren’t sleeping.  It’s just a bunch of hype and it just seems like everyone’s really having a blast.  And I don’t mean our colleagues aren’t sleeping, I mean the fans aren’t sleeping.  I speak for myself.

 

Q          Primarily for Rob, but Lindsay and Steve if you want to weigh in as well.  Regarding the network’s coverage of the fight and Floyd Mayweather’s history of domestic violence, there seems to be some cognitive dissonance on ESPN with some personalities telling the audience to boycott the match and some being much more promotional and almost mouthpieces for the fight.  So my question is what would you say to the victims of domestic violence and other people who feel that ESPN has hyped up the fight on balance more than they’ve paid attention to Floyd may weather’s history of domestic violence?

ROB KING:  I think survivors of domestic violence deserve their story to be told.  I think that survivors of domestic violence routinely see the breadth of the world kind of walking past their experience.  And I think ‑‑ I know that we have taken very seriously, for quite some time, the responsibility to tell these stories in depth.

I think that the first part of your question about the divergence between some of our commentary voices regarding how people should respond to the fight actually reflects, I think, the realistic diversity of the way in which the sporting world and the world of popular culture and the rest of the world views what’s coming up this week.

It’s multi faceted.  I do think that we as a network, as a company, pledge to serve sports fans, should continue to cover sporting events as such.  I am proud of the efforts that a number of our voices, a number of our shows have undertaken in making sure that even in the midst of serving sports fans we are citizens of the world.  Proud of that work.

I think it’s easy for me here sitting here, taking the question, to reflect, knowing everything that we’ve done.  And I do think we will continue to be in this space.  I mean, even today we have some folks wondering whether a baseball game will be played and other folks wondering what’s happening in the city of Baltimore, Maryland.  And that intersection of sports and popular culture, intersection of sports and politics or economics will continue to be something that we have to balance.

What we actually encourage our commentary voices to do is to be authentically themselves and that means they are not going to speak with the same voice.  We know that there will be debate.  And as I said I view that as reflective of our broader society.  But I want to emphasize that survivors of domestic abuse, survivors of sexual abuse, whose stories will be part of the narrative of a lot of the events we cover over the next week are foremost in our minds and we spend a lot of time and effort making sure that when we tell those stories, we tell them as fully as possible.

 

Q          I have two, actually.  One is a business question for Rob and the other is editorial for Lindsay and Steve.  Rob, what teams are likely to move the needle for you guys the most, year in and year out, consistently when it comes to the NFL Draft?  And does it ever amaze you or astound you that NFL season has become year‑round or at least NFL talking season is as huge as it is now?

ROB KING:  So prior to my job here with SportsCenter, I was in digital and print media.  We spent a lot of time looking at this.  So a couple of quick stories.  The first is when LeBron James joined the Miami Heat we had an editor who had the brilliant idea to just create a web destination called Heat Index covering nothing but the Miami Heat.  And at the end of that first season the Miami Heat accounted for half of all the page views on our NBA coverage, which got us to thinking maybe we probably really need to dig down and figure out which teams really move the needle.

And ultimately what we found was more than 80 percent of all the traffic coming to ESPN digital media was coming either through six sports or 100 teams.

And of those 100 teams, 31 were NFL teams.  So 31 of the 32 NFL teams were in the top 100 teams of all the traffic consumed on ESPN.com.  We covered the Jacksonville Jaguars anyway.  My point is since we got to see the NFL be so wholly present in top 100 teams, it came as no surprise to us that the NFL and its story lines are of interest to fans year‑round.

And so we don’t really view that as being much of an offseason, because the interest is consistently there.

 

Q          I wanted to get your thoughts and opinions on all the new aspects of this draft and what challenges might go into that.  You’ve got a new city for the first time and half century hosting it.  Day three is going to be outdoors.  I’m not sure if that’s ever happened before, or if it hasn’t happened in a while.  And you’ve got this massive fan fest only been done for the Super Bowl and not the draft.  Want to get your thoughts on that?

LINDSAY CZARNIAK:  We’re doing the show actually from an outdoor location that is going to be, to my knowledge, kind of hunkered in there at fan fest.  So that will be interesting for us.

I think our shows, in terms of Steve’s and mine, will have different feel.  His is right after the action has started.  Mine is leading up to it.  So that’s going to be, I think, for me it’s going to be fun because it will add energy, certainly.  It will be interesting to see how many people they have turn out.

It will be a lot more interaction.  It will allow us to have our best in terms of analysts and specifically NFL analysts joining me from different locations which will be great.

I think the size of it, I’m very interested to see that, and I find it intriguing that this will be the first time since ’92 that the top pick and the second potential number two pick will not be there in person live, if they do in fact go one and two.

So to me it just kind of changes the way that we view it, but certainly still provides an opportunity to have memorable moments as you see them with their friends and family there in the locations where they’ve chose to remain for the draft.

So all those things are what I’m looking for, and I think it’s all ‑‑ for me it’s more the hype leading up to it, and I’m sure Levy can add to that.

 

STEVE LEVY:  I’ll tell you what, as a native New Yorker, what I’ll miss about having the draft in New York would be the moans and groans of the Jet fans, good and bad, not just the Jets’ pick, everybody else’s pick.

Giants fans don’t seem to make as much noise.  But Jet fans do.  So I think that’s an interesting aspect that will be lost, to see how the Chicago public plays ‑‑ Chicago is an unbelievable sports town.  We always talk about in the different cities, if all the teams are good, what team is number one.

And Chicago’s a really tough town to tell, because if all the teams are good, you could make the argument that all those teams would be right at the top.

If the Cubs ever got good, that town would go gaga.  The Cubs might be on their way.  The Bears obviously need a big bounce back.  I think Jay Cutler is supposed to speak today.  It will be interesting to hear what he has to say.  And of course his body language is always interesting to witness.

So the Chicago fan, that aspect will be interesting to see to me.  A new general manager in there for the Bears this year to see how and what they do with their pick.

I think it is a breath of fresh air, too, taking it out of New York.  The NFL in terms of marketing and money making, they don’t make too many mistakes.  And I see this being bit on in various cities going forward, much like the Super Bowl is, is years out.

So I’m intrigued by that.  The newness of it, the breath of fresh air of being in a new city, of being in a great city, great sports town like Chicago.

I’ve got to be honest, like Lindsay mentioned, with Mariota not being there and by the way, our Shelley Smith will be at Mariota’s camp in Hawaii.  Nice road trip.  Nice perk for Shelley.

I’m disappointed.  I get it.  These players, Jameis Winston, Amari Cooper also, probably a top 10 guy, not expected to be there.  These guys are entitled.  They’ve earned the right to be where they want to be on their special draft day.

And if they want to be surrounded by 100 friends and family, and maybe that’s a space issue and the NFL doesn’t provide for that many tickets or seats or something along those lines, I get it.

But it does take away from the visual how the NFL draft has evolved.  I don’t know what it was, was it five years ago when the guys started hugging Roger Goodell.  And the fancy attire and the way they wear the hats and graduating to the selfie picture with the commissioner on the stage there.

So that will all sort of be lost at the top of the draft and poor Roger will be up there by himself maybe for half hour, which would be an odd sight as well.  So all these things are new elements.

I feel like this is the most interesting draft, but I have to be honest, I might have thought that leading up to last year’s draft and the year before that as well.  So it’s a fascinating sporting event.

I think it is a sporting event, and I would say no sporting event has come further than the NFL Draft now, with all the glitz and glamour and red carpet, the way I understand it started in a conference room in a bad hotel with just general managers in the room and that was it and you read about it the next day in the newspaper.  So the event has certainly come a long way.

 

Q          I’ve got one more question about the fight.  So I’d like to throw that to Lindsay if I could.  Lindsay, I’m old enough to have watched the Ali‑Frazier fights and those obviously took place in a different world than we live in now.  But I was wondering, what do you think the Mayweather‑Pacquiao fight, how much can that move boxing back into the forefront of sports conversations in the U.S.?  Do you think it can have a lasting impact? 

LINDSAY CZARNIAK:  I think ‑‑ that’s interesting.  I was just having this conversation with one of my colleagues Stephen A. Smith, I think, yes, it has the potential to create more buzz.

I do think it’s very interesting, though, because to Steve’s point about what Colin Cowherd said earlier, you know about this may be the last great fight that we see; it just makes you wonder what this does for this generation.

Stephen A. this morning was talking about how obviously boxing to this fan, to our fans, to our demographic, it’s lost its edge.  It’s lost the gravitas that you talked about.

But I do think that that’s why certainly we are putting so much effort into our coverage.  I think that’s why this fight came together in the first place, it is to sort of resurrect the sport.

I do think it has the potential to impact a heck of a lot of people to bring this sport back into popularity.  But I think that it will be ‑‑ I’m curious to see how it moves then after Saturday, what happens, what does boxing as a sport do to try to keep that momentum going.

 

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Media Contact: Andy Hall, andy.hall@espn.com

STELLAR FIELD AT THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP SHOWCASES MARQUEE COVERAGE ON GOLF CHANNEL AND NBC

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More than 90 Hours of Live Television Devoted to the Pride of the

PGA TOUR Schedule, Featuring the Year’s Top Field of Players

22 Hours of Live Tournament Coverage, Highlighted by One of

Golf Channel’s and NBC’s Most Technologically Advanced Productions

ORLANDO, Fla. (April 28, 2015) – The dramatic setting of the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass and its famous 17th hole will provide the backdrop for THE PLAYERS Championship, headlining more than 90 hours of combined live programming on Golf Channel and Golf Channel on NBC, May 4-10.

Boasting the strongest field of the year competing on one of the world’s most iconic golf courses, THE PLAYERS Championship is the most-anticipated tournament on the PGA TOUR schedule. A combined 22 hours of live golf coverage will air on both Golf Channel and NBC, which will be blanketed by nearly 70 live hours of the most comprehensive golf news, analysis and feature programming on television, with Golf Central’s Live From THE PLAYERS and Morning Drive.

BROADCAST TEAM: Golf Channel on NBC’s live tournament coverage of THE PLAYERS Championship will be anchored by Dan Hicks and Hall-of-Famer Johnny Miller. Terry Gannon and Sir Nick Faldo will host the majority of early round coverage on Golf Channel, with Hicks and Miller contributing.  The remainder of the broadcast team for all four rounds will include Gary Koch (17th hole) and Peter Jacobsen (15th hole) in tower positions; Notah Begay, Billy Ray Brown, Roger Maltbie and Mark Rolfing walking with the players; Steve Sands conducting interviews; and Jimmy Roberts providing features and essays. Kelly Tilghman will serve as tournament telecast host for Golf Channel’s early round coverage, while Josh Elliott will again host NBC’s weekend coverage.

Rich Lerner, Tilghman and Ryan Burr will anchor Golf Central’s Live From THE PLAYERS coverage from TPC Sawgrass and will be joined by analysts Brandel Chamblee, Frank Nobilo, 1999 PLAYERS Champion David Duval and a host of others, including award-winning journalists Tim Rosaforte and John Feinstein. Lisa Cornwell and George Savaricas will host from Golf Channel’s World Headquarters in Orlando, and will be joined by analysts Jim Gallagher Jr. and Tripp Isenhour.

SPECIAL PRODUCTION ELEMENTS: Every conceivable angle of the famous par-3, 17th hole and its island green will be covered by Golf Channel on NBC’s production team. A total of nine high-definition cameras, including a microscopic lens embedded in the lip of the small bunker fronting the green, will be in place. Returning is the popular “Actioncam,” a cable-suspended camera system that will fly over the lake between the 16th and 17th greens. A camera also will be situated behind the 14th tee that will provide a seldom seen, reverse ball-flight for one of the more difficult tee shots on the course.

Some of the manned camera positions also are noteworthy, including a position lifted by a crane 150 feet into the air above the tree line that will show unique shots of the 16th, 17th, and 18th holes. Another camera operator is ferried to a small island near the 17th green where he is marooned for approximately eight hours during a broadcast, capturing player reactions from this unique angle.

FEATURES:  Throughout the week within Live From THE PLAYERS, Golf Channel will offer in-depth features built around the best stories in golf, both compelling and entertaining:

  • The 18th – arguably the most challenging finishing hole in golf, the 18th hole at TPC Sawgrass has seen remarkable moments of victory and defeat. Interviewed are course architects Pete and Alice Dye, and some of the more famous moments at 18 are recalled, including Hal Sutton’s “Be the right club today” moment, Adam Scott’s splashdown and the amazing three-hole finish of Golf Channel analyst Craig Perks in 2002.
  • Furyk – heading to THE PLAYERS Championship – always a home game for Jim Furyk – take a look at this enigmatic player’s career and the resiliency he has shown over the last five years enduring seven runner-up finishes without a win until his recent victory at the RBC Heritage.
  • Players and Caddies – it’s a relationship comparable to marriage, so how do players and caddies handle the balance of professional and personal required to be successful on tour?  Rich Lerner reports.
  • Jason Day – he’s a regular on major championship leaderboards and is frequently mentioned as part of the youth movement on the PGA TOUR. Discover the Jason Day story and how his caddie has played a major role in his life and success.

MORNING DRIVE:  With a new set location at TPC Sawgrass, Morning Drive will have a live presence on site all week with analysis, guests and features exclusive to the show. Beginning each day with the latest news from THE PLAYERS Championship will be Gary Williams, Cara Robinson, Charlie Rymer, Chris DiMarco, Paige MacKenzie and Matt Ginella.

THE GOLF FIX: Host Michael Breed will take over TPC Sawgrass’ practice putting green for the first-ever live putting episode of The Golf Fix on Monday, May 4 at 6 p.m. ET. Breed will look back at the most famous putts in the history of THE PLAYERS, and will teach viewers the tricks to reading greens, things to consider when lag putting and how to determine if you are a “spot” or “line” putter. Junior golfers from The First Tee of North Florida also will participate in the show to help demonstrate Breed’s instruction tips on putting.

DIGITAL CONTENT:  GolfChannel.com will feature expanded editorial content during THE PLAYERS Championship week, with up-to-the-minute blogs and fan interaction, including:

  • News & Features – GolfChannel.com writers Rex Hoggard, Randall Mell, Joe Posnanski and Will Gray will be reporting from TPC Sawgrass and posting features throughout the week.
  • Exclusive Video Content – GolfChannel.com will provide video updates daily throughout the week from the network’s digital studio in Orlando, as well as segments from Golf Central’s Live From THE PLAYERS and Morning Drive news coverage.

STREAMING ON GOLF LIVE EXTRA/NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA:  All the news and tournament action surrounding THE PLAYERS Championship can be accessed at any time on any mobile device and online through the help of Golf Channel’s Golf Live Extra. Fans also can stream Golf Channel on NBC coverage of live golf with NBC Sports Live Extra.

 

Golf Channel/NBC live programming from THE PLAYERS Championship, May 4-10 (all times Eastern):

Monday, May 4

Morning Drive                                                                        7-11 a.m.

The Golf Fix                                                                           6-7 p.m.

Golf Central’s Live From THE PLAYERS                           7-8:30 p.m.

Tuesday, May 5

Morning Drive                                                                        7-9 a.m.

Golf Central’s Live From THE PLAYERS                           9 a.m.-5 pm.

6-9 p.m.

Wednesday, May 6

Morning Drive                                                                        7-9 a.m.

Golf Central’s Live From THE PLAYERS                           9 a.m.-5 p.m.

7-9 p.m.

Thursday, May 7

Morning Drive                                                                        6-9 a.m.

Golf Central’s Live From THE PLAYERS                           9 a.m.-1 p.m.

THE PLAYERS Championship                                             1-7 p.m.

Golf Central’s Live From THE PLAYERS                           7-9 p.m.

Friday, May 8

Morning Drive                                                                        6-9 a.m.

Golf Central’s Live From THE PLAYERS                           9 a.m.-1 p.m.

THE PLAYERS Championship                                             1-7 p.m.

Golf Central’s Live From THE PLAYERS                           7-9 p.m.

Saturday, May 10

Morning Drive                                                                        6-9 a.m.

Golf Central’s Live From THE PLAYERS                           9 a.m.-2 p.m.

THE PLAYERS Championship                                             2-7 p.m. (NBC)

Golf Central’s Live From THE PLAYERS                           7-9 p.m.

Sunday, May 11

Morning Drive                                                                        6-9 a.m.

Golf Central’s Live From THE PLAYERS                           9 a.m.-2 p.m.

THE PLAYERS Championship                                             2-7 p.m. (NBC)

Golf Central’s Live From THE PLAYERS                           7-9 p.m.

-NBC Sports Group-

Notes from NBA on TNT Playoff Coverage ­ Monday, April 27, 2015

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nba-on-tntTNT’s NBA coverage of the playoffs continue tonight, Tuesday, April 28, with doubleheader action featuring the Dallas Mavericks @ Houston Rockets at 8 p.m. ET and the San Antonio Spurs @ Los Angeles Clippers at 10:30 p.m.

****    ****    ****    ****

TNT NBA Tip-off presented by Autotrader 

Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith

Smith on the Bucks: “They have a lot of length. You can’t make the typical pass against them. They are a little bit freakish in nature.”Barkley on Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith: “I don’t think J.R is a bad guy, but I think he does stupid things.”

O’Neal on J.R. Smith’s two-game suspension: “One game would have been absurd, two games is okay. I don’t think he was trying to hit him in his face. Yes, he was trying to hit him.  It was a cheap play, so two games is fair.”

****    ****    ****    ****

Milwaukee Bucks (94) @ Chicago Bulls (88) Bulls lead series 3-2
Brian Anderson (play-by-play) Steve Smith (analyst) with Allie LaForce (reporter)

Smith on Jared Dudley and Michael Carter-Williams: “I like what he has done defensively and scoring wise. Since he can shoot the ball with some range, it gives him some space and gives his offense some more space. If Michael Carter-Williams works on that, he will be one of those players that is hard to guard because he can shoot the jumper and get into the paint. Right now his jump shot doesn’t allow him to create space, but Jared Dudley (because of his offense) can.”

Barkley on the future of Bucks guard Michael Carter-Williams: “I call Jason Kidd the ‘point guard whisperer’ and he is going to make this kid a perennial All-Star.”

Smith on Bulls guard Derrick Rose getting back in rare form: “We talk about one day rest or two day rest.  All I need to watch is how he is moving to determine how good he will be.”

****    ****    ****    ****

Memphis Grizzlies (92) @ Portland Trail Blazers (99); Grizzlies lead 3-1
Kevin Calabro (play-by-play) Brent Barry (analyst) with Lewis Johnson (reporter)

Smith on Tony Allen defending Damian Lillard: “Tony Allen is a great defender, but he’s not a great defender on a point guard that knows how to score.”

Barry on the Grizzlies: “The right guys stepping up at the right time has been their recipe for success this year.”

O’Neal on center Meyers Leonard:  “He’s big, he’s physical…and he can shoot it from long range. He’s Baby [Arvydas] Sabonis…a big guy that can shoot.”

Barkley on Arvydas Sabonis: “He was one of the five best players in the world. He got to the NBA, blew out both Achilles, gained 100 pounds and still made it to the All-Star Game.”

Barry on adjusting the lineup with guard Wesley Matthews being out: “So much of the heart and soul of what Portland was doing during the first half of the season happens to be what they were doing on the defensive end of the floor. You had Wes Matthews that could score and put you in a bind defensively. There is so much missing with Wes Matthews out of the lineup.”

Barry on LaMarcus Aldridge staying in Portland after the season ends: “It’s tricky because he’s been non-committal to the Trail Blazers after playing for nine years. If he leaves, he would be the best player to put on a Rip City jersey.  We will see if [Neil] Olshey

can get that deal done over the summer. Whether he stays or goes, he will always have a place in Portland.”

****    ****    ****    ****

Inside the NBA presented by Kia

Johnson, O’Neal, Barkley, Smith

Barkley on the Bucks: “They play extremely hard with great energy. Energy is one of the most underrated talents in the NBA.”

O’Neal on what the Bulls need to do in Game 6: “Jimmy Butler and Derrick Rose have to shoot much better if they expect to beat these young guys.”

O’Neal on the Hawks in Game 4: “The pressure is definitely on the Hawks. I think it is fair to say whoever wins Game 5 will win the series.”

Barkley on guard Jeff Teague: “He has to speed the tempo of the game up and get some easy fast break points.”

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Notes from NBA on TNT Playoff Coverage ­ Sunday, April 26, 2015

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nba-on-tntTNT’s NBA coverage of the playoffs continues Monday, April 27, with doubleheader action featuring the Milwaukee Bucks @ Chicago Bulls (Game 4) at 8 p.m. ET and the Memphis Grizzlies @ Portland Trail Blazers (Game 4) at 10:30 p.m.

****    ****    ****    ****

TNT NBA Tip-off presented by Autotrader 

Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal

Charles Barkley on what he expects from Bradley Beal: “He’s right there with James Harden and Klay Thompson; they’re the two best two guards in the league.”

Kenny Smith on Paul Pierce: “He’s done a great job. We expect Paul to be big in these big moments because; he will take the big shot. He will take momentum changing shots… He’s not afraid of the moment. He looks for that moment.”

Smith on a potential Game 7 between the Clippers and Spurs: “I wouldn’t want to play the defending champs in a Game 7, and this is where it looks like it’s going… As much I like the way the Clippers played today, they’ve shown me they’ll play a certain way against the Spurs as well. That could be alarming. There’s very few minutes in this game where you could say the Spurs are uncharacteristic… There’s many moments where you say the Clippers don’t look like a team that’s a championship team.”

****    ****    ****    ****

Toronto Raptors (94) @ Washington Wizards (125); Wizards win the series, 4-0
Ian Eagle (play-by-play) Grant Hill (analyst) with Kevin Ray (reporter)

Grant Hill on the Raptors struggles: “The Raptors have really struggled since the All-Star break. They’re 2-13 versus teams with a winning record since the All-Star break… It’s not like they’re playing poorly [just] at this point. They’ve struggled the last half of the season and it’s showing here tonight.”

Hill on Toronto’s offensive struggles: “Toronto, for a team that was so good offensively during the regular season, they have looked disjointed the majority of the time during the playoffs. [They] could never find a rhythm on the offensive end. You have to give some credit to Washington, with their defense.”

Hill on the Wizards playing well when they go small: “They’ve really thrived going small [this series], particularly in the second quarter… Nene’s minutes are down, [Marcin] Gortat’s played a lot, and played very well.”

Hill on Paul Pierce under Head Coach Randy Wittman: “He brings an edge. A guy who’s had a Hall of Fame career, a leader [that] some of these young players that watched and followed. You really got to give [Randy] Wittman credit as the team was struggling a little bit there at the end of the season, having the big picture mindset to rest him to make sure he’s fresh. He’s as good as he’s looked all season.”

Hill on the veterans stepping up for Washington: “We talk about the veterans, you talk about [Paul] Pierce, we talk about [Drew] Gooden, guys that didn’t get heavy minutes in the regular season. You want to keep them fresh, but now those two are playing at an elite level.”

****    ****    ****    ****

Houston Rockets (109) @ Dallas Mavericks (121); Rockets lead 3-1
Kevin Harlan (play-by-play) Reggie Miller (analyst) with Rebecca Haarlow (reporter)

Miller on Dwight Howard gaining confidence: “You can tell he’s gaining confidence. Remember, he’s missed so much time with injuries this year to that left knee.”

Miller on James Harden offensively: “All eyes will always be on James Harden because not only is he a great shooter, which he is, scorer, which he is, but he’s one of the best facilitators in our game. And when he is coming at you with a full steam downhill, he puts your defense in a very tough position.”

Miller on key players for the Rockets in the fourth quarter: “Corey Brewer along with Josh Smith in that fourth quarter did a great job for the Houston Rockets of getting back in this ball game and putting a lot of pressure on this Dallas Mavericks team.”

Miller on Dirk Nowitzki’s shooting prowess: “The best big man shooter this game has ever seen. And everybody will say, what about Larry Bird? I will take Dirk Nowitzki over Larry Bird, shooting wise; not player… shooting.”

Miller on J.J. Barea stepping up: “A guy that has championship experience. He was on that championship team as well under Rick Carlisle. So, he understands what it takes. For whatever reason, it didn’t work out here with [Rajon] Rondo. I’ve loved what J.J. [Barea] has brought to the table in his absence.”

Miller on Rick Carlisle finding a way for the Mavericks to survive: “I’m going to give Rick Carlisle and his coaching staff a lot of credit here. Obviously, with the drama surrounding [Rajon] Rondo, and with injuries to players like [Raymond] Felton, Richard Jefferson and Chandler Parsons, he’s found a way to extend this series.”
****    ****    ****    ****

Inside the NBA presented by Kia

Johnson, O’Neal, Barkley, Smith

Smith on defensive issues for Houston: “Defensively, the Rockets have always been a little bit challenged, but tonight they didn’t challenge at all, and that was the difference. That is going to be the separation if you’re going to want to be a championship team or not, is the ability to defend and not wait until Dwight Howard blocks a shot… They have to learn how to play front line defense.”

O’Neal on the Mavericks: “I think this game, Dallas came out, they played with a lot of effort, played with a lot of energy, they played desperate. I think Houston just took them lightly. The game really means nothing, except the point that for Dallas, we didn’t get swept… Dallas is done.”

Barkley on the Los Angeles Clippers and how they match up with the San Antonio Spurs: “The Clippers have outplayed them [the Spurs] three out of four games. They blew Game 2… They just got to get a little bit from J.J. Redick and Matt Barnes because they [the Spurs] have to double Blake [Griffin]… I think the longer this series goes, I think Blake and DeAndre [Jordan] are going to have a big advantage inside.”

O’Neal on the play that injured Kevin Love’s shoulder: “Did he tangle him up on purpose? Yes. Did he try to dislocate his shoulder? No. Was it a dirty play? No, it’s not a dirty play. You tussle, you grapple, you wrestle… It’s playoff basketball.”

Smith on what the Raptors need to do going forward: “They have to decide if Lou Williams, being Sixth Man of the Year, will have that kind of energy off the bench again. I think overall, DeMar DeRozan’s injury, when that happened earlier in the season, that was a big blow to them that messed up their continuity. I don’t know if they have a post player that you can consistently go to, and that perimeter offense is a little dated now.”

-30-

“SportsCenter on the Road” goes Coast to Coast

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From punching to putting to the pigskin Draft and from horses to horsepower, along with hoops and hockey playoffs, “SportsCenter on the Road” goes Coast to Coast this week covering one of sports’ busiest weeks.

While ESPN’s many platforms have converged in Las Vegas for boxing’s richest championship fight, SportsCenter has deployed its resources across the country to provide comprehensive coverage from Chicago (NFL Draft), Louisville (Kentucky Derby), San Francisco (World Golf Championships) and Talladega, Ala. (NASCAR’s Sprint Cup race), while remaining nimble enough to follow the fluid news from the NBA and NHL playoffs and baseball’s daily happenings.

Lindsay Czarniak and Steve Levy will get up close and personal with the week’s two biggest events, anchoring SportsCenter from Las Vegas and the NFL Draft in Chicago. Czarniak is anchoring the 6 p.m. ET SportsCenter Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday-Friday from Las Vegas and Thursday’s from Chicago, while Levy works Thursday’s 11:30 p.m. show from the Draft and Saturday’s 9 p.m. “Red Carpet Special” and post-fight SportsCenters from Las Vegas.

EVENT COVERAGE REPORTERS
Mayweather-Pacquiao daily Jeremy Schaap, Bernardo Osuna, Darren Rovell, Josina Anderson
NFL Draft Thursday-Sunday Chicago & reporters from NYC to Hawaii
Kentucky Derby Thursday-Sunday Jeannine Edwards, Matt Bernier
NBA Playoffs daily Warriors: Marc Stein; Cavs: Dave McMenamin; Spurs/Clippers A.J. Adande, Michael Wilbon, Ramona Shelburne
NHL Playoffs: Detroit-Tampa Bay Game 7 Wednesday Katie Strang
NASCAR: Sprint Cup at Talladega Fri-Sat-Sun Marty Smith
Golf: World Golf Championships Tuesday-Sunday Bob Harig
Baseball: Yankees/A-Rod daily through HR 661 Andrew Marchand
Baseball: Baltimore/D.C region Tuesday Mark Schwarz
Baseball: KC/Ventura starts Tuesday Pedro Gomez

Click HERE for interactive graphic (works best on Firefox and Chrome browsers, or latest version of Explorer).

SC Infographic

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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ESPN Digital Media in March: 81 Million U.S. Fans

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34 percent share of sports category is more than Nos. 2, 3 and 4 properties combined;
47.5 million fans accessed ESPN content exclusively on smartphones and tablets;
ESPN’s last 10 monthly unique visitor totals are the 10 biggest months in sports category history.

ESPN Digital Media reached 80.5 million unique visitors in the U.S. in March, up 18 percent from a year ago and the eighth largest monthly total in sports category history. Fans spent 7.9 billion minutes with ESPN content across platforms, a sports category record for the month of March. Time spent with ESPN’s digital properties was up 33 percent from a year ago and ranked as the sixth highest total in ESPN history.

DigitalStats153

ESPN’s June 2014 through March 2015 now comprise the top 10 monthly unique visitor totals in sports category history.

Click to view info graphic.

Click to view info graphic.

Overall, ESPN accounted for 33.8 percent of all sports category usage on digital platforms, more than the Nos. 2, 3 and 4 properties combined (Bleacher Report-Turner Sports Network had 12.6 percent, Yahoo! Sports-NBC Sports Network 11.6 percent, and Fox Sports Digital-Sporting News Media 7.2 percent).

On mobile devices alone, 61.2 million unique users accessed ESPN web and app content, an increase of 12.2 million over a year ago. ESPN mobile visitors generated 4.4 billion minutes of usage, more than the next four mobile sports properties combined.

59 percent of ESPN’s unique users – 47.5 million people – exclusively accessed content on smartphones and tablets. This is the 12th consecutive month that more than half of ESPN’s digital users came only from mobile devices.

More results from the March comScore Multi-Platform report:

  • 56 percent of all time spent with ESPN digital content was consumed by mobile device users, the 11th consecutive month that smartphones and tablets contributed a larger share of usage to ESPN’s digital total than desktop and laptop computers.
  • 62.2 million people used ESPN.com across devices, up 20 percent from a year ago, with 43.5 million people visiting ESPN.com via smartphones and tablets.
  • ESPN had the Nos. 1 and 2 apps in the sports category (ESPN – 12.9 million unique visitors, WatchESPN – 6.9 million), while ESPN Tournament Challenge was No. 6 with 2.7 million unique users in March.
  • ESPN’s portfolio of apps generated 2.7 billion minutes of usage, more than the next three sports properties combined, and accounted for 42 percent of all time spent with apps in the Sports Category.

Additional results from ESPN Research & Analytics:

  • 5.4 million unique devices streamed WatchESPN and ESPN3 content in March (up 19 percent from a year ago), as viewers spent 997 million minutes with programming across all platforms (up 41 percent).1
  • ESPN3 was the second most-streamed network on the WatchESPN platform (trailing only ESPN), racking up 267 million minutes of viewing.1
  • Fans watched 421.5 million ESPN digital video clips in March across all touch points, up 35 percent from a year ago.1
  • 71 percent of all ESPN platform clips (382.2 million) were viewed on computers, 23 percent on phones and tablets, and 5 percent on connected TVs.1
  • ESPN networks and ABC sports television content generated 8.8 million tweets in March, accounting for 13 percent of all TV-related activity during the month.2

Other key social media metrics:

  • 2.0 million unique authors wrote tweets about ESPN/ABC Sports content, representing 25 percent of those tweeting about TV in March.2
  • ESPN’s top Twitter accounts were retweeted or favorited 12.5 million times, up 25 percent from a year ago. ESPN’s Twitter accounts have 49 million unique followers.3
  • ESPN’s top Instagram accounts generated 26.1 million engagements, a 25 percent increase from February.4

1 Source: Adobe Analytics
2 Source: Nielsen SocialGuide
3 Source: Twitter
4 Source: Instagram

###
Media Contacts:
Kevin Ota, ESPN                      860.766.9581 or kevin.r.ota@espn.com
Kristie Chong Adler, ESPN    646.547.5637 or kristie.chong@espn.com

JOHNNY WEIR & TARA LIPINSKI ON KENTUCKY DERBY CONFERENCE CALL TODAY AT 2 P.M. ET

By

Dial 719-325-2495 to Participate

STAMFORD, Conn. – April 28, 2015 – Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski will preview their roles as fashion and lifestyle experts at the 141st Kentucky Derby on a conference call today, Tuesday, April 28, at 2 p.m. ET. Weir and Lipinski will be joined by Rob Hyland, the coordinating producer of NBC’s horse racing coverage.

Dial 719-325-2495 to participate; conference ID 8799355

Click here for information on Weir and Lipinski’s NBC Sports social media takeovers this week.

NBC Sports Group presents 15.5 live hours of Kentucky Derby coverage, a record for the event, beginning Wednesday, April 29, at 4 p.m. ET on NBCSN, and culminating with the 141st running of the Kentucky Derby on NBC, Saturday, May 2 at 4 PM ET. Coverage begins on Saturday at Noon ET on NBCSN before moving to NBC at 4 p.m. ET. Click here for more information on NBC Sports Group’s programming plans.

NBC PROVIDES WALL-TO-WALL SPORTS COVERAGE ON DERBY DAY

On Derby Day, NBC’s wall-to-wall sports coverage begins at 12:30 p.m. ET with a second-round NHL Stanley Cup Playoff game. NBC’s Kentucky Derby coverage begins at 4 p.m. ET, and leads right into primetime coverage of the PGA TOUR’s World Golf Championships-Cadillac Match Play from TPC Harding Park in San Francisco, Calif. at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Players Championship from TPC Sawgrass airs on Golf Channel and NBC from May 7-10, including Golf Channel’s Golf Central Live From The Players starting on Monday, May 4.

NBC Sports Group’s coverage of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 2, begins at Noon ET on NBCSN, with coverage of the Kentucky Oaks on Friday, May 1, at 12:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. NBC Sports Group’s live Kentucky Derby coverage begins Wednesday, April 29, with the Kentucky Derby Draw at 5:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Also on Derby Day, NBCSN presents a second-round NHL Stanley Cup Playoff game in primetime, with coverage beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET.

–NBC SPORTS GROUP–

JOHNNY WEIR & TARA LIPINSKI TAKE OVER NBC SPORTS SOCIAL MEDIA DURING DERBY WEEK

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Weir & Lipinski on a Conference Call Tomorrow, Tuesday, April 28, at 2 p.m. ET

NBC Sports Group’s Derby Fashion & Lifestyle Correspondents to Periscope “A Day in the Life at Churchill Downs”

New Social Offerings for NBC Sports Group’s “Peacock Paddock” Include a Vine 360 Booth & 55-inch Touch Screen

141st “Run for the Roses” Saturday, May 2 at 4 p.m. ET on NBC

STAMFORD, Conn. – April 27, 2015 – To build on NBC and NBCSN’s coverage of the Kentucky Derby, NBC Sports Group will present around-the-clock coverage of Derby week across all social media platforms, featuring  NBC Sports Group’s fashion and lifestyle experts and social media mavens Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski. Having previously served as correspondents for events ranging from the Academy Awards to Super Bowl XLIX, Weir and Lipinski brought their fashion sense to the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner this past weekend.

NBC Sports Group presents 15.5 live hours of Kentucky Derby coverage, a record for the event, beginning this Wednesday, April 29, at 4 p.m. ET on NBCSN, and culminating with the 141st running of the Kentucky Derby on NBC, this Saturday, May 2 at 4 PM ET. Coverage begins on Saturday at Noon ET on NBCSN before moving to NBC at 4 p.m. ET.

JOHNNY & TARA, 5 DAYS OF SOCIAL TAKEOVERS: Every day of Derby week, beginning today, Weir and Lipinski will take over one of NBC Sports’ social media accounts. From Facebook chats and Twitter Q&A’s to an Instagram “A Day in the Life” from Churchill Downs, fans will be able to get closer to Johnny and Tara’s Derby week.

  • Monday: Johnny and Tara’s Derby Trends Pinterest Board launched today. Click here for a link to their fashion and entertainment picks.
  • Tuesday: Fans can join Johnny and Tara as they capture their experience packing for Derby week on NBC Sports’ Vine account.
  • Wednesday: Johnny and Tara will take over the @NBCSN Twitter handle to answer questions about Derby fashion and the scene at Churchill Downs.
  • Thursday: Johnny and Tara will Periscope “A Day in the Life at Churchill Downs” from the @NBCSN twitter handle, giving fans a live stream of what’s happening behind-the-scenes as they prep for Thursday’s Kentucky Derby Access show at 4 p.m. ET on NBCSN.
  • Friday: Johnny and Tara will take over the NBC Sports Instagram, posting photos from the Pink Carpet at the Kentucky Oaks

WEIR & LIPINSKI ON KENTUCKY DERBY CONFERENCE CALL

Weir and Lipinski, joined by Rob Hyland, coordinating producer of NBC’s horse racing coverage, will preview their roles as fashion and lifestyle experts at the 141st Kentucky Derby on a conference call tomorrow, Tuesday, April 28, at 2 p.m. ET.

Dial 719-325-2495 to participate; conference ID 8799355

PEACOCK PADDOCK:  As the first stop of the Kentucky Oaks Pink Carpet and Kentucky Derby Red Carpet, the Peacock Paddock will capture the atmosphere at Churchill Downs to share with fans across the country. For the first time, the Peacock Paddock will house a Vine 360 Booth, where celebrities can show off 360-degree views of their hats and outfits in a continuous loop. Video from the Vine 360 Booth will be featured in celebrity segments on NBC and NBCSN.

New features in the Peacock Paddock also include a 55-inch touch screen monitor to showcase various social media trends, Kentucky Derby parties across the country, and fashion on-site and online. As each celebrity begins the journey down the Pink and Red Carpets, they will be asked to enter the Peacock Paddock photo booth, featuring a wall of fresh red roses, and make their Derby picks. Celebrity picks will be shared on NBCSN and NBC’s telecasts, as well as on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

SOCIAL ON-AIR INTEGRATION: NBC and NBCSN’s Kentucky Derby coverage includes more social integration than any other annual sporting event on NBC Sports. Segments and integration from the Peacock Paddock will feature Kentucky Derby parties from around the country on the 55-inch touchscreen, fashion segments using Vines from the Vine 360 Booth, Celebrity picks from the Peacock Paddock photo booth and social media updates showcasing the social buzz around the country. Coverage will also feature a Facebook poll with a real-time look at who the fans at home think will win the 141st Kentucky Derby.

PINTEREST DERBY PARTY PLANNING: NBC Sports has teamed up with lifestyle influencers and Churchill Downs to deliver to fans on Pinterest everything they need to help plan their Kentucky Derby parties. Each influencer has created their own boards where they will curate pins on Derby trends, red carpet style and race-day attire, food, beverages, entertaining tips, decorations, and more.

  • Derby Trends: Johnny and Tara have fans covered with the colors, style and trends fans can anticipate seeing this year at the Derby. Follow their board here.
  • Derby Attire: Vineyard Vines, the ‘Official Style’ of the Kentucky Derby, makes it easy for fans to know what to wear at Churchill Downs or to their local Derby party. Check out their favorite looks here.
  • Derby Red Carpet Looks: E!’s Alicia Quarles will be on the scene at Churchill Downs from the Red Carpet and has provided fans a look at her favorite Red Carpet Derby looks here.
  • Derby Food: Levy Restaurants, the official food and beverage partner of Churchill Downs, provides the best Kentucky fare on their board located here.

KENTUCKY DERBY ALL-ACCESS: Horseracing aficionados and fans of the elegance and glitz of the Derby can access content from Derby week at a “social center” housed on NBCSports.com. Fans can access and sort social media content from Instagram, Twitter and Vine through various streams including horse racing experts, horses (including social accounts from the horses themselves, jockeys and trainers), glamour (celebrities and fashion experts), a photos-only section, and Vine videos.

New to Kentucky Derby All-Access this year is the “Horse Namer,” where fans can type in their names and are instantly provided with their Kentucky Derby horse name along with a horse avatar that is shareable on Facebook and Twitter. NBCSports.com/Derby will also house downloadable Derby party printables and a Pinterest widget to drive pinners to boards that will help them plan the perfect Derby party.

Facebook: Every day during Derby week at Facebook.com/NBCSports, fans will be presented with Derby information, photos and video from Churchill Downs.

Twitter: Viewers and tweeters alike will be encouraged to join the conversation by using the hashtag #KYDERBY. Reminders will appear on screen throughout NBC and NBCSN’s Derby week coverage.

  • Fans throwing their own Derby parties will be asked to submit photos with #DerbyParty. The best photos will be highlighted on-air.
  • @NBCSN will live tweet the Kentucky Derby Draw Show on Wednesday.

Instagram: For behind-the-scenes access to Derby Week, fans can follow @NBCSports on Instagram at Instagram.com/NBCSports for the parties, food, fashion, and of course, the races.

Vine: NBC Sports will utilize Vine to give fans quick video look-ins at everything that makes up the Kentucky Derby. From morning workouts with the horses, to Millionaire’s Row, NBC Sports’ Vines will give fans the full Derby experience for those that can’t make it to the track for Derby week.

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NBC PROVIDES WALL-TO-WALL SPORTS COVERAGE ON DERBY DAY

On Derby Day, NBC’s wall-to-wall sports coverage begins at 12:30 p.m. ET with a second-round NHL Stanley Cup Playoff game. NBC’s Kentucky Derby coverage begins at 4 p.m. ET, and leads right into primetime coverage of the PGA TOUR’s World Golf Championships-Cadillac Match Play from TPC Harding Park in San Francisco, Calif. at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Players Championship from TPC Sawgrass airs on Golf Channel and NBC from May 7-10, including Golf Channel’s Golf Central Live From The Players starting on Monday, May 4.

NBC Sports Group’s coverage of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 2, begins at Noon ET on NBCSN, with coverage of the Kentucky Oaks on Friday, May 1, at 12:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. NBC Sports Group’s live Kentucky Derby coverage begins Wednesday, April 29, with the Kentucky Derby Draw at 5:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Also on Derby Day, NBCSN presents a second-round NHL Stanley Cup Playoff game in primetime, with coverage beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET.

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NBC SPORTS GROUP AND HORSE RACING: NBC Sports Group is the exclusive home to the most important and prestigious events in horse racing, including the Triple Crown and the Breeders’ Cup. NBC has been the exclusive home of the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes since 2001, and the Belmont Stakes since 2011, when NBC Sports Group reassembled the Triple Crown.

The 2014 Kentucky Derby marked the fourth time in six years (2009, 2010, 2013, 2014) that NBC’s Kentucky Derby coverage averaged more than 15 million viewers. Women comprised 51% of that viewership, ranking the Kentucky Derby alongside the Belmont Stakes (featuring a Triple Crown contender) and Sochi Winter Olympics as the major 2014 sporting events with females accounting more than half of the audience.

The 2014 Belmont Stakes on NBC, featuring California Chrome’s Triple Crown attempt, averaged 20.4 million viewers – the second-highest Belmont Stakes viewership on record, trailing only the 21.9 million viewers for NBC’s telecast of Smarty Jones’ Triple Crown attempt in 2004 (People Meter viewership dates to 1988). In addition, the 2014 Preakness Stakes registered a 6.0 household rating, ranking as the highest-rated Preakness Stakes since 2009.

AWARDS FOR NBC’S HORSE RACING COVERAGE: Since its involvement in the Triple Crown, NBC Sports has been honored with 15 Eclipse Awards for its thoroughbred racing coverage including the award for Television – Live Program for the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Classic and the 2013 Kentucky Derby. NBC’s previous wins in that category include: Preakness (2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008), Kentucky Derby (2007, 2012), Belmont (2004) and Breeder’s Cup (2001).  Additionally, NBC Sports has won four Eclipse Awards in the features category: “California Chrome: The Unlikely Champion,” which aired on NBCSN in June 2014, a 2002 feature on War Emblem (Preakness broadcast), a 2005 feature on Afleet Alex (Kentucky Derby broadcast) and a 2009 feature on Mine That Bird (Preakness broadcast). In addition, the 2014 Belmont Stakes broadcast was nominated for the Sports Emmy Award Outstanding Live Sports Special this year.

–NBC SPORTS GROUP–