ESPN and ESPN2 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup Television Commentators
Lead U.S. and MLS Booth Team Joins UEFA Champions League Commentators
Rece Davis Returns as Studio Host with Alexi Lalas as Analyst
A trio of talented commentator teams will call all 16 matches of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup from South Africa June 14-28 on ESPN and ESPN2. The quadrennial tournament will be presented in high definition when the champions of each of the six FIFA confederations – CONCACAF (USA), UEFA (Spain), CAF (Egypt), CONMEBOL (Brazil), AFC (Iraq) and OFC (New Zealand) – and the upcoming host country (South Africa) and past winner of the FIFA World Cup (Italy) compete against one another one-year leading up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. All the match and studio commentaries will be from ESPN’s Bristol, Conn., headquarters.
The commentator teams:
- ESPN’s lead U.S. Soccer National Team and Major League Soccer booth team of JP Dellacamera (play-by-play) and analyst John Harkes;
- UEFA Champions League lead booth team Derek Rae (play-by-play) and analyst Tommy Smyth; and
- Adrian Healey, the play-by-play voice of the UEFA European Football Championship 2008 (Euro 2008) title match, and former English Premier League player Robbie Mustoe.
- In the studio, Rece Davis, who has worked the 2006 FIFA World Cup and Euro 2008, returns as host, joined by studio analyst Alexi Lalas.
ESPN Axis Returns for the Confederations Cup
ESPN Axis, the virtual replay technology developed by the Swiss company LiberoVision and ESPN’s production team, and used for the first time during studio coverage of the UEFA European Football Championship (Euro 2008), will be integrated into studio coverage of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup. The technology creates “virtual” replays, with video from the live action processed via computers to create virtual freeze frames from multiple angles. Angles of view may be tilted upwards by 90 degrees — from field level to directly overhead — creating three-dimensional, bird’s-eye views from multiple vantage points to diagram plays.
Bios:
- Davis – one of ESPN’s leading studio hosts…earned critical acclaim for his work as studio host during the 2006 FIFA World Cup and Euro 2008;
- Dellacamera – has worked six straight FIFA World Cups as a play-by-play commentator…serves as the lead voice for U.S. National Teams (men’s and women’s) and MLS telecasts on ESPN and ABC;
- Harkes – former U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team captain who made his ESPN debut during 2006 FIFA World Cup, is the lead game analyst for U.S. Men’s National Team and MLS matches on ESPN and ABC;
- Healey – served as play-by-play of the Euro 2008 title match between Spain and Germany…also calls UEFA Champions League matches for ESPN International;
- Lalas – former U.S. Men’s National Team defender is ESPN studio analyst for soccer…joined the network after successful career as a professional and team manager in the MLS;
- Mustoe – former player for English Premier League’s (EPL) Middlesborough FC and the current Boston College men’s soccer assistant coach… made his big event soccer debut as a member of ESPN’s commentator team for Euro 2008…an analyst for ESPN International’s game and studio coverage of the UEFA Champions League;
- Rae – has called ESPN’s English-language UEFA Champions League Final for the past eight years…lead play-by-play commentator for ESPN International;
- Smyth – one of U.S. television’s most insightful international soccer analysts…serves as game and studio analyst for ESPN’s U.S. and international coverage of the UEFA Champions League.
Please click here to access ESPN’s 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup commentators’ bios.
2009 FIFA Confederations Cup Commentators Schedule – ESPN, and ESPN 2
u All times EASTERN u Schedule is subject to change
| Date | Time (ET) | Networks | Match | Group | Site | Match |
| Su 6/14 | 9:55 a.m. | E2/360/Mo. TV | South Africa vs. Iraq
Derek Rae and Tommy Smyth
|
A | Johannesburg | 1 |
| 2:25 p.m. | E2/360 | New Zealand vs. Spain
JP Delacamera and John Harkes
|
A | Rustenburg | 2 | |
| Mo 6/15 | 9:55 a.m. | E2/360/Mo. TV | Brazil vs. Egypt
Adrian Healey and Robbie Mustoe
|
B | Bloemfontein | 3 |
| 2:25 p.m. | E1/360/Mo. TV | USA vs. Italy
Dellacamera and Harkes
|
B | Pretoria | 4 | |
| We 6/17 | 9:55 a.m. | E2/360/Mo. TV | Spain vs. Iraq
Dellacamera and Harkes
|
A | Bloemfontein | 5 |
| 2:25 p.m. | E2/360/Mo. TV | New Zealand vs. South Africa
Rae and Smyth
|
A | Rustenburg | 6 | |
| Th 6/18 | 9:55 a.m. | E2/360 ++ | USA vs. Brazil
Dellacamera and Harkes
|
B | Pretoria | 7 |
| 2:25 p.m. | E2/360/Mo. TV | Egypt vs. Italy
Rae and Smyth
|
B | Johannesburg | 8 | |
| Sa 6/20 | 2:25 p.m. | E2/360/Mo. TV | Spain vs. South Africa
Dellacamera and Harkes
|
A | Bloemfontein | 9 |
| Su 6/21 | 1:00 a.m. | E2/360* | Iraq vs. New Zealand
Rae and Smyth
|
A | Johannesburg | 10 |
| Su 6/21 | 2:25 p.m. | E2/360/Mo. TV | Egypt vs. USA
Dellacamera and Harkes
|
B | Rustenburg | 11 |
| 2:25 p.m. | E1/360/Mo. TV++ | Italy vs. Brazil
Healey and Mustoe
|
B | Pretoria | 12 | |
| We 6/24 | 2:25 p.m. | E1/360/Mo. TV | 1st A vs. 2nd B
Rae and Smyth
|
Bloemfontein | 13 | |
| Th 6/25 | 2:25 p.m. | E1/360/Mo. TV | 1st B vs. 2nd A
Dellacamera and Harkes
|
Johannesburg | 14 | |
| Su 6/28 | 8:55 a.m. | E2/360/Mo. TV | 3rd Place Match
Healey and Mustoe
|
Rustenburg | 15 | |
| 2:25 p.m. | E2/360/Mo. TV++ | Final – Title Match
Dellacamera and Harkes
|
Johannesburg | 16 |
* – Game will air live on ESPN360 on Saturday, June 20, at 2:25 p.m.
++ – The telecast will be preceded by a 30-minute pre-match program.
E1 – ESPN; E2 – ESPN2; 360 – ESPN360.com; Mo-TV – ESPN Mobile TV
ESPN and FIFA Events
ESPN and ABC are the U.S. English-language television homes of the men’s and women’s FIFA World Cup events through 2014, having acquired the rights in 2005, as well as the rights to the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2009 and 2013. ESPN will provide unprecedented multimedia coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa (June 11-July 11, 2009).
— 30 —
I hope I can watch the FIFA game between USA and Brasil. Can someone tell me what time it will be on ESPN2 in the local time zone fore Fresno, CA?
John – the game will be on at about 11:25 AM Pacific Time on ESPN2