Enhanced New Morning Lineup For ESPN & ESPN2 May 7

ESPN First Take In High Definition; New HD Studio for Mike and Mike; Rundown Feature Added on SportsCenter Plus SportsCenter Updates on ESPN & ESPN2; Networks To Showcase ESPNEWS Content and More

Beginning Monday, May 7, ESPN and ESPN2 will unveil several enhancements to the morning lineup, including a new title and location for one series, upgrades to HD and new studios for multiple programs, SportsCenter updates on ESPN and ESPN2 and a new feature on ESPN’s morning SportsCenters designed to give fans a sense of upcoming segments and topics. In addition, during the morning lineup, ESPN and ESPN2 will each regularly cross-promote current and upcoming content on the other network as well as what’s on ESPNEWS, the nation’s only 24-hour sports news network.

“With ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNEWS, fans have three distinct morning options to get the latest sports news, highlights and insight,” said Norby Williamson, ESPN executive vice president, studio and remote production. “We’re taking steps to improve the viewer experience across the board with more high-definition content, additional live updates and a greater showcase of all offerings.”

ESPN2’s schedule will include eight additional weekday hours of high-definition coverage as both of the network’s morning block programs will originate from HD studios. ESPN First Take, formerly Cold Pizza, will move from New York to Bristol, Conn. studios for high-definition programs Monday-Friday from 10 a.m.-noon ET (encore presentation from noon-2 p.m.) on ESPN2. ESPN First Take will follow ESPN2’s simulcast of ESPN Radio’s Mike and Mike in the Morning (6-10 a.m.), which will move from its current radio studio home to a high-definition television studio. As a result of ESPN2’s new high-definition programming, ESPN will add one hour of HD programming per day with its two 30-minute spin-off series -- Best of Mike and Mike (generally 2:30 p.m.) and 1st and 10 (3 p.m.).

Additionally, ESPN’s flagship brand, SportsCenter, will introduce two new elements as part of the morning lineup beginning May 7. SportsCenter-branded updates will be presented on ESPN2 during ESPN First Take and Mike and Mike in the Morning as well as during ESPN’s SportsCenter.  Also, ESPN’s SportsCenter morning editions (5 a.m. – noon) will include a constant “Rundown” graphic along the side of the screen informing viewers of what’s next on that program.

ESPN First Take and 1st and 10

As an ESPN2 cornerstone program, ESPN First Take will build upon the success of Cold Pizza with a new name and home.  The show, which will continue to feature co-hosts Jay Crawford and Dana Jacobson, will mix highlights, analysis, field reports, breaking news, opinion and long-form debate via the 1st and 10 segments. The 1st and 10 segments will utilize two commentators each day from a rotating group, highlighted by the returning Skip Bayless and ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, plus tennis commentator Patrick McEnroe and ESPN.com columnist Jemele Hill.

Also, the weekday spin-off debate series, 1st and 10 (ESPN, weekdays 3-3:30 p.m.) will also become high-definition programming, originating from Bristol beginning May 7. The same commentators, two per day, will rotate on a weekly basis for that show as well. The move to ESPN’s Bristol, Conn. headquarters will allow both ESPN First Take and 1st and 10 to take advantage of ESPN's state-of-the-art production facilities, its newsroom staff, reporters and analysts.

SportsCenter Updates During ESPN First Take and Mike and Mike in the Morning

Starting on May 7, ESPN’s morning editions of SportsCenter will introduce a new element. Throughout each program, the “Rundown” will provide fans a constant graphic along the side of the screen listing all the upcoming elements of the show.  This feature will run constantly along the right hand side of the screen.

Another SportsCenter enhancement beginning on May 7 will be the inclusion of SportsCenter updates three times per hour during ESPN2’s block of Mike and Mike in the Morning and First Take. The news/highlights segments will be anchored by host Sage Steele, who will also provide updates during the morning SportsCenter programs on ESPN (generally one per hour or as news warrants).

Audience Growth For Mornings On ESPN Networks

These enhancements will continue the momentum for morning programming on the ESPN networks.  Overall, the combined total audience for ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNEWS has increased 29% over the past four years (1st quarter 2003 to 1st quarter 2007), according to Nielsen Media Research. Specifically, since moving to its current time slots at the beginning of 2006 (10 a.m.-noon, noon-2 p.m.), Cold Pizza has witnessed a 130% increase in household audience, while Mike and Mike in the Morning (6-10 a.m.) garnered a 269% increase in viewership for 2006 compared to 2005 when the show was offered on ESPNEWS.   All told, the eight-hour ESPN2 block increased its audience by 45% in 2006 and is already up 24% in 2007.

Editor’s Note: To view a sampling of new logos and graphic elements, click here

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