November 4, 2009
ESPN PR
860-766-2000

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

WORLD SERIES OF POKER, NASCAR, SOCCER & MORE…

 


Monday Night Football: Ben Roethlisberger and Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos – Part of ESPN’s Weeklong Salute to Veterans Day

contact: bill.hofheimer@espn.com  

This week’s Monday Night Football matchup will showcase top AFC teams when Ben Roethlisberger leads the defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2) to Denver to face wide receiver Brandon Marshall and the Broncos (6-1) at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN HD. Mike Tirico (play-by-play) and analysts Jon Gruden and Ron Jaworski will call the game with reporters Suzy Kolber and Michele Tafoya. Álvaro Martin (play-by-play) and Raúl Allegre (analyst) will call the Spanish-language telecast on ESPN Deportes with reporter John Sutcliffe.

 

The Monday Night Countdown pregame at 7 p.m. and MNF game will be part of ESPN’s weeklong salute (Nov. 4-11) to Veterans Day. ESPN’s America’s Heroes: A Salute to Our Veterans will include live shots from Iraq during the MNF game, as well as former Steeler Rocky Bleier, a four-time Super Bowl champion, on Countdown, discussing being injured in the Vietnam War and his return to the NFL. This weekend’s Sunday NFL Countdown (11 a.m.-1 p.m.) will also include the first television interview with Marie Tillman, widow of former NFL player Pat Tillman who was killed in Afghanistan. Mrs. Tillman will also make a live appearance on Monday Night Countdown from INVESCO Field in Denver.

 

ESPN’s “game around the game” coverage will include NFL Live at 3:30 p.m. and continue throughout the day with SportsCenter Monday Kickoff at 6 p.m. and Monday Night Countdown at 7 p.m., hosted by Chris Berman with analysts Cris Carter, Mike Ditka, Tom Jackson, Keyshawn Johnson, senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen, and NFL Insider Adam Schefter. Stuart Scott, Matt Millen and Steve Young will be on site at INVESCO Field at Mile High.


ESPN’s Saints-Falcons MNF game wins the night in all key male demos

contact: bill.hofheimer@espn.com 

This week’s ESPN’s MNF telecast of the Saints-Falcons game (Nov. 2) delivered the biggest audience of the night (broadcast or cable) in all key male demos. The undefeated Saints’ 35-27 home victory over their NFC south rival earned a 8.9 rating, representing an average of 8,800,000 households (12,374,000 viewers – P2+). Through eight weeks (nine games), ESPN’s MNF is averaging a 10.5 rating and 10,381,000 households (14,422,000 P2+), up 16%, 18% and 18%, respectively, from last season. To view the entire release, click here.


ESPN Presents Same-Day Coverage Tuesday to Crown World Series of Poker Champion

contact: george.mcneilly@espn.com 

ESPN’s multiplatform coverage of the World Series of Poker presented by Jack Link’s Beef Jerky will culminate with same-day coverage Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 9 p.m. Lon McEachern and Norman Chad will call the action, with an $8.5 million first-place prize awarded to the winner.

While Maryland logger Darvin Moon has the chip lead, much of the poker world’s focus has been on Phil Ivey. Even though he has a much shorter stack, the seven-time WSOP bracelet winner is considered by many to be the best player on the planet.


Evernham, Craven, Said on NASCAR Now Roundtable

contact: andy.hall@espn.com

With the NASCAR season nearing its conclusion, analysts Ray Evernham, Ricky Craven and Boris Said will be panelists on NASCAR Now’s weekly roundtable discussion program on Monday, Nov. 9, at 6 p.m. on ESPN2, joining host Allen Bestwick. Host Mike Massaro is joined by Said for the one-hour weekend edition that airs Sunday, Nov. 8, at 10 a.m. with a preview of that day’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway. The weekend wrap-up edition airs at 10 p.m. Sunday. Nicole Manske and Marty Smith will report from the speedway for both programs.


2009 MLS Cup Playoffs Highlights Up-to 23 Matches on ESPN Platforms Through Monday

contacts: kristie.chong@espn.com or mac.nwulu@espn.com

ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and ESPN360.com’s combined coverage of the 2009 MLS Cup Playoffs continues with key Eastern and Western Conference Semifinals Game 2 matchups featuring the 2008 MLS Cup champions Columbus Crew hosting Real Salt Lake on Thursday at 8 p.m., and the second leg of the playoffs’ “Super Classico” – Chivas USA at Los Angeles Galaxy with David Beckham and Landon Donovan – Sunday at 3 p.m.

 

Play-by-play commentator JP Dellacamera, analyst John Harkes and sideline reporter Allen Hopkins will call the matches. Rob Stone, Alexi Lalas and Julie Foudy will host pregame, halftime and postgame shows. Other highlights:

  • 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup Round of 16 and quarterfinal matches exclusively on ESPN360.com
  • Barclays Premier League action Saturday and Monday on ESPN2
  • Spain’s La Liga, Dutch Eredivisie (Premier League), Italian Serie A, Portugal’s Liga Sagres and Mexico’s Primera División.

 

Schedule

Date

Time (ET)

Match

League

Networks

Thu, Nov 5

9:48 a.m.

Korea vs. Mexico

FIFA U-17 World Cup

ESPN360.com

 

 

Burkina Faso vs. Spain

FIFA U-17 World Cup

ESPN360.com

 

12:48 p.m.

Uruguay vs. Iran

FIFA U-17 World Cup

ESPN360.com

 

 

New Zealand vs. Nigeria

FIFA U-17 World Cup

ESPN360.com

 

8 p.m.

Real Salt Lake vs. Columbus Crew

MLS Cup Playoffs

ESPN2

ESPN Deportes

ESPN360.com

Sat, Nov 7

9:55 a.m.

Tottenham Hotspur vs. Sunderland

Premier League

ESPN2

 

11:55 a.m.

Napoli vs. Catania

Italian Serie A

ESPN360.com

 

Noon

Deportivo La Coruña vs. Getafe

Spain’s La Liga

ESPN Deportes

ESPN360.com

 

2:45 p.m.

Juventus vs. Atalanta

Italian Serie A

ESPN360.com

 

4 p.m.

Real Madrid vs. Atlético Madrid

Spain’s La Liga

ESPN Deportes

ESPN360.com

 

7:30 p.m.

Indios vs. Puebla

Primera División

ESPN Deportes

Sun, Nov 8

8:25 a.m.

AZ vs. Feynoord

Dutch Eredivisie

ESPN Deportes

 

8:30 a.m.

PSV vs. Ado Den Haag

Dutch Eredivisie

ESPN360.com

 

8:55 a.m.

Siena vs. Genoa

Italian Serie A

ESPN360.com

 

9:48 a.m.

Quarterfinal TBD

FIFA U-17 World Cup

ESPN360.com

 

 

Quarterfinal TBD

FIFA U-17 World Cup

ESPN360.com

 

10:30 a.m.

Ajax vs. Twente Enschede

Dutch Eredivisie

ESPN360.com

 

1 p.m.

FC Porto vs. Maritimo

Liga Sagres

ESPN360.com

 

 

Zaragoza vs. Valencia

Spain’s La Liga

ESPN Deportes

ESPN360.com

 

7:30 p.m.

CD Chivas USA vs. LA Galaxy

MLS Cup Playoffs

ESPN2

ESPN Deportes

ESPN360.com

Mon, Nov 9

12:48 p.m.

Quarterfinal TBD

FIFA U-17 World Cup

ESPN360.com

 

 

Quarterfinal TBD

FIFA U-17 World Cup

ESPN360.com

 

2:55 p.m.

Liverpool vs. Birmingham City

Premier League

ESPN2


The PBA Cheetah Championship Sunday: Behind-the-Scenes Narration by Kenny Mayne

contact: kimberly.jessup@espn.com

The PBA Cheetah Championship from Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park, Mich. (Aug. 8-13), will be aired Sunday, Nov. 8, at 1 p.m. on ESPN. For the first time, the Championship will be presented in a documentary-style feature, with narration by ESPN’s Kenny Mayne, who will give fans behind-the-scenes look at an entire PBA Tour event, from the start of qualifying to the championship match, player interviews and other special features. Rob Stone will call play-by-play, joined by analyst Randy Pederson. Advancing to the final round are PBA Hall of Famer Norm Duke, Ryan Ciminelli, Derek Sapp and Stevie Weber. At stake is $45,000 in total prize money, including a $25,000 first-place prize. 


ESPNEWS Presents the Rawlings Gold Glove Award

contact: samantha.a.baron@espn.com

On Tuesday, Nov. 10, and Wednesday, Nov. 11, at 3 p.m., ESPNEWS will present the Rawlings Gold Glove Award. As in years past, one league will be featured each day, with the American League on Tuesday and the National League on Wednesday. Keith Law will provide analysis on the winners.


College Football Talk on ESPN’s Section 140 and Virtual Pressbox

contact: kristie.chong@espn.com

Sports fans filed in to ESPN.com’s Section 140 and Virtual Pressbox this past weekend and made their voices heard around the hot topics in college football via ESPN.com and the ESPN mobile Web site, including Oregon vs. USC. A sample of this weekend’s comments:

 

Virtual Pressbox

Conner: Maybe we should all let the season play itself out and not speculate who is dominating and who isn't. A win is a win. I think it is interesting to see lower conference teams play well. I mean, we see teams like Washington upset USC this year, UC and Boise State undefeated. I think it is really cool. Makes recruiting all the more important.

 

Section 140

Jcbbsufan: I doubt we'll see a rematch. Even if the BCS takes BOTH Boise and TCU, the Ducks likely destination is the Rose Bowl against an overmatched Big Ten team. This was a huge win for [USC]! Congrats! But let the 2 losses to the Broncos go, and focus on a decent Stanford team. After such a HUGE win, a letdown next week would make it all for naught!

Danteps: This season is setting up as a complete disaster for the BCS. Alabama or Florida will likely be undefeated. Cincinnati has a chance, as do TCU, Boise State and Texas. Playoff please.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- MW110409 -