NBA
- ABC Sunday Showcase: LeBron, Wade, Amare, Melo, Kobe, Dirk
- Chauncey Billups to Serve as Guest Analyst on Kia NBA Countdown
MLB, MOTORSPORTS, SPRING FOOTBALL & MORE…
- Sunday Night Baseball: Pujols/Angels at Cano/Yankees
- NASCAR Nationwide Series in Texas
- NHRA Four-Wide Nationals Action on ESPN2, ESPN3
- American Le Mans Series in Action at Long Beach
- Spring College Football: ACC, SEC, Big 12 and Pac-12 Games on ESPN3
- ESPNU Warrior Classic Highlights Weekend Men’s Lacrosse Schedule
- espnW’s The Word on Original 9, Leaving College Early for WNBA and More
- Junior Welterweights Katsidis & Mensah on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights; Studio Interview with Middleweight Champion Sergio Martinez
- ESPN, ESPN3 Present PBA Tournament of Champions
_________________________________________________________________
ABC Sunday Showcase: LeBron, Wade, Amare, Melo, Kobe, Dirk
contact: ben.cafardo@espn.com
ABC will broadcast a star-studded NBA doubleheader on Sunday, April 15, beginning with the Miami Heat and their superstar trio of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh visiting the New York Knicks – led by Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire – at 1 p.m. Mike Breen and analyst Jeff Van Gundy will provide commentary with Lisa Salters reporting. In the second game, the Los Angeles Lakers and Kobe Bryant will host the Dallas Mavericks and Dirk Nowitzki at 3:30 p.m. Mike Tirico will call the game with analyst Hubie Brown and reporter Heather Cox. ESPN Radio will also broadcast Lakers/Mavericks at 2:30 p.m. Kia NBA Countdown will precede the doubleheader on ABC at 12:30 p.m. with Magic Johnson, Jon Barry, Michael Wilbon and Chris Broussard previewing the doubleheader. In addition, ESPN will televise a full slate of games through the weekend.
Chauncey Billups to Serve as Guest Analyst on Kia NBA Countdown
contact: ben.cafardo@espn.com
Los Angeles Clippers guard Chauncey Billups is scheduled to serve as a guest analyst on ESPN’s Kia NBA Countdown pregame show Wednesday, April 11, at 7:30 p.m. Billups – sidelined with a torn Achilles tendon in February – will join analysts Jon Barry, Michael Wilbon and Chris Broussard to preview top storylines in the NBA.
Sunday Night Baseball: Pujols/Angels at Cano/Yankees
contact: ben.cafardo@espn.com
Two American League heavyweights will collide when Robinson Cano and the New York Yankees host Albert Pujols and the Los Angeles Angels, April 15, at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball. ESPN’s new Sunday Night team – Dan Shulman, Orel Hershiser, Terry Francona and reporter Buster Olney — will provide commentary. The game will also be available on ESPN Radio (Jon Sciambi and Chris Singleton), ESPN Deportes, ESPN3, ESPN Mobile TV and via the Watch ESPN app.
ESPN’s MLB coverage will again emanate from New York on April 16, when the Yankees host the Minnesota Twins on Monday Night Baseball. Sean McDonough will call the game with analysts Aaron Boone and Rick Sutcliffe and reporter Tim Kurkjian. The telecast will co-exist with local coverage in the Minneapolis market.
NASCAR Nationwide Series in Texas
contact: andy.hall@espn.com
After a two-week schedule break, the NASCAR Nationwide Series returns to action Friday, April 13, at the 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway. ESPN2 will have a live telecast of the 300-mile race with NASCAR Countdown at 8 p.m. and the green flag at 8:46 p.m. Also, ESPN2 will air NASCAR Nationwide Series qualifying earlier in the day at 5 p.m. Allen Bestwick will call the race with analysts Dale Jarrett and Andy Petree.
NHRA Four-Wide Nationals Action on ESPN2, ESPN3
contact: andy.hall@espn.com
The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series will stage one of its most unique events this weekend with the Four-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway near Charlotte, N.C., and fans can watch on ESPN2 and ESPN3. The competition includes the NHRA’s pro classes competing four-abreast, a departure from the normal two-abreast racing at all other events. ESPN3 will air live qualifying Friday, April 13, at 4 p.m. and the full day of eliminations Sunday, April 15, at noon. On TV, ESPN2 will air qualifying Saturday, April 14, at 5 p.m. and eliminations Sunday at 7 p.m.
American Le Mans Series in Action at Long Beach
contact: andy.hall@espn.com
The American Le Mans Series will compete as part of the Grand Prix of Long Beach on Saturday, April 14, on both ESPN2 and ESPN3. The ESPN2 telecast will start at 7:30 p.m. while ESPN3 will begin coverage at 7:15 p.m. ESPN3 also will air qualifying Friday, April 13, at 8 p.m.
Spring College Football: ACC, SEC, Big 12 and Pac-12 Games on ESPN3
contact: kristen.m.hudak@espn.com and michael.c.humes@espn.com
Beginning Saturday, April 14, ESPN3 will carry 18 spring college football games from the ACC, SEC, Big 12 and Pac-12. Of the teams scheduled to appear — Alabama, Georgia, Oregon, West Virginia, Florida State, South Carolina, Arkansas, Virginia Tech and Clemson — all rank in the ESPN.com early rankings. The first 10 games will begin April 14, with remaining contests scheduled for April 21 and April 28. Six of the games will air exclusively on ESPN3 while the remaining 12 games are subject to local blackouts. The Florida State contest will also be simulcast on ESPNU.
| Date | Time (ET) | Program | Network |
| Sat, Apr 14 | 1 p.m. | South Carolina Spring Football | ESPN3* |
| 2 p.m. | Miami (Fla.) Spring Football | ESPN3 | |
| 2:15 p.m. | Virginia Spring Football | ESPN3 | |
| 3 p.m. | Alabama Spring Football | ESPN3 | |
| Auburn Spring Football | ESPN3 | ||
| Georgia Spring Football | ESPN3 | ||
| North Carolina Spring Football | ESPN3* | ||
| 4 p.m. | Florida State Spring Football | ESPN3* | |
| Clemson Spring Football | ESPN3 | ||
| 7 p.m. | Vanderbilt Spring Football | ESPN3 | |
| Sat, Apr 21 | 2 p.m. | Tennessee Spring Football | ESPN3 |
| Ole Miss Spring Football | ESPN3 | ||
| 3 p.m. | Arkansas Spring Football | ESPN3 | |
| 3:30 p.m. | NC State Spring Football | ESPN3* | |
| 4 p.m. | Virginia Tech Spring Football | ESPN3* | |
| 6 p.m. | West Virginia Spring Football | ESPN3 | |
| 6 p.m. | Mississippi State Spring Football | ESPN3 | |
| Sat, Apr 28 | 2 p.m. | Oregon Spring Football | ESPN3* |
*Exclusive to ESPN3
ESPNU Warrior Classic Highlights Weekend Men’s Lacrosse Schedule
contact: rachel.l.margolis@espn.com
The ESPNU Warrior Classic has a new home at American Legion Memorial Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., and the annual tournament will showcase top caliber teams. ESPNU’s Anish Shroff, Paul Carcaterra and Ryan Flanagan will have the call of the doubleheader Saturday, April 13: Rutgers vs. No. 14 Syracuse at 11 a.m. followed by Hofstra vs. No. 9 North Carolina at 1:30 p.m. Also in action later that day on ESPNU, No. 10 Maryland will visit No. 3 John Hopkins at 6 p.m. An ACC matchup between No. 7 Duke at top-ranked Virginia will air Friday, April 13, at 6 p.m. on ESPNU.
| Date | Time (ET) | Game/Commentators | Network |
| Fri, Apr 13 | 6 p.m. | No. 7 Duke at No. 1 Virginia Eamon McAnaney & Quint Kessenich |
ESPNU |
| Sat, Apr 14 | 11 a.m. | ESPNU Warrior Classic (Charlotte, N.C.): Rutgers vs. No. 14 Syracuse Anish Shroff, Paul Carcaterra & Ryan Flanagan |
ESPNU |
| 1:30 p.m. | ESPNU Warrior Classic (Charlotte, N.C.): Hofstra vs. No. 9 North Carolina Anish Shroff, Paul Carcaterra & Ryan Flanagan |
ESPNU | |
| 6 p.m. | No. 10 Maryland at No. 3 Johns Hopkins Eamon McAnaney & Quint Kessenich |
ESPNU |
espnW’s The Word on Original 9, Leaving College Early for WNBA and More
contact: diane.lamb@espn.com
Upcoming topics on the espnW.com series “The Word” include leaving college early to play in the WNBA, with a focus on Brittney Griner (Baylor), Elena Della Donne (Delaware) and Skylar Diggins (Notre Dame), the Original 9 and what they meant to women’s tennis and what has happened at Arkansas since Bobby Petrino’s motorcycle accident. Julie Foudy, Cassidy Hubbard and Jane McManus will discuss these subjects and more.
Junior Welterweights Katsidis & Mensah on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights; Studio Interview with Middleweight Champion Sergio Martinez
contact: stephen.mcdonald@espn.com; gabriela.nunez@espn.com;
Former interim lightweight titlist Michael Katsidis “The Great” (28-5, 23 KOs) and Albert “Tornado” Mensah (19-3-1, 7 KOs) will meet in the 10-round junior welterweight main event on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra on April 13, at 11 p.m. on ESPN2 HD, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN3.
On ESPN2 HD and ESPN3, Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas will be ringside describing the action. On ESPN Deportes’ Viernes de Combates (Friday Night Fights), Alex Pombo and Delvin Rodriguez will call the fights with Leopoldo Gonzalez and Pablo Viruega in the studio.
ESPN Deportes will include a studio interview with The Ring middleweight champion Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez. Martinez will discuss his career and his hopes to face Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. this year to reclaim the championship belt. Read More
ESPN, ESPN3 Present PBA Tournament of Champions
contact: allison.r.stoneberg@espn.com
ESPN will televise the PBA Tournament of Champions — the finale of the 2011-12 Tour season — live Sunday, April 15, at 1 p.m. from Las Vegas, Nev. The four players who qualify for Sunday’s finals will compete in a three-match stepladder format to determine the champion. ESPN commentators Gary Thorne and Randy Pedersen will team together to provide play-by-play and analysis. ESPN3 will also carry the event live online at WatchESPN.com and on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app to fans who receive their Internet or video subscription from an affiliated provider.
-30-
