ESPN To Originate 2010 FIFA World Cup Studio Fare From South Africa
Plan Marks First Time Sports Programmer Will Produce All Coverage From Host Nation
Mike Reynolds -- Multichannel News, 6/29/2009 11:00:53 PM
The day after the U.S. lost 3-2 to Brazil in the Confederations Cup Final in Johannesburg, South Africa, ESPN conveyed more of its coverage plans for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in that nation next June and July.
The worldwide leader in sports said it will present all of its 2010 FIFA World Cup TV studio programming on site from South Africa throughout the 32-nation tournament, scheduled from June 11- July 11. It will mark the first time in ESPN history that the entirety of its World Cup coverage will originate from the event's host nation.
Coverage of the quadrennial event will include SportsCenter segments, the nightly World Cup Live, and pre-, halftime and post-match shows, with additional studio programming and World Cup-branded segments, totaling more than 65 hours of coverage, from a pair of sets in and around Johannesburg
Chris Fowler, Bob Ley and Mike Tirico will serve as the on-site hosts World Cup studio hosts, with ESPN's "game around the game" approach to South Africa 2010 encompassing live and taped segments that will air on ESPN International's 13 localized versions of SportsCenter in eight different languages across the world.
"Presenting all live studio programming from site in South Africa during the World Cup will allow us to fully capture the event's key storylines and provide the right context for fans to experience the world's most popular sport on its biggest stage," said Mark Gross, senior vice president and managing editor, ESPN studio production, in a statement. "Much like our on-site coverage of the Super Bowl, NBA Finals and other marquee events, this month-long commitment reflects the popularity of the FIFA World Cup in the U.S. and globally, and the historic nature of this event in Africa for the first time ever."
As was the case from the 2006 World Cup in Germany, all 64 matches will be presented on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC live and in the high-definition format.
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