ESPN To Commemorate MLK Day With Live Town Hall Event

ESPN will air a live town hall discussion about the current image of the black athlete as part of week-long, multiplatform initiative tied to the 25th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr. national holiday.

The weeklong initiative, dubbed "Content of Character", begins tomorrow (Jan. 11) and will run through the official national holiday on Jan. 17, said network officials.
The two-hour town hall meeting, hosted by Robin Roberts, anchor for ABC morning show Good Morning America, and Bob Ley, host of ESPN's Outside The Lines  will air Jan. 14 and focus on the topic of the current image of the black athlete.

The event, which will take place live from the New Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, will feature a panel consisting of ESPN commentator Michael Wilbon, Kentucky men's basketball coach John Calipari, world champion track & field athlete Marion Jones, former University of Miami football coach Randy Shannon and director Spike Lee, who will also serve as executive producer, according to the network.

"At ESPN we go beyond showing games and highlights and reporting the news - we delve into the larger issues of sports in society," said John Skipper, ESPN executive vice president, content in a statement. "Dr. King fought for equality for all, but spoke passionately of the plight of African Americans, and it's appropriate we celebrate his life by examining how his legacy lives on - or struggles to - in the realm of athletics."

Other elements of the initiative include:

-- ESPN's daily sports program Outside The Lines  will discuss the role of African American in sports, from coaches, executives, and athletes over a four-day period beginning Jan. 14.

--ESPN2 will take its daily series SportsNation on the road with a Jan. 12 visit to Dr. King's alma mater, Atlanta's Morehouse College, and a Jan. 13. visit to Southern University in Baton Rouge, La.

--SportsCenter will run special features and vignettes throughout the week, including a preview of the Town Hall meeting and a profile of trends for black coaches, executives, team owners and other influencers in sports today. Also, vignettes will appear throughout ESPN studio and event programming and on ESPN.com with testimonials from prominent sports figures and ESPN commentators about Dr. King's legacy.

-- ESPN Radio shows Mike and Mike in the Morning and The Herd with Colin Cowherd will feature special MLK-themed segments.

--ESPN the Magazine will have dedicated content as part of the annual NEXT issue that hit newsstands on Jan. 10

-- ESPN will hold a Sports Career Panel for students at Morehouse College Friday, Jan. 14.