ESPNU to LAUNCH FRIDAY, MARCH 4 College Sports Network to Feature Collection of Quality Event & Studio Programming
NEWS RELEASE ESPN, INC. CaMMUNlCRTIDNS DEPRRTMENT ESPN PLFJZn, BRISTOL. CT OEDW-74S4 7EE-zaaa THE WORLDWIDE LEADER IN SPORTS Editor's Note: For an ESPNU logo and photos, go to http://media.espn.com/MediaZone/ESPNU photos.htm For Immediate Release March 3, 2005 ESPNU TO LAUNCH FRIDAY, MARCH 4 College Sports Network To Feature Collection of Quality Event & Studio Programming ESPNU, a new college sports network, will launch on "03-04-05" -- Friday, March 4 - with a two-hour live special edition ESPNU College GameDay from Stillwater, Okla. at 7 p.m. ET. The debut show, staged from the campus site of the next day's Texas at Oklahoma State men's college basketball game, will be simulcast on ESPN2. Event programming will be the cornerstone of ESPNU, highlighted by approximately 300 live events (regular-season and championships) in the network's first year. Action will include a variety of top Division I football and men's and women's basketball mixed with baseball, softball, volleyball, lacrosse, hockey, wrestling and more. ESPNU will also offer comprehensive studio programming, replays of ABC Sports, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Regional Television games, plus specials and more. ESPNU has secured distribution agreements with DIRECTV, Adelphia, several smaller affiliates and is close to distribution agreements with others. The 24-hour television network is the key component of the multi-media ESPNU initiative that will deliver college sports content across ESPN's family of services, such as ESPN.com, ESPN The Magazine, ESPN Mobile (wireless), ESPN Radio, ESPN Interactive, ESPN360 (broadband), merchandising and more Original Dream Job winner Mike Hall will serve as ESPNU's signature anchor, hosting the majority of the network's studio programming from Charlotte, N.C., headquarters of ESPN Regional Television (ERT) which will handle the primary production responsibilities for ESPNU.
[Show full text]