Mendoza, ESPN Reach Contract Extension Agreement

Courtesy: ESPN

Another member of ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball broadcast team will be back with the group this spring.

Jessica Mendoza reached a new multi-year contract extension with ESPN this week.  The announcement came only a day after fellow ESPN MLB broadcast team member and MLB vet Mark Teixeira was announced to return.

Mendoza said in a news release from the network that she is glad the two sides came to terms on the contract.

“I’m beyond excited to continue to contribute analysis to ESPN’s signature MLB platform — Sunday Night Baseball — alongside Alex Rodriguez, Matt Vasgersian and Buster Olney,” Mendoza said.  “I look forward to continue helping grow the sports of softball and Major League Baseball through our second-to-none coverage by utilizing cool technology, offering exciting insights and doing it all with passion.”

ESPN Senior Vice President of Production and Remote Events Mark Gross shared Mendoza’s thoughts.

“Jessica’s preparation, expertise and work ethic are among the many attributes that make us proud to have this trailblazer with us for years to come,” Gross said.  “She forms tremendous relationships in the sports with executives, managers and players, and those connections help us inform our telecasts and make them better.  Her passion for the sport is contagious.”

Mendoza made history in 2015 when she joined ESPN’s SNB broadcast team.  It made her the first woman to ever serve as a national analyst for Major League Baseball games.  She also became the first woman to serve as an analyst for an MLB post season game on Oct. 15 when the Yankees and Astros faced off in the American League Wildcard Game live from Yankee Stadium.

According to ESPN’s news release, Mendoza is considered “one of America’s greatest softball players.”  A graduate of Stanford University, she holds records in categories, such as batting average, hits, runs, home runs stolen bases and slugging percentage.

She helped lead the U.S. Softball team to gold in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.  She also won a silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Additionally, she will be inducted into the National Softball Hall of Fame next year as a member of the class of 2019.

Along with her continued duties on SNB, she will also make appearances on ESPN’s MLB studio program Baseball Tonight, and will make regular appearances on SportsCenter and Get Up! according to the network’s release.

More information on this and other news from ESPN is available online now at:

 

Website: http://www.espn.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ESPN

Twitter: http://twitter.com/espn

 

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Teixeira, ESPN Reach Agreement On Contract Extension

Courtesy: ESPN

Mark Teixeira is sticking with ESPN.

The MLB great, who is a three-time American League All-Star and member of the 2009 World Series Champion New York Yankees, has signed a new multi-year agreement with ESPN.  The network made the announcement in a news release sent Monday.

Teixeira’s new deal ensures that he will remain an analyst on ESPN’s Baseball Tonight: Sunday Night Countdown for the foreseeable future.  The program precedes ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball each week throughout Major League Baseball’s season.  The contract also ensures he will serve as analyst for other ESPN baseball programs, such as Opening Day, Winter Baseball Meetings and World Series.

Teixeira was humble as he talked about his new contract in a recent interview.

“I have the coolest job in baseball,” Teixeira said. “I’m fortunate to work with so many great colleagues and friends at ESPN, who are deeply committed to covering the sport we all love with passion and expertise.  I’m so happy to be part of this team.”

ESPN Vice President, Production Seth Markman shared  Teixeira’s positive thoughts.

“Mark is a consummate professional who elevates our show every time he appears,” Markman said.  “He’s smart, cadid and an excellent communicator, and his passion for the game is evident.  We’re proud to have Mark here at ESPN.”

Along with his work on ESPN’s MLB coverage, Teixeira will also contribute to SportsCenter and will make appearances on ESPN Radio’s programming, including ESPN Radio 98.7’s The Michael Kay Show.

Over the course of his Major League Baseball career, Teixeira — a switch-hitting First Baseman — hit 409 home runs, batted in 1,298 runs and won five Golden Gloves.  He retired at the end of Major League Baseball’s 2016 season and joined ESPN’s on-air roster at the start of the league’s 2017 season.

More information on ESPN’s Major League Baseball coverage is available online now along with all of the latest MLB headlines at:

 

Website: http://www.espn.com/mlb

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ESPN

Twitter: http://twitter.com/espn

 

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ESPN To Air Special ‘SportsCenter’ Broadcast Tonight To Coincide With NFL Season Schedule Announcement

Courtesy: ESPN

The National Football League will announce the schedule for its 2018-’19 season tonight, and in anticipation of the announcement, ESPN will air a special two-hour edition of SportsCenter tonight.

SportsCenter Special: 2018 NFL Schedule Release will air tonight starting at 8 p.m. ET.  the program will be simulcast live on the ESPN App.  Trey Wingo will anchor tonight’s broadcast, and will be joined by analyst Darren Woodson and ESPN NFL Insiders Louis Riddick and Adam Schefter for additional commentary.

Due to tonight’s special broadcast, SportsCenter Special: Mel & Todd’s Mock Draft has been moved from its original time slot tonight to 6:30 p.m. Friday on ESPN2.  Wendi Nix will anchor that broadcast.  Riddick and Schefter will both appear during the broadcast, too.

Just last week, ESPN announced its 2018-’19 NFL pre-season broadcast schedule, which begins the New York Jets on the road against the Washington Redskins August 16 at 8 p.m. on ESPN.  It will also broadcast the Ravens at the Colts August 20 at 8 p.m. on ESPN.  Both games will be simulcast in Spanish on ESPN Deportes.

ESPN’s 2018 MNF Preseason Schedule:

Date	Time (ET)	Game	Network(s)
Thu, Aug. 16	8 p.m.	New York Jets at Washington Redskins	ESPN, ESPN Deportes
Mon, Aug. 20	8 p.m.	Baltimore Ravens at Indianapolis Colts	ESPN, ESPN Deportes

More information on ESPN’s NFL coverage is available online now along with all of the latest NFL headlines at:

 

Website: http://www.espn.com/nfl

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NFLonESPN

Twitter: http://twitter.com/ESPNNFL

 

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ESPN’s Marty Smith Getting His Own Show

Courtesy: ESPN

ESPN personality Marty Smith is getting his own monthly show.

The veteran reporter’s new program SportsCenter Presents: Marty Smith’s America will launch Wednesday, Aug. 2 on ESPN2. The hourlong program will see Smith conducting interviews with notable sports newsmakers each week.

Smith said of the program that it stemmed from Smith’s desire to profile people and their stories more.

“Everyone has a story,” Smith said.  “This life is about relationships and sharing those stories.  My team and I thoroughly enjoy telling them, through the prism of building lasting relationships.  Work hard.  Be kind.  Have passion.  That’s us.  We have a unique style and energy.  We genuinely care about the people we cover – not just the stories they provide.”

ESPN Senior Vice President Rob King said the series will see Smith interviewing his subjects in out of the ordinary settings such as “pond swimming with Nick Saban and hooping it up with Alan Iverson, and examining their different viewpoints on practice, reporting from the back of a race car and challenging Cam Newton to a game of flag football.”

The series’ debut episode will see Smith spending a day with Newton at a charity kick ball game in Charlotte, N.C. in “Kicking It With Cam.”  It will also see Smith join soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo in China in “All Access with CR7 in China.”  “The Trojan Horse,” also included in the series’ debut episode, follows Smith as he spends a day with USC quarterback and pre-season No. 1 overall draft pick Sam Darnold on the USC campus in L.A.

NBA star LeBron James is also profiled in the series’ debut episode, but not in his own words. Smith sits down with James’ best friend and business manager Maverick Carter in “The King Maker,” also included in Marty Smith’s America.

As if all of the stories set for the series’ debut is not enough for audiences, former college football star and Major League Baseball hopeful Tim Teabow will serve as Smith’s co-host on the series’ premiere.

More information on Marty Smith’s America is available online along with all of ESPN’s latest news and more at:

 

 

 

Website: http://espn.go.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ESPN

Twitter: http://twitter.com/espn

 

 

 

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ESPN Adds Chip Kelly To Its College Football Broadcast Roster

Courtesy: ESPN

ESPN has added a new big name to its college football coverage roster.

Chip Kelly was named the latest addition this week to the network’s roster of college football analysts.  Kelly, who has more than 30 years experience in college and professional football, will serve as a studio analyst for many of the network’s college football broadcasts. According to a press release from ESPN, Kelly will also appear on Friday and Sunday editions of SportsCenter to offer insight on college and NFL matchups.

Lee Fitting, ESPN Senior Coordinating Producer, called Kelly’s outside the box approach as a coach one of his major strong points while discussing his addition to the network’s on-air football roster.

“Chip is one of the most innovative football minds of our generation,” Fitting said.  “As a coach, he saw the game from a unique perspective, never afraid to take an unconventional approach.  We want him to bring that mentality to our college football coverage each week, offering fans a varying viewpoint outside of the conventional thought process.”

Kelly said in response, he intended to use that unconventional approach when he begins his time with the network, adding he is anticipating starting the next chapter of his football career with ESPN.

“Over the last 30 years, I have experienced football from one perspective – as a coach,” Kelly said.  “Working in television will allow me to see the game from a different angle; simultaneously;  I’ll provide viewers an insight to the mindset of a coach and team while offering alternative views of various situations.  Once I decided to make the move to television, my familiarity with ESPN, combined with their high-quality productions and vital role in college football, it was easily the best network suited for me.”

From 2009 – 12, Kelly served as head coach of the University of Oregon’s football team, compiling a record of 46 – 7.  That record included wins in the Rose Bowl and Fiesta Bowl, and a trip to the College Football National Championship.  In 2009 and ’10, he led the Ducks to the Pac-10 title.  He also led the team to the Pac-12 title.

His time at the helm in Oregon is only one part a 24-year college football career.  Before taking the helm at Oregon, he also spent two years as the team’s offensive coordinator. He spent the past four seasons in the National Football League, including a stint at the helm of the Philadelphia Eagles.

While leading the Eagles, Kelly led the team to a 10 – 6 record and led the team to the NFC East title.

Kelly’s own accolades include Pac-10 Coach of the year in 2009.  He earned four separate coach of the year awards in 2010 including the Associated Press Coach of the Year award.

Kelly will start his on-air college football career with ESPN with the start of this year’s college football season.

More information on Kelly’s addition to ESPN’s college football broadcast ranks is available online now along with all of the latest college football news at:

 

 

 

Website: http://www.espn.com/college-football

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CFBonESPN

Twitter: http://twitter.com/espncfb

 

 

 

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Rex Ryan Joins ESPN’s ‘Sunday NFL Countdown’ Broadcast Team

Courtesy: ESPN

ESPN added a big name to its NFL broadcast team Monday.

Former New York Jets and Buffalo Bills coach Rex Ryan was announced as the newest addition ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown broadcast team Monday. Ryan will make his debut as a full-time member of ESPN’s roster this Saturday, April 8 at 3 p.m. ET as he calls Florida State University’s spring game in Tallahassee, Fla.

While his addition is the latest to ESPN’s NFL broadcast ranks, Ryan is no stranger to ESPN as an on-air figure.  He served as a guest analyst for ESPN during the network’s Postseason NFL Countdown on Super Bowl Sunday in Houston in February.

Seth Markman, senior coordinating producer for ESPN’s NFL studio shows, said Ryan’s matter-of-fact personality and his knowledge of the game made him a good fit for the network’s NFL studio shows.

“Rex is authentic – what you see if what you get, and that will be great for our viewers on Sunday NFL Countdown,” Markman said.  “We also look forward to the insight and perspective he will bring to the show as an NFL coach who has worked in the league for two decades.”

Ryan was upbeat as he discussed making the next move in his career.

“This is going to be a new experience for me and I am really excited about it,” Ryan said.  “I’ve been a coach for 30 years and I’ve been around football my entire life.  I’m passionate about the game – just like the fans are, and I’ve coached in the league for a long time, so that’s the perspective I will bring to ESPN.  I’m just going to show up and be myself and have fun with it.”

Ryan’s most recent NFL credentials include coaching the Buffalo Bills during the 2015 and 2016 seasons.  Before that, he served as head coach of the New York Jets from 2009 – 2014.  He led the Jets to back-to-back AFC Championship appearances during his tenure in New York.

He spent nine seasons as an NFL assistant with the Baltimore Ravens, winning a Super Bowl Championship with the team at Super Bowl XXXV.  From 2005 – ’08, he served as the team’s defensive coordinator.

The son of legendary NFL coach Buddy Ryan, Rex was also honored in 2006 as the Assistant Coach of the Year by Pro Football Weekly magazine and the Pro Football Writers Association.

Along with his appearances on Sunday NFL Countdown, Ryan will also contribute to ESPN’s flagship news program SportsCenter and on ESPN Radio broadcasts and more.

More information on Rex Ryan’s addition to ESPN’s NFL studio shows is available online now at:

 

 

 

Website: http://espn.go.com/nfl

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NFLonESPN

 

 

 

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ESPN’s College Football Championship Preview Coverage Begins Today

Courtesy: ESPN

 

The stage is officially set for the 2017 college football championship, and ESPN’s networks will have extensive preview coverage of the upcoming matchup today and tomorrow.

That coverage begins this afternoon at 1 p.m. on ESPN’s College Football Live.  ESPN will carry a special hour-long edition of its flagship college football program today and tomorrow on ESPN.  The broadcasts will air live from the campuses of Clemson and Alabama.

Adnan Virk will anchor the program’s broadcast live from Clemson, SC.  He will be joined by analysts Joey Galloway and Danny Kannell for additional commentary.  Reporter Marty Smith will also be on hand for additional news and insights.

Molly McGrath will head up the program’s broadcast live from Tuscaloosa, ALA.  She will be joined by analysts David Pollack and Booger McFarland for additional commentary.  Reporter Tom Rinaldi will also be on hand for additional news and interviews.

As an additional bonus, McGrath, Galloway, McFarland and Pollack will all be live on hand live in Tampa for Friday’s broadcast at 1 p.m. on ESPN.

College Football Live is just one of the ESPN networks’ programs that will offer extensive preview coverage of the college football championship.  ESPN’s flagship sports news broadcast SportsCenter will offer its own extensive coverage.

Jay Crawford will anchor tonight’s SportsCenter broadcast and Thursday’s 6 p.m. broadcast with Tom Rinaldi reporting live from Alabama and Marty Smith reporting live from South Carolina.  He will also anchor Friday’s broadcast live from Tampa.

Cari Champion will host the program’s 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. broadcast this morning from Clemson.  David Lloyd will host Thursday’s 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. broadcast Thursday from Alabama.

Sage Steele will anchor broadcasts on Friday between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.

More information on the ESPN networks’ preview coverage of the college football championship is available online now along with all of the latest college football headlines at:

 

 

 

Website: http://espn.go.com/college-football

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CFBonESPN

Twitter: http://twitter.com/espncfb

 

 

 

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Cavs, Bulls Lead Off ESPN’s Special Friday Double Header NBA Schedule

Courtesy: ESPN

The Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls will face off Friday and ESPN will have full coverage of the game including exclusive broadcasts of NBA Countdown, The Jump and SportsCenter.  It all leads up to the 1-2 showdown in the Eastern Conference’s Central Division.

The Jump will air at a special time of 3 p.m. EST on ESPN2 live inside the United Center.  Rachel Nichols will anchor the broadcast.  She will be joined by analayst Tracy McGrady and Brian Windhorst for additional commentary on the one-hour edition of the program.

NBA Countdown begins at 7 p.m. EST and will also broadcast live from the United Center.  Michelle Beadle will anchor the hour-long broadcast as it leads up to the 8 p.m. tip-off for the Cavaliers – Bulls matchup at 8p.m. EST.  Beadle will be joined by analysts Jalen Rose, Chauncey Billups and Tracy McGrady for additional commentary.

Mike Breen will have the call for Friday night’s game between the Eastern Division-leading Cavaliers and the Bulls, who are right behind them.  Breen will be joined by analyst Mark Jackson for additional commentary.  Reporter and Chicago native Cassidy Hubbarth will be on hand for all of the latest in-game news and interviews.

As an additional bonus for fans, ESPN3 will carry a live stream of the teams’ pre-game, on-court workouts and drills beginning at 7:15 p.m. EST.  SportsCenter will be live on site throughout the day for even more coverage.  That coverage includes live updates and post-game updates.

The Cavs and Bulls are just first game scheduled for the night.  The Nuggets will host the Rockets at 10:30 p.m. EST in an inter-divisional matchup in the Western Conference.  Ryan Ruocco will anchor the broadcast.  He will be joined by analyst Doug Collins for additional commentary.

Both games and additional coverage is available online via WatchESPN and the ESPN app.  More information on ESPN’s NBA coverage is available online now along with all of the latest NBA headlines at:

 

 

 

Website: http://espn.go.com/nba

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NBAonESPN

Twitter: http://twitter.com/espnnba

 

 

 

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ESPN Networks To Cover MLB Winter Meetings Live Next Week

Courtesy: ESPN

Major League Baseball’s 2017 season is still at least five months away, but that doesn’t mean that there’s no action going on around the league right now.

ESPN announced Tuesday its flagship MLB program will hit the road next week for the league’s 2016 Baseball Winter Meetings.  Baseball Tonight will air live Dec. 5 to Dec. 7 live from the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, MD.\

The half-hour broadcast will air at 6:30 p.m. and then again at midnight each day. The broadcasts will air live on ESPN2 except for Monday’s 6:30 p.m. broadcast.  That broadcast will air live on ESPNEWS.

ESPN’s Baseball Tonight broadcast team—Karl Ravech, analyst Aaron Boone and ESPN MLB Insiders Aaron Boone and Tim kurkjian—will cover each day’s events.  They will be joined by an extensive team of MLB Insiders and reporters including: Keith Law, Jason Stark, Jim Bowden, Jerry Crasnick, Jesse Rogers, Andrew Marchand, Scot Lauber, Adam Rubin, Eddie Matz, Mark Saxon, Doug Padilla and others.

As an added bonus for MLB fans, ESPN reporter Pedro Gomez will be on site through Dec. 8 with updates for SportsCenter, ESPN’s flagship sports newscast.

Baseball Tonight is available online on WatchESPN and the ESPN app.

Major League Baseball’s Winter Meetings are the largest annual gathering of baseball executives, staff, and media.  They take place at the peak of Major League Baseball’s “Hot Stove,” when many trades and free agent signings are completed.

More information on ESPN’s Winter Meetings coverage is available online now along with all of the latest Major League Baseball headlines at:

 

 

 

Website: http://espn.go.com/mlb

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ESPNBaseballTonight

Twitter: http://twitter.com/BBTN

 

 

 

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T-Mobile Home Run Derby Lineup To Be Announced Tonight

Courtesy: ESPN

MLB’s annual All-Star Break is almost here.  The All-Star Game and Home Run Derby will air live next week.  And later tonight fans will finally know the lineup for this year’s Home Run Derby.

Lindsay Czarniak will announce the full lineup for the 2016 T-Mobile Home Run Derby live on ESPN’s SportsCenter, the network’s flagship sports news program.  The announcement will be made at 6pm ET.  The T-Mobile Home Run Derby will air live next Monday on ESPN at 8pm ET from Petco Park in San Diego, California.  More information on the 2016 T-Mobile Home Run Derby is available online now along with all of the latest MLB headlines at:

 

 

 

Website: http://espn.go.com/mlb

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ESPNBaseballTonight

Twitter: http://twitter.com/BBTN

 

 

 

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.