Hi, all. We all know about HD, etc., but who do you think will be the commentary teams? ESPN made a huge splash for South Africa, bringing in British play-by-play announcers such as Martin Tyler and Ian Darke (hiring the latter outright), but you do wonder if the playoff in Chicago is a predictor of the future for the broadcast -- three people in the booth. There will not be any doubleheaders this time around; just dyads of games played on the same day -- two on each of the first eight matchdays, but there will be pairs of games going on simultaneously to close out the groups. This tells me that there will be a maximum of four ESPN teams to cover the matches. Here's who I think the four teams are going to be: All USA games: J.P. Dellacamera, Julie Foudy, Pedro Gomez (sideline), Tony DiCicco (by phone). Second team: Ian Darke, Emma Hayes Third team: Rob Stone, Kate Sobrero Fourth team: Beth Mowins, Lorrie Fair Studio: Bob Ley, Heather Mitts, Lori Chalupny, Michelle Akers I'd absolutely love to hear Darke and Hayes together. It would be a mellifluous experience. Also, will ESPN commit to the WWC by putting the studio show in Germany rather than Bristol, Conn.?
My guess: The "A" crew will be on-site, everyone else and the studio works off TV in Bristol and/or London. A- Ian Darke OR JP Dellacamera, Julie Foudy, Pedro Gomez or other reporter TBA B- Ian Darke OR JP Dellacamera, analyst TBA C- Beth Mowins, analyst TBA D- Rob Stone OR Adrian Healey, analyst TBA Studio- Bob Ley OR Max Bretos OR TBA, Tony DiCicco and possibly others TBA If this happens, I suspect Ian Darke gets the nod over JP because it's a short flight to Germany.
Adrian Healy has to be there somewhere, maybe ESPN will have him do the 3D games, if there is any 3D games
Forgive the necro-threading, but the schedule is out, and ESPN says that 28 out of the 32 matches will be broadcast live from the stadium (only four Bristol games). Also, J.P. Dellacamera is out of the picture, having moved over to FSC. Here are my new, improved (??) picks for teams: USA matches: Ian Darke, Julie Foudy; Pedro Gomez (sideline); Tony DiCicco (by phone) Team 2: Derek Rae, Emma Hayes Team 3: Adrian Healey, Kate Sobrero Team 4: Beth Mowins, Tony DiCicco (Bristol) Studio: Max Bretos, Tony DiCicco, Heather Mitts Studio 2: Rob Stone, Tommy Smyth, Brandi Chastain
Heres some news about the studio - taken from a press release that is on the ESPN Mediazone website: ESPN’s 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup Studio Coverage: Bob Ley and ESPN UK’s Rebecca Lowe to Host from Germany ESPN will present all of its 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup studio programming from host nation Germany, a first for the network. The comprehensive news, highlights and information coverage of the quadrennial tournament featuring the top-16 women’s national teams in the world (June 26 – July 17) will include pre-match, halftime and post-match shows, as well as World Cup-branded segments on SportsCenter, First Take and ESPNEWS. Germany 2011 will also mark the first time all FIFA Women’s World Cup matches on ESPN networks will feature pre-match, halftime and post-match coverage, presentation of the national anthems and analysis segments. ESPN’s award-winning host Bob Ley and Rebecca Lowe, ESPN UK’s Barclays Premier League co-host, will serve as tournament hosts. Ley will be appearing in his second straight FIFA World Cup event, just one year removed from ESPN’s critically acclaimed coverage of South Africa 2010, while Lowe will be making her World Cup debut on American television. Significant portions of ESPN’s 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup programming from Germany will originate from a mobile studio set, traveling throughout the country and originating from five cities – Berlin, Dresden, Frankfurt, Heidelberg and Wolfsburg – during the three-week competition. Additionally, ESPN’s award- winning features unit will produce vignettes and long-form features for television and digital platforms profiling the players, teams and coaches as part of the network’s planned comprehensive coverage. LB...
Ley and Lowe - that's great! I can't wait to see how ESPN does this. If they put in even half the effort they did into South Africa then this will be great!
They only have to put in half the effort, there are only 32 games as opposed to 64. LOL. Great news on the coverage plan though. It is going to be a fun three weeks and I can't wait for it to get here.
3D noob alert: Why couldn't ESPN 3D use the same announcers as ESPNHD? Are they usually different announcers?
My guess is that Adrian Healey will do some games and Max Bretos will fill in for him doing MLS games since it's been reported that he would be calling some games this season.
They used to do the same thing for HD when it first came out. I think it may be due to the different cameras and possibly the inability to show the same replays on 3D and RegularD
Heres some info taken from a press release thats on the espnmediazone.com website: Top soccer play-by-play voice Ian Darke will pair with analyst and two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup champion Julie Foudy as lead commentators for ESPN’s presentation of the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup (June 26–July 17). Darke and Foudy will kick off the three-week tournament Sunday, June 26, at 11:30 am. ET, with the event’s opening match–host nation Germany vs. Canada on ESPN, ESPN3.com and ESPN Mobile TV, from the Berlin Olympiastadion. They will also provide commentary for the title match Sunday, July 17, at 2:00 pm ET on ESPN, ESPN3.com and ESPN Mobile TV, live from Frankfurt. Darke, who joined ESPN full-time in September 2010 after his critically acclaimed performance during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, will be making his ESPN Women’s World Cup debut in Germany. Foudy, a former U.S. Women’s National Team captain, is entering her second FIFA Women’s World Cup as ESPN’s lead match analyst. Germany 2011 marks her sixth FIFA Women’s World Cup overall as a player and television analyst. The other two match commentator teams will be announced at a later date. LB...
U.S. FIFA Women’s World Cup 2011 Roster to be Announced Live on SportsCenter. On Monday, May 9, SportsCenter will announce the U.S. Women’s National Team roster for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Germany 2011 (June 26–July 17). The exclusive announcement on ESPN’s flagship news and information program will air in the 10:00 am ET hour of the show, hosted by Kevin Negandhi and Sage Steele. During the 1:00 pm ET hour of SportsCenter, ESPN’s lead FIFA Women’s World Cup analyst Julie Foudy, a two-time World Cup champion and former U.S. team captain, will discuss the roster. Following the roster announcement, Christie Rampone, US team captain and the only player remaining from the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup winning team, and Abby Wambach, the team’s leading goal-scorer will be interviewed live on the show. Rampone and Wambach will also be featured on several ESPN television and digital platforms during the day. Highlights: 10:00 am ET-SportsCenter (live). 11:00 am ET– First Take on ESPN2 (live). 11:45 am ET–ESPN Mobile TV. 12:30 pm ET– espnW - LiveStream hosted by Foudy, a contributor to espnW: http://www.livestream.com/espnW 1:00 pm ET-espnW Podcast. LB...
ESPN will present HERoics, a series of six short documentaries chronicling women’s courage, perseverance, breaking through barriers, failure and redemption, as part of its unprecedented coverage of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Germany 2011. The short films will offer in-depth profiles of FIFA Women’s World Cup players Marta (Brazil), Kelly Smith (England), and Lisa De Vanna (Australia); and highlight unique stories about a group of grandmothers and senior citizens on a team in Jerez, Spain, who continue to play into their 70s and 80s; a woman referee in the Republic of Congo who earned accolades from FIFA while working through the stress of abuse from fans; and a probation officer who uses soccer to steer troubled teens away from gangs in a Central California town. Heres the link to the complete press release: http://www.espnmediazone3.com/us/2011/05/16/espn-to-present-heroics-documentaries/ LB...
US Women’s National Team vs. Japan - Wednesday, May 18. 7:00 pm ET - LIVE on ESPN2/ESPN3.com - from Gary, NC. Commentators: Ian Darke (Play-By-Play) and Juile Foudy (Analyst). Studio: Bob Ley, Brandi Chastain and Briana Scurry will host pre-match, halftime and post-match segments. Sideline Reporter: Bob Holtzman. Programing Note: If anyone missed the ESPN 30 for 30 Film - "The Two Escobars" - or just wants to see it again - its scheduled to be shown on ESPN2 after coverage of the US-Japan game ends - running time with commercials is 2 hours. LB...
ESPN Names Brandi Chastain, Briana Scurry and Tony DiCicco Studio Analysts for 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup Three key members of the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup winning US team – Brandi Chastain, Briana Scurry and head coach Tony DiCicco–will join ESPN as studio analysts for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2011. Chastain, Scurry and DiCicco will contribute to ESPN/ESPN2’s studio coverage of the three week tournament, providing analysis on pre-match, halftime and post-match shows from Germany, including studio segments on the company’s news and information programming such as SportsCenter, First Take and ESPNEWS. The Women’s World Cup 2011 will mark Chastain’s return to ESPN after serving as sideline reporter for ESPN and ABC’s Major League Soccer coverage in 2005 and 2006. Germany 2011 will be Scurry’s first international event for ESPN. DiCicco, who will also provide match analysis, has worked with ESPN since 2000, including the last two Women’s World Cups. LB...
They've put up a video of one of the ESPN production meetings. http://frontrow.espn.go.com/2011/06/inside-wwc-talent-meeting/ On-air might look like this: Bob Ley, studio host, ESPNUS. Brandi Chastain, Briana Scurry and Tony DiCicco, studio analysts, ESPNUS. Rebecca Lowe, studio host, ESPNUK. Alicia Ferguson and Viola Odebrecht, study analysts, ESPNUK. Ian Darke, Adrian Healey, Beth Mowins, PBP. Julie Foudy, Kate Markgraf, Catherine Whitehill, color. Bob Holtzmann, sideline reporter. I still say there needs to be a fourth announce team somewhere because of the number of games on the closing days of group play.
ESPN 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup Commentators - Press Release - http://www.espnmediazone3.com/us/2011/06/14/espn-2011-fifa-women’s-world-cup-commentators/ LB...
Mia Hamm Joins espnW as Analyst for 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup. http://www.espnmediazone3.com/us/20...w-as-analyst-for-2011-fifa-women’s-world-cup/ HERoics – ESPN’s Six Short Films on Women and Soccer Debuts Friday on ESPN2 at 7:00 pm ET. HERoics - a series of six short ESPN documentaries chronicling women’s courage, perseverance, failure and redemption - as part of its unprecedented coverage of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Germany 2011, will debut on ESPN2 on Friday, June 24 at 7:00 pm ET. Following its one-hour television debut, the series will live on www.espnW.com, the company’s first dedicated content and digital hub designed to serve, inform and inspire female athletes and fans. The short films offer in-depth profiles of FIFA Women’s World Cup players Marta (Brazil), Kelly Smith (England), and Lisa De Vanna (Australia); and highlight unique stories about a team of grand- mothers and senior citizens in Jerez, Spain, whose members continue to play into their 70s and 80s; a female referee in the Republic of Congo who earned accolades from FIFA while working through the stress of abuse from fans; and a probation officer who uses soccer to steer troubled teens away from gangs in a Central California town. Hannah Storm, award-winning sportscaster and director of the HERoics profile of England’s Kelly Smith, will host the one-hour program. LB...
ESPN To Use Traveling Studio For FIFA Women’s World Cup In Germany. http://www.espnmediazone3.com/us/20...studio-for-fifa-women’s-world-cup-in-germany/ LB...
ESPN Commentator Assignments For 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup In Germany - http://www.espnmediazone3.com/us/20...s-for-2011-fifa-women’s-world-cup-in-germany/ Transcript Of ESPN FIFA Women’s World Cup Conference Call - http://www.espnmediazone3.com/us/20...-espn-fifa-women’s-world-cup-conference-call/ LB...