For Immediate Release
ESPN PR
June 11, 2008
860-766-2000

Complete Coverage of College World Series Coverage Begins Saturday; Every Game in High Definition

ESPNU to Televise Coaches Press Conferences

ESPN and ESPN2 will offer exclusive coverage of every College World Series game beginning Saturday, June 14.  For the first year, ESPN360.com will simulcast every ESPN and ESPN2 telecast.  The networks will televise all possible 17 games in high definition on ESPN HD and ESPN2 HD.   For the first time, all three games of the Championship Series will be televised in primetime (June 23-25).

 

ESPN’s 29th consecutive year of coverage – and the sixth year the network will televise every game -- will begin Saturday, June 14 on ESPN and ESPN360.com with Stanford vs. Florida State at 2 p.m. ET and Georgia vs. Miami at 7 p.m.  The following day, ESPN and ESPN360.com will televise Fresno State vs. Rice at 2 p.m. while ESPN2 and ESPN360.com will offer LSU vs. North Carolina at 7 p.m.

 

Commentator teams include Mike Patrick, analyst Orel Hershiser, an All-Mid-American Conference pitcher with Bowling Green, and reporter Erin Andrews; Sean McDonough, Barry Larkin and Kyle Peterson; and Karl Ravech and Robin Ventura.  Patrick will call the Championship Series with Hershiser, Andrews and Peterson.  In addition, Larkin (Michigan), Ventura (Oklahoma State) and Peterson (Stanford) all played in the College World Series.

 

ESPNU

ESPNU will offer live coverage of the coaches’ press conferences Friday, June 13 at 3 p.m. and Sunday, June 22 at noon.

 

SportsCenter

In addition to game coverage, Karl Ravech will provide live segments from Rosenblatt Stadium for SportsCenter June 16-18.

 

College World Series Production Elements

ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN360.com’s coverage of the Men’s College World Series will feature several notable production elements:

  • The single This Town from popular band O.A.R.’s new album All Sides (released July 15) will be utilized throughout the coverage.
  • Similar to ESPN’s Major League Baseball coverage, ESPN and ESPN2 will utilize an on-field handheld camera on College World Series telecasts for the third year.  The handheld camera will bring viewers closer to the action with in-game live shots of home run celebrations, head coaches’ trips to the mound, batters in the on-deck circle and more. 
  • Every umpire will wear a microphone for live and short turn-around audio, capturing the sounds of the game from all angles on the field.
  • Each game will include “People of Omaha” vignettes highlighting the people in and around the College World Series host city: the organ player at Rosenblatt Stadium, the retired PA announcer, the groundskeeper, long-time ticket holders, etc.

 

College World Series Schedule

Date              Time (ET)     Network                   Game     Matchup                                     Commentators

Sat., 6/14

2 p.m.

ESPN / ESPN HD ESPN360.com

1

Stanford vs. Florida State

McDonough, Ventura and Peterson

Sat., 6/14

7 p.m.

ESPN / ESPN HD ESPN360.com

2

Georgia vs. Miami

Patrick, Hershiser and Andrews

Sun., 6/15

2 p.m.

ESPN / ESPN HD ESPN360.com

3

Fresno State vs. Rice

Ravech, Ventura and Andrews

Sun., 6/15

7 p.m.

ESPN2 / ESPN2 HD ESPN360.com

4

LSU vs. North Carolina

McDonough, Larkin and Peterson

Mon., 6/16

2 p.m.

ESPN2 / ESPN2 HD ESPN360.com

5

Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2

Ravech and Ventura

Mon., 6/16

7 p.m.

ESPN2 / ESPN2 HD ESPN360.com

6

Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2

Patrick, Hershiser and Andrews

Tue., 6/17

2 p.m.

ESPN2 / ESPN2 HD ESPN360.com

7

Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4

Ravech and Ventura

Tue., 6/17

7 p.m.

ESPN2 / ESPN2 HD ESPN360.com

8

Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4

McDonough, Larkin and Peterson

Wed., 6/18

7 p.m.

ESPN2 / ESPN2 HD ESPN360.com

9

Loser Game 6 vs. Winner Game 5

Patrick, Hershiser and Andrews

Thu., 6/19

7 p.m.

ESPN / ESPN HD ESPN360.com

10

Loser Game 8 vs. Winner Game 7

McDonough, Larkin and Peterson

Fri., 6/20

2 p.m.

ESPN2 / ESPN2 HD ESPN360.com

11

Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 6

Patrick, Hershiser and Andrews

Fri., 6/20

7 p.m.

ESPN / ESPN HD ESPN360.com

12

Winner Game 10 vs. Winner Game 8  

McDonough, Larkin and Peterson

Sat., 6/21

2 p.m.

ESPN2 / ESPN2 HD ESPN360.com

13

If necessary

Patrick, Hershiser and Andrews

Sat., 6/21

7 p.m.

ESPN / ESPN HD ESPN360.com

14

If necessary

McDonough, Larkin and Peterson

Mon., 6/23

7 p.m.

ESPN2 / ESPN2 HD ESPN360.com

1

Series Final

Patrick, Hershiser, Andrews and Peterson

Tue., 6/24

7 p.m.

ESPN / ESPN HD ESPN360.com

2

Series Final

Patrick, Hershiser, Andrews and Peterson

Wed., 6/25

7 p.m.

ESPN / ESPN HD ESPN360.com

3

Series Final

Patrick, Hershiser, Andrews and Peterson

 

 

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