ESPN to show NBA

According to Livesportontv.com, ESPN will be showing a live NBA game between Chicago Bulls and Utah Jaxx on October 6th, starting at 7pm. Presumably this will be the start of a number of NBA games broadcast live on ESPN. More as it's announced.

Live sport - 28th September - 4th October

It's been slow for ESPN related news lately, but here's the live sport list for the coming week:


Key:

(HD) - Shown on ESPN HD
(AM) - Shown on ESPN America

Monday 28th September:

• BPL - Manchester City v West Ham - ESPN (HD) - 19:00 - 22:15

Tuesday 29th September:

• MLB - Boston v Toronto - ESPN (HD) - 00:00 - 03:00

Wednesday 30th September:

• MLB - Detroit v Minnesota - ESPN (AM) (HD) - 00:00 - 03:00

Thursday 1st October:

• MLB - TBC - ESPN (AM) (HD) - 00:00 - 03:00
• Europa League - Bate Borisov v Everton - ESPN (HD) - 17:30 - 20:00
• Europa League - Valencia v Genoa - ESPN (HD) - 20:00 - 22:15

Friday 2nd October:

• NHL - Colorado v San Jose - ESPN (AM) (HD) - 03:00 - 05:00
• Bundesliga - Schalke 04 - Eintracht Frankfurt - ESPN (HD) - 19:30 - 21:30
  

Saturday 3rd October:

• MLB - Tampa Bay v NY Yankees - ESPN (AM) (HD) - 00:00 - 03:00
• MLS - LA Galaxy v Chicago Fire - ESPN (HD) - 04:00 - 06:00
• BPL - Manchester United v Sunderland - ESPN (HD) - 17:00 - 19:45
• Serie A - Inter Milan v Udinese - ESPN (HD) - 19:45 - 21:45

Sunday 4th October:

• CFB - California v USC - ESPN (HD) - 01:00 - 04:30
• NRL - Grand Final - ESPN (HD) - 07:00 - 09:00
• Russian Premier Liga - Lokomotiv Moscow v Rubin Kazan - ESPN (HD) - 11:00 - 13:00
• Serie A - AS Roma v Napoli - ESPN (HD) - 14:00 - 16:00
• Bundesliga - Hertha Berlin v Hamburg - ESPN (HD) - 16:30 - 18:30
• Serie A - Palermo v Juventus - ESPN (HD) - 19:45 - 21:45
  

Live sport - 21st - 27th September

Here's this weeks live schedule. Sorry it's a day late:

Key:

(HD) - Shown on ESPN HD
(AM) - Shown on ESPN America

Monday 21st September:

• MLB - St Louis v Chicago Cubs - ESPN (AM) (HD) - 01:00 - 04:00

Tuesday 22nd September:

• MLB - Chicago v Minnesota - ESPN (HD) - 00:00 - 04:00

Wednesday 23rd September:

• MLB - Florida v Philadelphia - ESPN (AM) (HD) - 00:00 - 04:00
• Serie A - Inter Milan v Napoli - ESPN (HD) - 19:45 - 21:45

Thursday 24th September:

• MLB - NY Mets v Atlanta - ESPN (AM) (HD) - 00:00 - 03:00
• MLB - Oakland v Texas - ESPN (HD) - 03:00 - 06:00
• Serie A - Genoa v Juventus - ESPN (HD) - 19:45 - 21:45

Friday 25th September:

• CFB - South Carolina v Mississippi - ESPN (AM) (HD) - 00:30 - 03:30
• NRL - Semi-final - ESPN (HD) - 10:30 - 12:45
• Bundesliga - FC Nurnberg v VfL Bochum - ESPN (HD) - 19:30 - 21:30

Saturday 26th September:

• MLB - NY Yankees v Boston - ESPN (AM) (HD) - 00:00 - 03:00
• AFL - TBC - ESPN (HD) - 05:00 - 08:00
• SPL - St Mirren v Celtic - ESPN (HD) - 12:00 - 14:45
• NRL - 2nd Preliminary Final - ESPN (HD) - 15:00 - 17:00
• BPL - Fulham v Arsenal - ESPN (HD) - 17:00 - 20:00

Sunday 27th September:

• MLS - Columbus Crew v LA Galaxy - ESPN (HD) - 00:30 - 02:30
• CFB - TBC - ESPN (HD) - 02:30 - 05:30
• Eredivisie - Ajax v ADO Den Haag - ESPN (HD) - 11:30 - 13:30
• Bundesliga - Borussia Dortmund v Schalke - ESPN (HD) - 14:30 - 16:30
• Bundesliga - Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin - ESPN (HD) - 16:30 - 18:30
• Serie A - AC Milan v Bari - ESPN (HD) - 19:45 - 21:45
  

ESPN talks with Blue Square Premier end

According to The Guardian, ESPN have pulled out of talks with the Blue Square Premier. The reason given seems to be that they don't think it makes good business sense, which is fair enough.

The same article also says ESPN are still negotiating with the FA over the remaining FA Cup rights.

ESPN plans 'sports portal'

According to The Guardian, ESPN plan on launching a 'sports portal' website. This will accompany the new channel, and do a similar job to the Sky Sports site and the Setanta site before they went under. No name for the site has been decided, and there are currently no plans to launch a VOD service along with it.

Live sport 14th - 20th September

Here's this weeks live schedule. I'll update it if anything changes:

Key:

(HD) - Shown on ESPN HD
(AM) - Shown on ESPN America

Monday 14th September:

• MLB - Philadelphia v NY Mets - ESPN (AM) (HD) - 01:00 - 04:00
• SPL - Falkirk v Aberdeen - ESPN (HD) - 19:00 - 22:15

Tuesday 15th September:

• MLB - Texas v Oakland - ESPN (AM) (HD) - 01:00 - 04:00

Wednesday 16th September:

• MLB - Atlanta v NY Mets - ESPN (AM) (HD) - 00:00 - 04:00

Thursday 17th September:

• UFC - Nate Diaz v Melvin Guillard - ESPN (HD) - 01:00 - 03:00
• Europa League - Hapoel Tel-Aviv v Celtic - ESPN (HD) - 17:30 - 20:00
• Europa League - Fenerbahce v FC Twente - ESPN (HD) - 20:00 - 22:15

Friday 18th September:

• CFB - Miami v Georgia Tech - ESPN (AM) (HD) - 00:30 - 03:30
• AFL - TBC - ESPN (HD) - 10:30 - 13:30
• Eurobasket - Quarter-final - ESPN (HD) - 17:15 - 19:15
• Bundesliga - Schalke 04 v Wolfsburg - ESPN (HD) - 19:30 - 21:30

Saturday 19th September:

• MLS - San Jose v Colorado - ESPN (HD) - 04:00 - 06:00
• SPL - Kilmarnock v Rangers - ESPN (HD) - 12:00 - 15:00
• BPL - West Ham United v Liverpool - ESPN (HD) - 17:00 - 19:45
• Serie A - Juventus v Livorno - ESPN (HD) - 19:45 - 21:45

Sunday 20th September:

• UFC - Rich Franklin v Vitor Belfor - ESPN (HD) - 03:00 - 06:00
• RPL - CSKA Moscow v Dinamo Moscow - ESPN (HD) - 11:00 - 13:00
• Eredivisie - Feyenoord v PSV Eindhoven - ESPN (HD) - 13:30 - 15:30
• Bundesliga - Bayer Leverkusen v Werder Bremen - ESPN (HD) - 16:30 - 18:30
• Serie A - Roma v Fiorentina - ESPN (HD) - 19:45 - 21:45
• Eurobasket - Final - ESPN (HD) - 21:45 - 23:30
  

ESPN to show NRL Grand Final

ESPN have grabbed the rights to show the Grand Final of the NRL, a game which is part of the top league of Australasia. The game will be broadcast live on Sunday October 4th from 7am on ESPN and ESPN HD.

rugbyleague.com also says:

"ESPN will also broadcast the 1^st Preliminary Final live at 10.45am on Friday, September 25, and the 2^nd Preliminary Final at 3pm on Saturday, September 26."

ESPN's Europa League games

ESPN have chosen their UEFA Europa League games, which are:

• Hapoel Tel-Aviv v Celtic - UEFA Europa League Group C - ESPN from 17:30
• Fenerbahce v FC Twente - UEFA Europa League Group H - ESPN from 20:00

The games will both be broadcast on Thursday 17th September, on both ESPN and ESPN HD.

ESPN to miss out on NFL?

It has been announced over the past couple of weeks which channels had grabbed the rights to showing NFL, with Five and Sky grabbing most of them. However, Monday night games were still available, and it was expected that ESPN would snap this up.

Unfortunately today it was revealed that there is unlikely to be any information regarding Monday night games for at least the first month of the season (which starts in 3 days). Couple this with Sky not having red button games this season, understandably many NFL fans are unhappy.

Hopefully ESPN can pick up the Monday night games, but it's likely to be some time before anything is done about it.

Live sport 7th - 13th September

The first full week of September, and plenty more live sport coming up on ESPN:

(Updated Serie A weekend fixtures - 9th September)

Key:

(HD) - Shown on ESPN HD
(AM) - Shown on ESPN America

Monday 7th September:

• MLB - LA Dodgers v San Diego - ESPN (AM) (HD) - 01:00 - 04:00
• FIBA Eurobasket - Great Britain v Slovenia - ESPN (HD) - 17:05 - 18:50

Tuesday 8th September:

• MLB - Florida State v Miami - ESPN (AM) (HD) - 01:00 - 04:00
• FIBA Eurobasket - Great Britain v Spain - ESPN (HD) - 19:50 - 21:35

Wednesday 9th September:

• MLB - Cleveland v Texas - ESPN (AM) (HD) - 00:00 - 03:00
• FIBA Eurobasket - Great Britain v Serbia - ESPN (HD) - 20:05 - 21:50

Thursday 10th September:

• MLB - NY Yankees v Tampa Bay - ESPN (AM) (HD) - 00:00 - 03:00

Friday 11th September:

• College Football - Georgia Tech v Clemson - ESPN (AM) (HD) - 00:30 - 03:30
• AFL - TBC - ESPN (HD) - 10:30 - 13:30
• Le Top 14 - Toulon v Toulouse - ESPN (HD) - 19:45 - 21:30

Saturday 12th September:

• MLB - Boston v Tampa Bay - ESPN (AM) (HD) - 00:00 - 03:00
• AFL - TBC - ESPN (HD) - 10:00 - 13:00
• BPL - Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United - ESPN (HD) - 17:00 - 20:00
• Serie A - Lazio v Juventus - ESPN (HD) - 19:45 - 21:45

Sunday 13th September:

• MLS - LA Galaxy v FC Dallas - ESPN (HD) - 03:30 - 05:30
• Serie A - Inter Milan v Parma - ESPN (HD) - 14:00 - 16:00
• Bundesliga - FC Koln - Schalke 04 - ESPN (HD) - 16:30 - 18:30
• Serie A - Genoa v Napoli - ESPN (HD) - 19:45 - 21:45
  

BBC interview Lynne Frank

There's an article on the BBC website interviewing Lynne Frank, the boss of the UK arm of ESPN.

The article gives an insight into what else we may see on ESPN in the future, with the FA Cup, Blue Square Premier, Guiness Premiership, NBA and IPL all potential candidates.

England Under 21 game tomorrow

ESPN have bought the rights to show the England UEFA U21 Championship Qualifier vs FYR Macedonia. The game will be broadcast live tomorrow from 2:30pm on ESPN and ESPN HD.

ESPN get Europa League rights

Digital Spy reports that ESPN have secured the rights to show Europa League football, starting from September 17th in a 3 year deal. Good news for football fans, hopefully it'll be shown in HD too.