Live sport - 28th December - 3rd January

Unfortunately, there won't be a live sport posting this week. This is mostly down to my two sources, livesportontv.com and ESPN's official site differing so greatly. It would take quite some time to compile, and I don't have a great deal of time due to Christmas commitments.

Hopefully I'll return next week with the usual live sport post, but it all depends on the two sites.

Live sport - 21st - 27th December

It's Christmas week, and plenty of sport on:

Key:

(HD) - Shown on ESPN HD

(AM) - Shown on ESPN America

Monday 21st December:

• NBA - Cleveland v Dallas - ESPN (HD) - 00:30 - 03:00
• New Orleans Bowl - Southern Miss v Middle Tennessee - (AM) - 01:15 - 04:45
• BPL - Wigan Athletic v Bolton Wanderers - ESPN (HD) - 19:00 - 22:30
• College Basketball - Oklahoma v UTEP - (AM) - 23:30 - 02:00

Tuesday 22nd December:

• College Basketball - Oklahoma State v La Salle - (AM) - 02:00 - 04:00

Wednesday 23rd December:

• Las Vegas Bowl - Oregon State v BYU - (AM) - 01:00 - 04:30
• NHL - Chicago v San Jose - ESPN (HD) - 01:00 - 03:30

Thursday 24th December:

• NHL - Viewer's Choice - (AM) - 00:00 - 02:30
• NBA - San Antonio v Portland - ESPN (HD) - 01:30 - 04:00
• NHL - Chicago v St. Louis - (AM) - 02:30 - 05:00

Friday 25th December:

• Hawaii Bowl - Nevada v SMU - (AM) - 01:00 - 04:30
• NBA - Orlando v Boston - ESPN (HD) - 19:30 - 22:00
• NBA - LA Lakers v Cleveland - ESPN (HD) - 22:00 - 00:30

Saturday 26th December:

• College Basketball - Diamond Head Classic - (AM) - 00:30 - 03:00
• College Basketball - Diamond Head Classic - (AM) - 03:00 - 05:00
• BPL - Birmingham City v Chelsea - ESPN (HD) - 12:00 - 15:00
• BPL - Liverpool v Wolves - ESPN (HD) - 17:00 - 20:00
• Little Caesars Pizza Bowl - Marshall v Ohio - (AM) - 18:00 - 21:30
• Meineke Car Care Bowl - Pittsburgh v North Carolina - (AM) - 21:30 - 01:00

Sunday 27th December:

• NHL - Toronto v Montreal - ESPN (HD) - 00:00 - 03:00
• Emerald Bowl - Boston College v USC - (AM) - 01:00 - 04:30
• NHL - Edmonton v Vancouver - ESPN (HD) - 03:00 - 05:30
• NHL - Florida v Boston - (AM) - 22:00 - 00:30

ESPN confirm Guinness Premiership deal

The Guardian site has confirmed that ESPN have bought the rights to show 43 live Guinness Premiership games starting from next September. As well as the 43 live games, ESPN will also show the Guinness Premiership final and one semi-final.

Sky Sports currently hold the rights to show 26 live games per season, and from next season onwards will share the Guinness Premiership rights with ESPN. So for any rugby fans, having both channels may well end up being a must. ESPN's deal will last for 3 years.

Live sport - 13th - 20th December

The final week before Christmas, and there's plenty of live sport on ESPN:

Key:

(HD) - Shown on ESPN HD

(AM) - Shown on ESPN America

Monday 14th December:

• NHL - Chicago v Tampa Bay - (AM) - 00:00 - 02:30
• NHL - Calgary v Colorado - ESPN (HD) - 01:00 - 03:30

Tuesday 15th December:

• NHL - Boston v Philadelphia - (AM) - 00:00 - 02:30
• NHL - Ottawa v Toronto - ESPN (HD) - 00:00 - 02:30
• NHL - Vancouver v LA Kings - ESPN (AM) (HD) - 03:00 - 05:30

Wednesday 16th December:

• NHL - Pittsburgh v Philadelphia - (AM) - 00:00 - 02:30
• NHL - Edmonton v LA Kings - ESPN (HD) - 01:00 - 03:30
• NHL - Colorado v Washington - (AM) - 01:00 - 03:30
• Europa League - FC Basel v Fulham - ESPN (HD) - 17:30 - 20:00
• Europa League - Sparta Prague v FC Copenhagen - ESPN (HD) - 20:00 - 22:15

Thursday 17th December:

• NHL - Toronto v Phoenix - (AM) - 00:30 - 03:00
• NBA - Milwaukee v LA Lakers - ESPN (HD) - 01:00 - 04:00
• NHL - Vancouver v Anaheim - (AM) - 03:00 - 05:30
• Europa League - Genoa v Valencia - ESPN (HD) - 18:00 - 20:00
• Europa League - Fenerbache v FC Sheriff - ESPN (HD) - 20:00 - 22:00

Friday 18th December:

• NHL - Philadelphia v Pittsburgh - (AM) - 00:00 - 02:30
• NHL - Calgary v LA Kings - ESPN (HD) - 02:30 - 05:00
• NHL - San Jose v Anaheim - (AM) - 03:30 - 06:00
• Bundesliga - Schalke 04 - FSV Mainz 05 - ESPN (HD) - 19:30 - 21:30

Saturday 19th December:

• NBA - NY Knicks v LA Clippers - ESPN (HD) - 01:00 - 03:30
• NHL - Chicago v Boston - (AM) - 01:30 - 04:00
• BPL - Arsenal v Hull City - ESPN (HD) - 16:45 - 19:45
• NHL - Philadelphia v NY Rangers - (AM) - 18:00 - 21:00
• Serie A - Fiorentina v AC Milan - ESPN (HD) - 19:45 - 21:45
• New Mexico Bowl - Fresno State v Wyoming - (AM) - 21:30 - 01:00

Sunday 20th December:

• NHL - Toronto v Boston - ESPN (AM) (HD) - 00:00 - 02:30
• NHL - Edmonton v Washington - (AM) - 03:00 - 05:30
• SPL - Hearts v Celtic - ESPN (HD) - 12:00 - 14:45
• Bundesliga - FC Koln v FC Nuremberg - 16:30 - 18:30
• Serie A - Inter Milan v Lazio - 19:45 - 22:00

Guiness Premiership heading to ESPN?

According to Charles Sale on the Daily Mail site, ESPN have spent £30m on the Guinness Premiership rugby rights, for a total of three years. As of yet there has been no official announcement from ESPN, but if Charles Sale is correct, this would mean ESPN has spent around £100m on new sports rights in just one week.

More as it happens.

Official FA press release on ESPN deal

The FA have posted a press release on their website. This confirms the deal revealed by The Guardian article earlier today.

ESPN will be broadcasting 25 live FA Cup games from 2010 to the end of the 2013-14 season, including an exclusive Semi-Final and sharing the final with ITV. As well as the FA Cup, the deal also includes the forthcoming Women's Super League and England Under-21's home fixtures. The Women's Super League begins in 2011, so there's quite a wait for that.

The press release confirms all matches will be available in High Definition (from both ITV and ESPN).

ESPN secure FA Cup rights

An article on The Guardian website reports that ESPN have secured the FA Cup rights from next season onwards. The deal will see ESPN show two live games per round. However, ITV will continue to show one live game per round, and will get first pick ahead of ESPN. Both broadcasters will share the FA Cup final.

Despite The FA trying to rekindle their relationship with the BBC, they opted for ESPN's bid which is said to be 60% larger than the BBC's.

This is a good move by ESPN, who need something next season to try and replace the loss of half their Premier League games. However, it's unlikely that some subscribers will stay with ESPN just for the FA Cup.

Live sport - 7th - 13th December

Here's this weeks list of live sport on ESPN:

Key:

(HD) - Shown on ESPN HD

(AM) - Shown on ESPN America

Monday 7th December:

• NHL - NY Rangers v Detroit - (AM) - 00:00 - 02:30
• NHL - Anaheim v Ottawa - ESPN (HD) - 01:00 - 03:30

Tuesday 8th December:

• NHL - Buffalo v New Jersey - ESPN (HD) - 00:00 - 02:30
• NHL - Montreal v Philadelphia - (AM) - 00:30 - 03:00
• NHL - Los Angeles v Calgary - (AM) - 03:30 - 06:00

Wednesday 9th December:

• College Basketball - Butler v Georgetown - (AM) - 00:00 - 02:30
• NHL - Montreal v Ottawa - ESPN (HD) - 00:30 - 03:00
• College Basketball - Indiana v Pittsburgh - (AM) - 02:30 - 04:30
• NHL - Anaheim Ducks v Dallas - ESPN (HD) - 03:00 - 05:30

Thursday 10th December:

• NBA - Atlanta v Chicago Bulls - ESPN (HD) - 00:00 - 02:30
• NHL - Toronto v NY Islanders - (AM) - 00:00 - 02:30
• College Basketball - Kentucky v Connecticut - (AM) - 02:30 - 04:30
• Coppa Italia - TBC - ESPN (HD) - 19:30 - 21:45

Friday 11th December:

• NHL - Toronto v Boston - ESPN (HD) - 00:00 - 02:30
• NHL - Montreal v Pittsburgh - (AM) - 00:30 - 03:00
• Bundesliga - Hertha Berlin v Leverkusen - ESPN (HD) - 19:30 - 21:30

Saturday 12th December:

• NHL - Washington v Carolina - (AM) - 00:00 - 02:30
• NBA - Cleveland v Portland - ESPN (HD) - 01:00 - 03:30
• College Basketball - Indiana v Kentucky - (AM) - 17:00 - 19:00
• BPL - Manchester Untied v Aston Villa - ESPN (HD) - 17:00 - 19:45
• CFB - Army v Navy - (AM) - 19:30 - 23:00
• Serie A - Bari v Juventus - ESPN (HD) - 19:45 - 21:45

Sunday 13th December:

• NHL - Toronto v Washington - (AM) - 00:00 - 03:00
• NHL - Vancouver v Minnesota - (AM) - 03:00 - 05:30
• UFC 107 - BJ Penn v Diego Sanchez - ESPN (HD) - 03:00 - 06:00
• Serie A - Atalanta v Inter Milan - ESPN (HD) - 14:00 - 16:00
• Bundesliga - Wolfsburg v Dortmund - ESPN (HD) - 16:30 - 18:30
• Serie A - Sampdoria v AS Roma - ESPN (HD) - 19:45 - 22:00