ESPN will broadcast CONCACAF Champions League in Latin America
Cox to deliver Five HD Channels In New England
DirecTV begin 2008 Championship Gaming Series Broadcast
ESPN To bring Extensive Coverage of Wimbledon 2008
Comcast Will Launch Three HD Networks
Finally, Comcast and Big Ten Network Agree to a Deal
Bright House Networks adds Two HD channels in Indianapolis
Today’s 2008 UEFA European Football Championship Schedule on ESPN
The 2008 UEFA European Football Championship is reaching the final stages. Germany, Turkey and Russia have reached the Semi Finals. Today’s Match between Spain and Italy will decide the fourth team in the semi-final. Today’s schedule of the ESPN telecast of the 2008 UEFA Quarter Final is :
Sunday 06-22-2008 2:55 PM - SPAIN vs. ITALY (ESPN, ESPN Deportes)
Bright House Networks, the nation’s 6th largest multiple system operator (MSO), headquartered in Syracuse, New York, with 2.4 million customers in several large markets including Bakersfield, California; Birmingham, Alabama; Detroit, Michigan; Indianapolis, Indiana; Orlando, Florida and Tampa Bay, Florida started adding new high-definition channels in February 1, 2008 has announced that the cable operator will be adding about 50 high-definition channels in a year’s time. Now the operator is planning to deliver two new HD channels in Indianapolis. Bright House will add Animal Planet HD and Discovery HD in its HD line-up.
Comcast has finally settled to an agreement with Big Ten Network, Comcast the largest cable operator and Big Ten Network have announced on Thursday that they have reached an agreement, this agreement will allow Comcast to carry Big Ten Network programming (Standard and High Definition Channels) starting from August 15. Comcast will also offer broadband and also Video on Demand content (VOD) of Big Ten in time for the 2008 college football season.
This agreement will allow Comcast to offer The Big Ten Network in its expanded basic level of service for the customers in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania with an excemption of Philadelphia, where Comcast will offer the programming in digital programming package from August 15. Comcast may move the Big Ten Network to digital level of service in all the above states in the spring 2009. During the launch of the network during end of August last year, DirecTV was the only provider to add the network in its basic package. Comcast was reluctant to include the network in the basic package and wanted to add it in the Sports tier, which requires extra fees. Comcast customers are now pleased that they will be able to access to an extensive schedule of conference sports events and shows, original programs in academics, the arts and sciences, campus activities and associated personalities.
“We are very pleased with the agreement we have reached with the Big Ten Network to carry hundreds of live Big Ten events,” said Madison Bond, Executive Vice President, Content Acquisition, Comcast Cable. “We will be providing our customers with Big Ten programming through our signature video-on-demand service, and will have lots of highlights, replays, scores and more through Comcast.net so fans can keep pace with Big Ten action whenever they want to.”
Comcast Corporation is planning to launch its three channels in high-definition by December. Comcast will launch E! Entertainment Television, The Golf Channel and Versus in HD to improve its HD programming schedule. According to www.multichannelnews.com, E! Entertainment Television network offers a wide range of programming in standard definition like awards shows, gossip, celebrity programs and reality fare will be in HD when the Cable operator launches the high-definition during December. Comcast also plans to replace Versus/Golf HD channel (operators like Cablevision) with new Versus HD channel. The Golf Channel also be launched in HD and the networks has not reached any carriage deal and can be expected very soon.
ESPN will start the six-year agreement with All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club with the extensive Wimbledon Coverage on ESPN2 and ESPN360.com. ESPN will provide nearly 100 hours of Wimbledon through ESPN2, ESPN360.com, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Classic, ESPN International and on ESPN Interactive Television.
ESPN2 will start the coverage on Monday, June 23 and end up on Sunday, July 6. ESPN will start the coverage of the oldest and most prestigious tennis championship in the world, Wimbledon at 7.00 AM ET. The features of the ESPN’s Wimbledon coverage are :
Extensive live coverage of matches on major ESPN Networks, including all-day coverage the first week
One ladies semifinal on July 3 and one gentlemen’s semifinal on July 4
SportsCenter will present a one hour coverage at Wimbledon immediately following NBC’s coverage of the ladies Final on Saturday, July 5 at 2 PM and gentle men’s Final on Sunday, July 6 at 3 PM.
DirecTV started the second season broadcast of the Championship Gaming Series (CGS) in high-definition. DirecTV’s channel begin the broadcast on The 101, an original entertainment network on Monday, June 16 at 10 p.m. EDT and will broadcast live in HD every Monday and Wednesday night and will close up with North America Final on July 7 and the World Final starting July 14.
“This has been a record year for the video game industry and interest in professional video gaming has never been higher,” said Eric Shanks, executive vice president DIRECTV Entertainment. “Gaming is the most exciting sport to hit the television industry in years, and we’re dedicating the months of June and July so that our more than 17 million subscribers can take part in all the action, live. With the addition of CGS to our sports line-up, we’ve solidified our placement as the gold standard in programming, providing the most and best sports in HD. No other cable or satellite provider can top our sports offerings.”
DirecTV started the broadcast on June 16 at 10 p.m. EDT, the North American (NA) competition with San Francisco Optx against Dallas Venom. Then at 11:30 p.m. EDT the rematch of the summer as the 2007 World Champion Chicago Chimera came with runners-up Carolina Core in a battle for bragging rights. The season will continue throughout the remainder of June as all six teams, including Los Angeles Complexity and New York 3D, vie for a playoff spot and a chance to compete for $1,000,000 in prize money, with the winning team receiving a payout of $500,000.
Cox Communications have announced that they are launching five HD channels in high-definition in New England markets from June 18. The New England market of Cox Communications includes Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The launch of five new HD channel by the cable operator are :
Bravo HD
CNBC HD
Lifetime HD
Sci-Channel HD and
USA Network HD
ESPN have reached an agreement with Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) to bring an exclusive coverage of the new CONCACAF Champions League to fans in
Mexico
Central America
South America and
The Caribbean
ESPN has obtained the television, online, broadband and radio rights to CONCACAF Champions League for the next four seasons starting in 2008-09. ESPN has obtained exclusive broadcast rights for a minumum of 64 CONCACAF Champions League matches via television, radio, internet and broadband in Mexico. This will also extend to Central America, South American and the Caribbean, and will commence with matches from the preliminary stage taking place August 26-28th.
“We are pleased to have reached this agreement with CONCACAF,” said Tim Bunnell, senior vice president, programming and marketing, ESPN International. “I am thrilled that ESPN can play a part in showcasing this exciting new property across its platforms. The scope of this agreement offers us with a tremendous opportunity to serve soccer fans in the region. “
“We are excited to be working with ESPN over the next four years,” CONCACAF General Secretary Chuck Blazer. “We are confident ESPN’s multiple media platforms will help maximize awareness of the CONCACAF Champions League™ throughout Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean.”
The 2008 UEFA European Football Championship are underway and ESPN Network provides live coverage of the “Euro 2008″ games in the United States. Few games are to be broadcasted on ESPN and ESPN Classic and many games are beamed on ESPN2 and ESPNDeportes. ABC will bring the Final and a random quarterfinal game.
Euro 2008 Matches Schedule
Saturday 06-14-2008
11:50 a.m.- Sweden vs. Spain D (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes)
2:30 p.m.- Greece vs. Russia D (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes)
Sunday 06-15-2008
2:30 p.m.- Switzerland vs. Portugal A (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes)
2:30 p.m.- Turkey vs. Czech Republic A (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes)
5 p.m.- Turkey vs. Czech Republic (ESPN Deportes)
Monday 06-16-2008
2:30 p.m.- Poland vs. Croatia B (ESPN Classic)
2:30 p.m.- Austria vs. Germany B (ESPN, ESPN Deportes)
5 p.m.- Poland vs. Croatia (ESPN Deportes)
Tuesday 06-17-2008
2:30 p.m.- Netherlands vs. Romania C (ESPN Classic)
2:30 p.m.- France vs. Italy C (ESPN, ESPN Deportes)
5 p.m.- Netherlands vs. Romania (ESPN Deportes)
Wednesday 06-18-2008
2:30 p.m.- Greece vs. Spain D (ESPN, ESPN Deportes)
2:30 p.m.- Russia vs. Sweden D (ESPN2)
7 p.m.- Russia vs. Sweden (ESPN Deportes)
Quarterfinals Stage:
Thursday 06-19-2008 2:30 p.m.- 1st Group A vs. 2nd Group B (ESPN, ESPN Deportes)
Friday 06-20-2008 2:30 p.m.- 1st Group B vs. 2nd Group A (ESPN, ESPN Deportes)
Saturday 06-21-2008 2:30 p.m.- 1st Group C vs. 2nd Group D (ABC)
Sunday 06-22-2008 2:55 p.m.- 1st Group D vs. 2nd Group C (ESPN, ESPN Deportes)
Semifinals Stage:
Wednesday 06-25-2008 2:30 p.m.- Winners (ESPN, ESPN Deportes)
Thursday 06-26-2008 2:30 p.m.- Winners (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes)
Finals:
Sunday 06-29-2008 2:30 p.m. - Euro 2008 Title Match from Vienna (ABC)
