ESPN’s 12 hour FA Cup Final marathon

April 19, 2011   ·   1 Comments

ESPN are set to screen 12 hours of coverage for the Manchester City v Stoke FA Cup Final on Saturday, 14th May.

The broadcasters coverage will start at 8am and will feature a number of special programmes including ‘Breakfast at Wembley’ hosted by Mark Durden-Smith with Robbie Savage, plus special live editions of ‘Pardon the Interruption’ with Mark Chapman and Steve Bunce and ‘Talk of The Terrace’ hosted by Kelly Cates, Nat Coombs and Chris Cohen, complete with a live band.

In a one-hour special at midday, FA Cup Legends will feature exclusive interviews with members of the all-time FA Cup XI, as voted for in an ESPN and ESPNsoccernet.com survey of fans. Viewers can watch Sir Alex Ferguson (voted the Greatest FA Cup manager of all time) recall his FA Cup victories, and Ian Rush (voted as a striker in ESPN viewers’ all-time FA Cup XI) recall his two goals in the 1986 final between Liverpool and Everton.

ESPN’s FA Cup Final match coverage will be presented by Ray Stubbs with Rebecca Lowe and Darrell Currie plus guests Kevin Keegan, Robbie Savage, Steve McManaman and John Barnes.  Coverage of the match itself will also be commercial-break free from 30 minutes before kick-off until after the trophy is presented.

Commentary on ESPN and ESPN HD will come from Jon Champion and Chris Waddle. After the match, at 6pm, Nat Coombs will present the ESPN FA Cup Final After Show Party to recap the day and capture the post-match atmosphere.

Beginning at 8am , ESPN’s special FA Cup final coverage will include:

* HD: ESPN HD will feature complete high-definition coverage of the entire 12-hours of FA Cup programming;

* Commercial Free: ESPN will bring fans the FA Cup final commercial free, in association with Wonga, from 2.30pm through to the trophy presentation, giving viewers an uninterrupted countdown to the game, the celebrations afterwards, and a break-free half time with highlights and analysis.

* All Day: A host of dedicated programmes – including Breakfast at Wembley, and special live editions of ESPN’s Pardon the Interruption and Talk of The Terrace - will come live from Wembley as part of ESPN’s build up to the Final.

Ross Hair, Managing Director, ESPN – Europe, Middle East and Africa, said: “The FA Cup final is one of the biggest occasions in the sporting calendar and has a special place in the hearts of football fans everywhere. This year’s Cup has produced some great matches, remarkable stories and amazing upsets. ESPN’s presentation of the final will be the culmination of an approach we’ve taken all season, an approach that has focused on bringing fans closer to the stories around the game and closer to the game itself, delivering innovative coverage whilst also reviving and reflecting on the great traditions of the FA Cup.”

Tags: ESPN, FA Cup Final, Manchester City, Ray Stubbs, Stoke City