ESPN & Sky announce 2011 Aviva Premiership games

July 2, 2011   ·   0 Comments

ESPN and Sky Sports have confirmed their first set of live TV games from the 2011-2012 season of the Aviva Premiership.

The new season kicks off in September, with lead broadcaster ESPN offering the first of its 43 live and exclusive matches through the season – including one semi final and the final – weekly TV highlights, classic Premiership Rugby games and extensive online coverage via ESPNscrum.com.

ESPN’s comprehensive live televised coverage of the new season opens with the now traditional double-header at Twickenham on Saturday 3 September as London Irish take on Harlequins at 2pm. The action continues straight after as current champions, Saracens, start the defence of their crown against London Wasps at 4:30pm. The following week, Harlequins and London Wasps are in action again on ESPN as they face championship hopefuls Northampton Saints and Leicester Tigers, respectively.

ESPN’s live televised Aviva Premiership matches will be broadcast on-site at all the grounds from a custom built set, with all pre and post match discussion being led by Mark Durden-Smith alongside analysts Austin Healey and Ben Kay, as well as a special guest from the world of rugby every week. Commentary will come from Nick Mullins together with Healey and Kay, the former England and Leicester second row. Sarra Elgan continues as ESPN’s chief rugby reporter, bringing all the news and player interviews from pitchside.

Aviva Premiership Rugby Highlights returns for the new season and will air every Monday evening at 8:30pm. Hosted by ESPN’s rugby team, the weekly show will look back at the best of the weekend’s action and discuss the key talking points alongside a special studio guest.

Upon the announcement of the initial live fixtures for the 2011/12 Aviva Premiership Rugby season, Jeroen Oerlemans, VP & Channel Manager, ESPN, Europe, Middle East and Africa said: “After a very successful first year of the Aviva Premiership Rugby on ESPN, we will continue to look at innovative ways to evolve and enhance our coverage to improve the experience of viewers and get them as close to the action as possible.”

Sky Sports openers of the new season will see Northampton and Gloucester go head-to-head on September 4, before defending champions Saracens take on Bath at the Rec six days later.

Aviva Premiership Broadcast Schedule

Sat 3rd Sep 11

London Irish

v

Harlequins

ESPN

14:00

Sat 3rd Sep 11

Saracens

v

London Wasps

ESPN

16:30

Sun 4th Sep 11

Northampton Saints

v

Gloucester Rugby

Sky

15:30

Fri 9th Sep 11

Harlequins

v

Northampton Saints

ESPN

19:45

Sat 10th Sep 11

Bath Rugby

v

Saracens

Sky

15:15

Sun 11th Sep 11

London Wasps

v

Leicester Tigers

ESPN

14:15

Sat 17th Sep 11

Newcastle Falcons

v

Leicester Tigers

Sky

15:05

Sat 17th Sep 11

Bath Rugby

v

Exeter Chiefs

ESPN

17:30

Sun 18th Sep 11

Saracens

v

Worcester Warriors

ESPN

14:15

Fri 23rd Sep 11

Sale Sharks

v

Northampton Saints

ESPN

19:45

Sat 24th Sep 11

Leicester Tigers

v

Saracens

ESPN

14:30

Sun 25th Sep 11

Exeter Chiefs

v

London Wasps

Sky

15:00

Fri 30th Sep 11

Worcester Warriors

v

Northampton Saints

ESPN

19:45

Sat 1st Oct 11

Gloucester Rugby

v

London Irish

ESPN

13:00

Sat 1st Oct 11

Bath Rugby

v

Leicester Tigers

Sky

15:15

Sat 8th Oct 11

Northampton Saints

v

Exeter Chiefs

ESPN

14:30

Sat 8th Oct 11

Leicester Tigers

v

Harlequins

ESPN

16:45

Sun 9th Oct 11

London Irish

v

Worcester Warriors

Sky

14:00

Fri 28th Oct 11

Sale Sharks

v

Leicester Tigers

ESPN

19:45

Sat 29th Oct 11

London Irish

v

Bath Rugby

ESPN

14:30

Sat 29th Oct 11

Gloucester Rugby

v

Saracens

Sky

17:30

Sat 5th Nov 11

Leicester Tigers

v

London Irish

Sky

15:05

Sat 5th Nov 11

Exeter Chiefs

v

Gloucester Rugby

ESPN

17:30

Sun 6th Nov 11

London Wasps

v

Northampton Saints

ESPN

14:15

Tags: Aviva Premiership, ESPN, Mark Durden-Smith, Sky Sports