Comprehensive MLB Postseason Coverage Across ESPN Platforms; Every Game on ESPN Radio

ESPN MLB commentators John Kruk, Bobby Valentine, Orel Hershiser, Curt Schilling, Barry Larkin, Nomar Garciaparra, Rick Sutcliffe, Aaron Boone, Chris Singleton, Karl Ravech and Dan Shulman share insight on a variety of topics related to the end of the regular season and start of the postseason.

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ESPN’s Comprehensive MLB Postseason Coverage

➢ ESPN Radio
o For the 14th consecutive year, ESPN Radio will exclusively broadcast every postseason game including the World Series;
o Sunday Night Baseball’s Dan Shulman, Bobby Valentine and Orel Hershiser will provide commentary for the World Series;
o Shulman and Hershiser (ALCS);
o Jon Sciambi and Valentine (NLCS);
o All games will be available on ESPNRadio.com and via the ESPN Radio mobile app.

➢ Baseball Tonight & SportsCenter
o Baseball Tonight will be televised nightly throughout the postseason;
o SportsCenter will present daily highlights, news and information and analysis throughout the postseason including segments with Baseball Tonight commentators and reports from the game sites.

➢ ESPN.com
o Extensive game coverage and breaking news, video analysis, stats/info blog and reporter essays;
o Interactive SportsNation playoffs bracket;
o “Postseason Live” interactive chat;
o World Series timeline reviewing significant moments in the history of the Fall Classic.

➢ Social Media
o ESPN MLB commentators will continue to regularly tweet throughout the postseason;
o original content on ESPN’s Baseball Tonight Facebook page (at least five posts per day – 10 a.m. ET, 3 p.m., 7 p.m., 10 p.m., 2 a.m.);
o Facebook page content will include predictions, daily debates, videos and photos;
o ESPN.com stories fed via the @ESPN_MLB Twitter feed.

➢ ESPN International
o ESPN Brazil and ESPN America in Europe will telecast all 2011 MLB playoff games;
o ESPN International will broadcast up to 10 Division Series games and all NLCS and World Series games throughout Latin America, Caribbean, Africa, New Zealand and the Middle East.

➢ ESPN Classic
o Classic World Series programming Oct. 17 (7-8 a.m.), Oct. 18 (12-3 a.m.; 7 a.m.-midnight), and Oct. 19 (12-3 a.m.; 7 a.m.-midnight);
o Schedule will include historic World Series games, classic conversations, SportsCentury and Who’s #1 telecasts.

ESPN MLB Audience Increases Across Platforms

➢ Through 68 telecasts (entering Wednesday night), ESPN was up three percent in viewers (1,434,000 vs. 1,386,000), two percent among households (1,115,000 vs. 1,093,000) and the network was on pace with last year’s 1.1. rating, according to Nielsen;
➢ Sunday Night Baseball wrapped up the season with a five percent increase in viewers (2,294,000 vs. 2,177,000), four percent among households (1,720,000 vs. 1,656,000) and even with last year’s 1.7 rating;
➢ MLB content on ESPN’s mobile properties is up 27 percent in total minutes and 20 percent in visits compared to 2010;
➢ ESPN.com’s MLB section is up 25 percent in total minutes and 17 percent in visits over last year.