Extensive Coverage of USA and Mexico National Teams on Sept. 6 and 10 FIFA International Match Days
ESPN media platforms will combine to provide unprecedented coverage of the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying match between USA and Mexico on Tuesday, Sept. 10, live from Columbus Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. ESPN’s presentation will begin with a special 90-minute ESPN FC preview show from the stadium at 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2, followed by a one-hour pregame show beginning at 7 p.m., and leading into live match coverage at 8 p.m. on ESPN and WatchESPN.
In addition, ESPN Deportes Radio will broadcast the match. ESPN Deportes TV’s Spanish-language news and information coverage will include full editions and segments of shows from Columbus on programs such as SportsCenter, Futbol Picante and Raza Deportiva.
The USA-Mexico match will potentially qualify the U.S. Men’s National Team (USMNT) for Brazil 2014. More than 220 credentials have been issued to ESPN personnel providing match and surround content to fans via a myriad of platforms, making USA vs. Mexico the most comprehensive commitment by a media company in the United States for a single soccer event.
SportsCenter and Other Additional Coverage:
Beginning Sunday, Sept. 8, SportsCenter will preview the USA vs. Mexico match including reporting by award-winning journalist Jeremy Schaap (USA) and ESPN’s Mexico City-based reporter John Sutcliffe (Mexico). ESPN’s USA vs. Mexico highlights:
- 11 English-language on-air commentators across ESPN’s match telecast and studio programming: Bob Ley (match host) and Dan Thomas (ESPN FC host); Ian Darke (play-by-play); Shaka Hislop, Kasey Keller, Alexi Lalas, Alejandro Moreno, Jorge Ramos and Taylor Twellman (analysts); and Schaap and Sutcliffe (reporters);
- ESPN Deportes Radio match broadcast: Ramos and Hernan Pereyra;
- Six Spanish-language commentators headline ESPN Deportes’ news and information programming: José Ramón Fernández (host), Roberto Gomez Junco, Luis Roberto Alves (better known as “Zague”), Rafa Puente, Ricardo Puig, and Heriberto Murrieta;
- In all, ESPN will use 18 on-air commentators – studio hosts, match play-by-play commentators, analysts, studio analysts and reporters – to cover the match across TV and audio networks;
- For the first time, ESPN FC on TV will be on site to present a 90-minute pre-match show live from Columbus on ESPN2, beginning at 5:30 p.m.;
- Schaap, who covered the U.S. Men’s National Team’s last two FIFA World Cup campaigns (Germany 2006, South Africa 2010) returns to reporting the team’s news through Brazil 2014;
- Three studio set locations: Event host set for one-hour pre-match show, halftime and post-match shows (on the field); ESPN FC set inside the stadium by the “Fan Fest” entrance; and ESPN Deportes set on the stadium parking lot;
- SportsCenter interviews and reporting, throughout the day beginning at 9 a.m. through post-match segments on the overnight edition (1 a.m. ET / 10 p.m. PT) of ESPN’s flagship program, hosted by Ley;
- Immediately following the end of the match, ESPN3 will carry a 30-minute ESPN FC Boot Room Extra and ESPN2 will air a 30-minute ESPN FC program at 2 a.m. (11 p.m. PT) recapping the USA-Mexico match;
- From 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., ESPN Classic will air the last three U.S. Men’s National Team wins over Mexico’s National Team in Columbus, all 2-0 victories in FIFA World Cup qualifying contests (Feb. 28, 2001; Sept. 4, 2005, and Feb. 11, 2009). The marathon will include the 0-0 tie at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca on March 26, 2013.
USA vs. Mexico on ESPN, WatchESPN and ESPN Deportes Radio – Tuesday, Sept. 10, at 7 PM
- Commentators: Darke, Twellman and “El Tri on ESPN” analyst Moreno;
- Sideline reporters: Schaap (USA) and Sutcliffe (Mexico);
- Studio: Ley, Keller, Lalas and ESPN Deportes’ Ramos;
- One-hour pre-match will include interviews with players on both teams by Schaap (USA) and Sutcliffe (Mexico);
- Schaap profiles of DeMarcus Beasley, who capped his career resurgence leading the U.S. Men’s National Team to a 2013 Gold Cup title this summer. Beasley plays for Puebla A.C. and is one of many U.S. players competing in Mexico’s Liga MX;
- Sutcliffe travelled to Valencia, Spain, for an all-access look at Mexican National Team midfielder Andrés Guardado, who has played in Spain’s La Liga since 2007 and is currently with Valencia CF.
| Date | Time (ET) | Program | Networks |
| Tue, Sept 10 | 5:30 p.m. | ESPN FC on TV | ESPN2 & WatchESPN |
| 6 p.m. | Futbol Picante – USA/Mexico Preview | ESPN Deportes & WatchESPN | |
| 7 p.m. | USA-Mexico Pre-Match | ESPN & WatchESPN | |
| 8 p.m. | USA vs. Mexico | ESPN, WatchESPN & ESPN Deportes Radio | |
| 10 p.m. | Futbol Picante – USA-Mexico Post-game | ESPN Deportes & WatchESPN |
ESPN Deportes/ESPNDeportes.com/ESPN Deportes Radio
ESPN’s Spanish-language media platforms – ESPN Deportes, ESPNDeportes.com and ESPN Deportes Radio – will provide comprehensive news and information coverage of the USA match live from Columbus Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. Additionally, ESPN Deportes Radio and ESPNDeportes.com will feature live updates and onsite reporting throughout the day.
ESPN Deportes’ studio news and information programming around USA-Mexico: Raza Deportiva (10 a.m.-10:55 a.m.); Destino Brazil (1-1:55 p.m.); Futbol Picante – preview special (6 –8 p.m.); Futbol Picante – post-game special (10 p.m.-12 a.m.); and SportsCenter (1-2 a.m.).
ESPN FC on Digital Platforms
ESPNFC.com will cover the USA-Mexico match with writers and commentators reporting from Columbus and around the globe. Doug McIntyre and Roger Bennett will be on site to cover the match complete with previews, post-match coverage, player grades and exclusives surrounding the U.S. Men’s National Team. Additionally, comprehensive coverage of the Mexican National Team will be provided by ESPN FC bloggers Eric Gomez and Andrea Canales. In collaboration with ESPN Deportes, ESPN FC will coordinate coverage to deliver key analysis specifically aimed at Hispanic-American fans from Rafa Ramos and David Faitelson. ESPNFC.com will also host a live 2.5-hour Boot Room chat during the match with digital content tied to segments of ESPN FC on ESPN2.
ESPN3
The live multi-screen sports network available in 85 million homes, will offer three different feeds of the USA-Mexico match – each focusing on an exclusive camera angle. Highlights:
- The “Goal Line Cam” – a robotic camera with a unique view of fans and action around the goal line and penalty box. The camera will be mounted on the awning high above one of the goals on the field;
- “Star Player Cam” – a manned camera that will follow key U.S. National Team players (Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley, Jozy Altidore, Landon Donovan, et al) throughout the match; and
- “End Zone Cam” – A wide-angle view of the entire field.
USA and Mexico on FIFA Match Day Friday, Sept. 6
ESPN media networks and digital outlets will cover the U.S. and Mexican national teams on FIFA international match day (Friday, Sept. 6), highlighted by the live presentation of Mexico vs. Honduras (ESPNEWS and WatchESPN, 9:15 p.m.) as well as news and information reporting for Costa Rica vs. USA. ESPNEWS’s presentation will be live from Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
- Commentators: Fernando Palomo, Moreno and reporter Sutcliffe;
- ESPNEWS’ coverage of Mexico-Honduras will feature an isolation camera tracking Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez – Mexico’s Manchester United striker – throughout the match;
- ESPN FC on TV: Thomas (host) and analysts Lalas and Twellman will handle halftime segments and a special, one-hour post-game edition reviewing key results from the FIFA international match day on ESPNEWS at 11:30 p.m.;
- Bob Ley, traveling with the U.S. Men’s National Team, will report for SportsCenter from San Jose, Costa Rica beginning Thursday, Sept. 5.
Click here for ESPN schedule on FIFA international match dates in September 2013.
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