ESPN, ESPN2 add more HD beginning May 7

Beginning Monday, May
7, ESPN and ESPN2 will unveil several enhancements to the morning lineup,
including a new title and location for one series, upgrades to HD and new
studios for multiple programs,
SportsCenter updates on ESPN and ESPN2
and a new feature on ESPN’s morning
SportsCenters designed to give fans a
sense of upcoming segments and topics. In addition, during the morning lineup,
ESPN and ESPN2 will each regularly cross-promote current and upcoming content on
the other network as well as what’s on ESPNEWS, the nation’s only 24-hour sports
news network.

“With ESPN, ESPN2 and
ESPNEWS, fans have three distinct morning options to get the latest sports news,
highlights and insight,” said Norby Williamson, ESPN executive vice president,
studio and remote production. “We’re taking steps to improve the viewer
experience across the board with more high-definition content, additional live
updates and a greater showcase of all offerings.

ESPN2’s schedule will
include eight additional weekday hours of high-definition coverage as both of
the network’s morning block programs will originate from HD studios.
ESPN First Take, formerly
Cold Pizza, will move from New York to Bristol, Conn.
studios for high-definition programs Monday-Friday from 10 a.m.-noon ET (encore
presentation from noon-2 p.m.) on ESPN2.
ESPN First Take will follow ESPN2’s
simulcast of ESPN Radio’s
Mike and Mike
in the Morning (6-10 a.m.), which will move from its current radio studio
home to a high-definition television studio. As a result of ESPN2’s new
high-definition programming, ESPN will add one hour of HD programming per day
with its two 30-minute spin-off series —
Best of Mike and Mike (generally 2:30
p.m.) and
1st and 10 (3
p.m.)
.

Additionally, ESPN’s
flagship brand,
SportsCenter, will
introduce two new elements as part of the morning lineup beginning May 7.
SportsCenter-branded updates will be
presented on ESPN2 during
ESPN First
Take and
Mike and Mike in the
Morning as well as during ESPN’s
SportsCenter. Also, ESPN’s
SportsCenter morning editions (5 a.m. –
noon) will include a constant “Rundown” graphic along the side of the screen
informing viewers of what’s next on that program.