ESPN to Air 2,000th Remote HD Telecast Aug. 5

ESPN will produce its 2,000th remote telecast in high definition on Sunday, Aug. 5 when the New York Mets visit the Chicago Cubs on Sunday Night Baseball. Sunday Night Baseball was the first event ESPN produced in HD on March 30, 2003. The telecast will mark the milestone with clips of ESPN’s first game in high definition plus memorable show moments from the first four years of ESPN HD and ESPN2 HD.

Since its first HD telecast, ESPN has been the industry leader in providing nationally televised live sporting events in the 16×9 format. Initially geared to deliver 100 live events per year, ESPN quickly accommodated fans’ demand for more high definition programming by launching ESPN2 HD in January of 2005, and currently produces over 800 HD remote telecasts per year. In 2007, ESPN will provide more than 9,000 hours of HD programming for the TV sports fan.

“Sports fans love their games more than anything else and our two services and our people have set new standards for viewer satisfaction,” said Bryan Burns, vice president, strategic business planning and development. “From engineering specifications and technical considerations to set manufacturing and retail display, and, especially, consumer acceptance, ESPN’s high definition programming has helped to move the television industry forward.”

ESPN was first in providing several high definition elements in its telecasts, including:

HD radio frequency cameras for Major League Baseball and NASCAR
HD SkyCam
HD Scuba Cam at McCovey Cove for the 2007 MLB All-Star game
HD in-car cameras for NASCAR

“Whether it’s HD or other forms of new technology, we are always evaluating how we can enhance our fans’ viewing experience,” added Rick Abbott, vice president, remote operations. “By incorporating innovative industry advancements, we have consistently been able to provide the best live HD remote telecasts for our viewers.”

ESPN HD and ESPN2 HD will deliver more than 9,000 hours in high definition in 2007 including all of ESPN’s NASCAR coverage, NBA telecasts, MLS telecasts, MLB telecasts, college football telecasts, National Hot Rod Association races and coverage of NFL Monday Night Football. 100 percent of ESPN and ESPN2’s Bristol-based studio programming originates in high definition, including SportsCenter, NFL Countdown, NFL Monday Night Countdown, NFL Live, Baseball Tonight, Mike & Mike in the Morning and First Take. The company’s third high definition service, ESPNEWS HD, will launch in early 2008, providing sports fans the opportunity to view sports highlights all day long in high definition.

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