SportsCenter All-Access To Provide Real-Time Look Into Making Of April 10th Episode

For years, ESPN’s award-winning “This is SportsCenter” advertising campaign has taken fans into the corridors, cafes and control rooms of ESPN. On April 10 at 10 p.m. ET  on ESPN, in a special “SportsCenter All-Access,” viewers will get a real-time look into what it takes to create the iconic sports news and information program. The live episode – presented with limited commercial interruptions – will follow ESPN’s telecast of the New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox and will run until midnight.

Anchored by Steve Levy and Michael Eaves, this special SportsCenter will include roving reporters Elle Duncan and Marty Smith bringing fans to seldom seen places around ESPN’s Bristol campus. Planned access includes a live look inside SportsCenter’s home, Studio X, and the SC control room; entry into the screening room, where highlights are created; a visit to the SC Top 10 laboratory; a stop in the SC Green Room and other unseen workspaces within the state-of-the-art Digital Center 2, where the show originates from.

“We often hear from fans who are interested in what goes on away from the SportsCenter set,” said Norby Williamson, ESPN executive vice president and executive editor, studio production. “In this all access edition, we’re going to take them places they normally wouldn’t go and show them things they normally wouldn’t see, all in a fun and entertaining manner, while continuing to deliver the day’s sports news in SportsCenter’s signature style.”

Fans will get a regular SportsCenter viewing experience amplified by integrated cut-ins depicting how the show is assembled and presented. For instance, after airing a particular game highlight, viewers might get a live report from screening explaining how that highlight was assembled.

Also scheduled to join the show are: Mel Kiper, Jr., with an updated NFL Mock Draft, Stephen A. Smith and Michael Wilbon live from the Celtics-Wizards game in Washington, D.C. A sampling of “This is SportsCenter” spots will also be included.

“You never know who – or what – will show up for this type of event,” Williamson said. “Sometimes, the ‘This is SportsCenter’ ads really do come to fruition and half the fun is seeing that develop.”

The program will be supported on SportsCenter’s various social media platforms with additional content, as well as live-tweeting from @ESPNPR. Similar executions of the all access concept for SportsCenter were done in 2003 and 2004.