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July 17 - Sept. 4
ESPN's flagship news and information program will embark on an unprecedented enterprise with SportsCenter Across America, a 50-states-in-50-days summer tour starting Sunday, July 17 when the entire 11 p.m. ET show, hosted by Chris Berman and Stuart Scott, will originate from Fenway Park following the Yankees-Red Sox game. The 50 States 50 Days initiative will continue the next 49 consecutive days when SportsCenter will traverse the nation, stopping at a sporting event in a different state each day through September 4. (Day-by-day schedule below)
Each SportsCenter Across America segment will originate from a mobile SportsCenter set with an anchor and a live audience at a sporting event germane to the state. These daily segments will include event action, historical notes, factoids and vignettes about each state's contribution to the national sports scene, as well as "Best" lists compiled from ESPN research and ESPN.com voters, and several long-form features.
"This is a phenomenal opportunity for ESPN to touch our viewers, to personally meet the fans who watch us every day," said Norby Williamson, senior vice president and managing editor. "Along the way, we will educate our viewers about the varied sporting events popular throughout the country, and point out the well-known, and perhaps not-so-well-known, athletes and events from each state."
Joining opening night co-hosts Berman and Scott as SportsCenter Across America anchors will be John Anderson, Steve Berthiaume, Linda Cohn, Rece Davis, Neil Everett, Brian Kenny, Steve Levy, Kenny Mayne, Chris McKendry, Dan Patrick, Scott Van Pelt, Matt Winer and Trey Wingo.
"I've been fortunate to travel the country in 26 years with ESPN, and the one thing that has impressed me about our network, and SportsCenter in particular, is that everyone feels we reach out to them -- whether it's the South, the West, the Midwest, we always feel welcomed wherever we go," Berman said. "This gives us the chance to get a little closer to our fans, and it's a small way to say 'Thanks,' because ESPN would not be what it is today without support from all 50 states. So, just like the U.S. Senate, every state is represented equally on this tour."
Supporting the 50 States 50 Days tour will be presenting sponsors Bud Light (6 p.m. SportsCenter), American Express (11 p.m.), and Coca-Cola (1 a.m.).
ESPN will capitalize on its expertise of televising thousands of hours of live, remote programming each year by sending five experienced production teams on the road to achieve 50 States 50 Days. They will present a look at an eclectic list of events ranging from duck calling in Louisiana and the annual Elvis 5K Road Race in Memphis, to professional golf, NFL and NASCAR.
ESPN.COM FOLLOWS SPORTSCENTER VIA MANY FORMATS
ESPN.com will allow fans to follow SportsCenter's 50 States 50 Days online, with full coverage beginning July 13. A special section of the leading sports Web site will be devoted to SportsCenter Across America and will include an interactive map highlighting each state; ESPN Motion video, including original behind-the-scenes footage and content from the SportsCenter programs; state-specific pages with facts, figures and SportsNation polls; editorial focusing on events and states throughout the tour; and regular SportsNation chats with notable figures from the state highlighted that day.
SPORTSCENTER ON THE ROAD
While ambitious in its nature, 50 States 50 Days is the latest example of SportsCenter going on the road, following last year's week at an Army base in Kuwait, to annual trips to the Super Bowl, NBA Finals and other major events.
SportsCenter
Debut: September 7, 1979, ESPN's first show. Flagship: SportsCenter is ESPN's flagship studio show and television's only nightly, one-hour sports news program. Offering in-depth reports on breaking news, creative highlights, features and in-depth analysis from award-winning journalists, SportsCenter is television's most comprehensive and longest-running sports news show. The 25,000th show was aired August 25, 2002. Viewership: As many as 88 million people a month watch SportsCenter.
SPORTSCENTER ACROSS AMERICA
DATE CITY, STATE EVENT
July 17 Boston, Mass. Yankees-Red Sox
Best rivalry in sports?
July 18 Manchester, New Hampshire Akron Aeros-New Hampshire Fisher Cats
Eastern League AA Baseball
July 19 Nampa, Idaho Snake River Stampede
Professional Rodeo
July 20 Dyersville, Iowa Field of Dreams
Built for 1988 Kevin Costner movie
July 21 Fairbanks, Alaska World Eskimo-Indian Olympics
Largest cultural event in Alaska
July 22 Staunton, Virginia Foosball Spectacular
4th annual Thunder in the Mountains event
July 23 Oakes, North Dakota Cal Ripken Baseball Tournament
Most experienced level of Babe Ruth ball
July 24 Wakeeney, Kansas 95th Annual Trego County Fair
Chainsaw artist, paintball, rodeo, etc.
July 25 Newport, Rhode Island Swan American Regatta
70 boats competing in Narragansett Bay
July 26 Hood River, Oregon U.S. Windsurfing National Champ
ages 10-70 compete upwind, downwind, slalom
July 27 Lost Prairie, Montana Skydive Lost Prairie Jump Meet
420 skydivers made 6,600 jumps in 2004
July 28 Philadelphia, Mississippi Neshoba County Fair
harness racing at fair dating back to 1889
July 29 Seattle, Washington Freestyle Frisbee Championship.
players expected from all over the world
July 30 Heber Springs, Arkansas Cardboard Boat Racing Championship
100 boats of cardboard, tape, glue, paint
July 31 Grand Blanc, Michigan PGA TOUR Buick Open
Vijay Singh defends his '04 championship
August 1 Durham, North Carolina Charlotte Knights-Durham Bulls
team in Costner's Bull Durham hosts AAA game
August 2 St. Louis, Missouri Marlins-Cardinals
last 2 NL champs at Busch Stadium's last season
August 3 Las Vegas, Nevada American Darters Association National Darts Championship
600 competitors from around the world
August 4 Los Angeles, California Summer X Games XI
Nearly 200,000 fans attended X Games X
August 5 Cody, Wyoming Wild West Balloon Fest
Hot-air balloon competitions and balloon glow
August 6 Maui, Hawaii Hawaiian Canoe Racing Championships
3,000 paddlers last yr.@ Hankao'o Beach
August 7 Indianapolis, Indiana Brickyard 400
NASCAR visits renowned Speedway
August 8 Canton, Ohio AFC-NFC Hall of Fame Game
Dolphins-Bears kick-off NFL pre-season
August 9 Atlanta, Georgia Giants-Braves
Is Bonds back chasing ex-Brave Aaron's record?
August 10 Sturgis, South Dakota Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
half-million bikers visit town of 7,000
August 11 Surprise, Arizona Mesa Miners-Surprise Fighting Falcons
Golden League @ Rangers/Royals Spring home
August 12 Springfield, New Jersey PGA Championship (2nd round)
First time Baltusrol hosts this event
August 13 Memphis, Tennessee Elvis 5K Road Race
Finish Line at gates of Graceland
August 14 Sparta, Kentucky IndyCar Kentucky 300 @ Ky. Speedway
60,000 saw Adrian Fernandez win last year
August 15 New York, New York Rucker Tournament: Entertainer's Classic
Iverson, Marbury, Garnett are alums
August 16 Winsooki, Vermont Tri City Valley Cats-Vermont Expos
Astros-Nationals Class A teams
August 17 Odessa, Texas Friday Night Lights high school team practice
Permian Panthers are 428-114-12 in 45-yr. history
August 18 Snowshow Mountain, West Va. NORBA Mountain Biking
5,000 fans watch 2,000 bikers
August 19 Wilmington, Delaware Lynchburg Hillcats-Wilmington Blue Rocks
Class A Carolina League; Rocks are BoSox affil.
August 20 Machias, Maine Pie-Eating Contest @ Annual Blueberry Festival
1 minute: eat all you can w/hands behind back
August 21 St. Paul, Minnesota Saint Paul Inline Marathon
2,5000 skaters along Mississippi River
August 22 Chicago, Illinois Braves-Cubs
Series dating to1876 resumes at night
August 23 Williamsport, Pennsylvania Little League World Series
Brett, Boggs, Carter & Ryan played here
August 24 Peterson Air Force Base, Col. Armed Forces Women's Softball
Home of U.S./Canada airspace protector
August 25 Jacksonville, Florida Falcons-Jaguars
Young QBs Vick & Leftwich collide
August 26 New Haven, Connecticut Pilot Pen Tennis
Tune-up for U.S. Open
August 27 Port Republic, Maryland Jousting Tournament
Official state sport; 1st state to have one
August 28 Gueydan, Louisiana Gueydan Duck Festival
Includes duck calling; Duck Capitol of America
August 29 Salt Lake City, Utah Colorado Springs Sky Sox-Salt Lake Stingers
Triple A Rockies-Angels affiliates
August 30 Albuquerque, New Mexico World Senior Racquetball Competition
Earl Acuff defends his age 85+ title
August 31 Lincoln, Nebraska Cornhuskers football practice
2nd yr. under ex-Raiders coach Bill Callahan
Sept. 1 Columbia, South Carolina So. Carolina-Central Florida
Steve Spurrier's first game
Sept. 2 McAlester, Oklahoma Prison Rodeo
Only sanctioned rodeo behind prison walls
Sept. 3 Auburn, Alabama Georgia Tech-Auburn
Defending SEC champs open at home
Sept. 4 West Allis, Wisconsin Highland Games & Celtic Fling
Battle axe throw & border collie herding
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