Seen on Screen: ESPN Provides Multiplatform Coverage of The Masters Tournament; NFL Finalizes 2016 Preseason Schedule

by Alicia Montanaro, Editorial Assistant

ESPN has been providing extensive, multiplatform coverage of The Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Coverage has included weeklong news/analysis on its television and digital outlets, as well as live telecasts of the first two days of the tournament. On Thursday, April 7 and Friday, April 8, ESPN and ESPN Deportes aired live coverage of Round 1 and Round 2 action. Prior to this coverage, live updates from Augusta aired on SportsCenter all morning and afternoon. In addition, ESPN aired the traditional Masters Par 3 Contest on Wednesday, April 6 from 3:00-5:00 p.m. ET, followed by a one-hour SportsCenter at the Masters special at 5:00 p.m. ET. Mike Tirico hosted and conducted player interviews during ESPN’s Thursday and Friday telecasts…

…The NFL has announced that it has finalized its 2016 65-game preseason schedule, including eight nationally televised games. The preseason schedule is set to kick off on Sunday, August 7 at 8:00 p.m. ET in Canton, OH, as the Green Bay Packers face the Indianapolis Colts in the NFL/Hall of Fame Game on ESPN…

…ESPN will televise two NFL preseason games as part of its 2016 Monday Night Football schedule. On August 7 at 8:00 p.m. ET, the network will broadcast the Pro Football Hall of Fame game for the first time, as Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts face Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers in Canton, OH. Later in the week, on Saturday, August 13 at 8:00 p.m., ESPN will head to Los Angeles to televise the Los Angeles Rams’ first game at home since its move to Southern California this offseason. ESPN’s 2016 MNF regular-season schedule is expected in the coming weeks…

…13-time Most Popular Driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. will headline Fox Sports’ multiple FanView driver channels during this weekend’s NASCAR events at Texas Motor Speedway. FanView driver channels are available through the Fox Sports Go app delivering multiple camera angles, full graphics packages, and team radio audio. Earnhardt’s FanView Channel will be available for his NASCAR Xfinity Series entry on Friday, April 8 and his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series on Saturday, April 9. A driver channel for former Cup champion Brad Keselowski will also be available on Friday, April 8…

…On Saturday, April 9, CBS will broadcast two CBS Sports Spectacular golf specials: “Keys to the Masters: Secrets of Amen Corner” from 1:30-2:00 p.m. ET, and “The Masters: Building a Champion” from 2:00-3:00 p.m. ET. “Keys to the Masters: Secrets of Amen Corner” provides an in-depth look at the 11th, 12th, and 13th holes at Augusta National Golf Club. The special will dive into the history of the famous stretch at Augusta, as well as its role in determining the winner of the coveted Green Jacket. On the other hand, the one-hour “The Masters: Building a Champion” special takes a look at the PGA of America teaching professionals who act as some of the game’s most famous Masters Champions…

…CBS Sports will broadcast “Jim Nantz Remembers Augusta: Jack Nicklaus at the Masters” on Sunday, April 10 from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. ET on CBS. During the one-hour special, Jim Nantz looks back at the Golden Bear’s legendary career at The Masters. This includes the first time Nicklaus drove from Magnolia Lane in 1959 as an amateur, his win in 1972 in the first tournament played after the death of Augusta National founder Bobby Jones, the 1975 duel with Tom Weiskopf and Jonny Miller, and his historic triumph in 1986 at the age of 46. On the 30th anniversary of the 1986 weekend, Nantz sat down with Nicklaus’ caddy, and son, Jack Jr., who shared his unique perspective…

…Fox has teamed with Major League Baseball to broadcast the pilot Pitch. The drama centers on Ginny (Kylie Bunbury), the first woman to break the gender barrier in the big leagues. Under a new licensing pact, production will film at Petco Park, as Ginny will pitch for the San Diego Padres. Producers have been approved to use various MLB marks, logos, licensed products, uniforms, teams, stadiums, locations, and game footage. In addition, the league will help guarantee the game’s accurate depiction. The hope is that if Pitch moves to series, additional MLB clubs and cameos from some of the biggest names in baseball will be featured…

…On March 31, the QYOU announced a new partnership with Fox Sports to deliver ‘Q-Sport’ episodes to its viewers in Greece, Cyprus, Malta, Turkey, and Israel. The Fox-branded half-hour programs will feature a mix of short form videos showcasing talent across a wide range of action sports including biking, motorcross, surfing, tennis, football, and more. This is the second major deal of modified programming for a TV operator, following QYOU’s recent partnership with Ziggo Sport in the Netherlands. The Fox Sports agreement marks further business expansion across Europe.