ESPN To Broadcast All Six Nights of the 2019 Aurora Games on ESPNU, ESPN3

ESPN announced at The espnW Summit NYC that it will be the exclusive broadcaster of the inaugural Aurora Games Festival, designed to provide a platform to shine a light on women’s sports and culture. From August 20 – 25, the landmark event, being held at the Times Union Center in Albany, New York, will air on ESPNU and ESPN3 all six nights.

“What better way to showcase what women are capable of than a festival dedicated to a wide variety of women’s sports, and what better platform to share it than ESPN?” said Carol Stiff, vice president of programming and acquisitions for ESPN. “We are thrilled to tell the unique stories about athletes that shine brightest in their fields, and this special partnership gives us an excellent chance to serve new and existing audiences with coverage of this landmark event and the women behind it.”

Sports at the festival include tennis, gymnastics, basketball, ice hockey, figure skating, and beach volleyball, with table tennis featured as an exhibition offering. The competition will be between Team Americas (consisting of athletes from North and South America) and Team World. Three-time Olympic gold medalist Jackie Joyner-Kersee will captain Team Americas and five-time Olympic gold medalist Nadia Comăneci will captain Team World.

“From the outset, the idea behind the Aurora Games was to provide a platform that shows that women’s sports at the highest levels should have its own platform. With wall to wall live coverage on the ESPN family of networks we have a chance to do just that,” said Jerry Solomon, executive producer and creator of the Aurora Games Festival. “The Aurora Games will create memorable moments and tell personal stories that will be captured for a worldwide audience that will have a chance to become familiar with world-class women’s sports as never before.”

Approximately 150 athletes will compete at the six-day festival, representing more than 20 countries and boasting more than 100 Olympic, World, and National medals.

Among the athletes confirmed to participate are:

• Team Americas: Bianca Andreescu, Lindsay Whalen, Haley Skarupa, Ashley Wagner, Sarah Pavan
• Team World: Garbine Muguruza, Peng SzuChin, Susanna Tapani, Michelle Timms, Venla Hovi

For the complete schedule, click HERE.