The European Championship - UEFA Euro 2012 is arguably one of the biggest and toughest National team soccer tournaments in the World. The event occurs every four years alternating on even numbered years with the FIFA World Cup. This year, the massive event will take place in Poland and Ukraine who will co-host the event. Euro 2012 kicks off on June 8th and runs until July 1st.
In the United States the Television rights have been awarded to ESPN. ESPN will show every match LIVE in both English and Spanish on their family of television sports channels. Specifically, the Spanish Language broadcasts will air on ESPN Deportes. The english language broadcasts will air on ESPN AND ESPN2.
In all, ESPN family of channels will combine to televise over 200 hours of live exclusive coverage of the UEFA EURO 2012. All the 31 matches will be available live and in high definition on US Television. In addition, ESPN will offer additional coverage US viewers and listeners on the other ESPN multip-platform channels: ESPN3, WatchESPN, ESPN Deportes Radio and ESPN Mobile TV.
Euro 2012 online in the USA
ESPN will offer all 31 matches live on it's broaband channel ESPN3 in both English and Spanish. Subscribers will be able to view all matches on-demand and in replay. ESPN will offer soccer subscribers of Time Warner Cable, Bright House Networks and Verizon FiOS TV access to all matches on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN3 via WatchESPN. Access will be available on tablets via the WatchESPN app.
ESPN’s lead English-language soccer commentator Ian Darke to call first El Clásico match for ESPN3 with former Premier League player Robbie Mustoe as analyst
Continuing its extensive multiplatform coverage of the 2011-2012 season of Spain’s La Liga, ESPN Deportes travels to Spain to provide live television, radio and online coverage of El Clásico - Barcelona vs. Real Madrid, Saturday, April 21 at 2:00 p.m. ET from the Camp Nou in Barcelona. In addition to the live broadcast on ESPN Deportes and ESPN Deportes Radio, ESPN3 will offer live commentary in English from ESPN studios in London by Ian Darke, who will call his first Clásico match for an ESPN network, alongside Robbie Mustoe.
The matches are part of the inaugural Women’s Kirin Challenge Cup, which features three of the top four teams on FIFA Women’s World Rankings. Both contests are rematch of elimination round games that ended in penalty shootouts during the FIFA Women’s World Cup Germany 2011.
Japan Women’s National Team won the Women’s World Cup via shootout after a thrilling 2-2 tie in the title match vs. the U.S. Women, the most-watched soccer event on cable television. In the quarterfinal stage, the U.S. won in a shootout over Brazil following a 2-2 tie.
ESPN’s presentation of the USA–Brazil World Cup match earned a nomination for the 2012 Sports Emmy Awards. The three teams will face each other in a round-robin pre-Olympic series at the Women’s Kirin Challenge Cup.
ESPN networks will combine to televise more than 200 hours of live coverage of the UEFA European Football Championship 2012™ beginning Friday, June 8, through Sunday, July 1, in eight cities across Poland and Ukraine.
The match at Old Trafford is one of the most anticipated Premiership games of the season. ESPN3’s coverage will be available in both English and Spanish languages.
Manchester United has 55 points – two points removed from Manchester City, which is currently at the top of the league standings. Liverpool, with 39 points, is seventh in the standings.
Emotions will run high in the match. In the last League match between the two teams, Liverpool’s Luis Suarez racially abused Manchester United Patrice Evra. Suarez, who was subsequently suspended for eight matches by the English FA, returned to the pitch as a substitute last Monday in Liverpool’s 0-0 draw at home vs. Tottenham Hotspurs.
ESPN continues to provide unmatched multi-platform coverage of Spain’s La Liga, presenting live coverage of El Clásico - Real Madrid vs. Barcelona, Saturday, Dec. 10 at 3:55 p.m. ET from Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid on ESPN Deportes, ESPN Deportes Radio and ESPN3.
The two Spanish giants ranking at the top with only a few points different – Real Madrid, 37 and Barca, 34 - are currently the most prolific teams in the league. With Ronaldo and Messi both the top goal-scorers, this head-to-head battle of El Clásico will have all the drama and excitement fans have come to expect from this rivalry.
PROGRAMMING HIGHLIGHTS
In North America
In the United States, the UEFA Euro 2012 final draw can be watched on ESPN3 USA. ESPN Deportes and ESPN Deportes Radio will also cover the event live. In Canada, The Sports Network – TSN and Reseau des Sports will bring the best of the Euro 2012 final draw in Kyiv with extensive and exclusive coverage involving football fans.
In Europe
Watch the UEFA Euro 2012 final draw live on BBC Two and British EuroSport 1 if you are in the United Kingdom. If you are in Germany, ARD is the place to be during the ceremony. If you are in Greece, watch it on ERT 1. In Spain, Cuatro will be responsible of showing the event.
ESPN Deportes and ESPN3.com have promised to provide viewers with the greatest coverage of the Supercopa de España which will come up on August 14 and August 17. Along with ESPN Deportes Radio, they will broadcast the match live.
The encounter, which is set to kick off at 9pm EST at the Lincoln Field in Philadelphia, will be broadcasted live on ESPN2 and ESPN3. It is expected to attract millions of spectators as the rivalry between the 2 nations continues to grow despite the fact that it is a friendly match.
ESPN’s organization for the coverage of the 2011 AT&T MLS All-Star Game Presented by adidas goes as follows: top MLS commentators John Harkes and Adrian Healey are set to call the action, Rob Stone has been appointed as sideline reporter while studio pre-match, half-time and post-match segments coverage will be conducted by Alexis Lalas, Max Bretos, Taylor Twellman and Steve McManaman live from the Red Bull Arena.
The World Football Challenge commenced on Wednesday with ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, ESPN3.com covering the New England Revolution vs Manchester United match. In another top fixture, Mexican giants Guadalajara will clash against Spanish Copa Del Rey champions Real Madrid on July 20.
Records were set last weekend. Following the exit of top side Brazil, how well can World Cup favorites USA contribute in boosting ESPN’s audience at home with 2 match-days left?
Soccer Fans in the USA can watch the Barcelona vs Real Madrid live streaming on ESPN3.com. The Copa Del Rey Final takes place at 3:30PM EST / 12:30PM PST.
Since most people will be at work during Match kick off time, the option to watch the Clasico #2 online is highly welcomed. ESPN3 is however only available to users who subscribe to ISP providers who subscribe to ESPN3.com. To find out if your ISP subscribes, simply visit ESPN3.com and perform the WATCH NOW test. If your ISP doesn´t subscribe to ESPN3 you will get the following message:
"Your current network falls outside of these categories. Please select your provider from the list. If you can't find your provider, select "Not Found" at the bottom."
If your current work ISP doesn´t subscribe to ESPN3 but your home ISP does subscribe to ESPN3.com, then you are in luck, you can sign up for Remote Access to ESPN3.
ESPN Radio will also broadcast all 64 matches. Today, ESPN FIFA World Cup executive producer Jed Drake announced the ESPN commentator assignments for the first 10 days of the tournament (through each team’s first two matches of pool play). Highlights:
Legendary play-by-play commentator Martin Tyler, who has called every FIFA World Cup tournament since 1978, will pair with former Nigerian National Team player Efan Ekoku on the opening match – South Africa vs. Mexico – from Johannesburg Friday, June 11 at 9:30 a.m. ET (ESPN);
Tyler and former United States National Team captain John Harkes will call the England vs. U.S. match from Rustenburg Saturday, June 12 at 2 p.m. (ABC), one of the most anticipated matches of the tournament;
Harkes will serve as match analyst on all U.S. team matches, paired with different play-by-play commentators;
ESPN coverage of Major League Soccer’s 15th season will begin Thursday, March 25 at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2, ESPN360.com, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN Deportes Radio with a live telecast of the Philadelphia Union at Seattle Sounders FC from Qwest Field in Seattle, Wash. The ESPN MLS Game of the Week will be the inaugural MLS match for Philadelphia as it faces the breakout expansion franchise from a year ago that opened the 2009 season on ESPN. The Union-Sounders FC match will be part of MLS First Kick presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods, a series of eight season-opening weekend matches March 25-27.
MLS First Kick will continue Saturday, March 27 at 7 p.m., on ESPN, ESPN360.com, ESPN Deportes and ESPN Deportes Radio, with the first league match at the new, state-of-the-art Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J., when the New York Red Bulls host Chicago Fire.
MLS season highlights
All 26 regular season matches will be available in high definition, simulcast on ESPN360.com and aired on ESPN Deportes. In addition, ESPN Deportes Radio will broadcast regular season matches and the 2010 MLS All-Star Game;