To go to the press release, click here.
The Australian Open presented by Franklin Templeton Investments – tennis’ first Grand Slam event of 2010 – will be televised starting Jan. 17 on ESPN2 and broadband ESPN360.com . ESPN2 will increase its programming to 113 live hours in prime time and overnight time slots, plus more in afternoon re-airs, the most in ESPN’s 26-year history with the event. The event will also be in high definition for the first time on ESPN2 HD. ESPN360.com will increase programming, to a record 600 hours – all live from Melbourne, with users having the option to watch action on any of seven courts.
Play begins with the first match of the tournament on ESPN2 and ESPN360.com on Sunday, Jan. 17, at 7 p.m. ET and will continue through the women’s and men’s finals live in the early hours of Saturday, Jan. 30, and Sunday, Jan. 31, respectively (very late on Friday and Saturday nights, respectively).
Cliff Drysdale – who has been with ESPN since its first tennis telecast in 1979 – and sportscasting legend Dick Enberg lead the ESPN2 team. Chris Fowler will again host and call select matches, with Chris McKendry also hosting. Darren Cahill, Mary Carillo, Mary Joe Fernandez, Brad Gilbert and Patrick McEnroe return as analysts, as does Pam Shriver, who will primarily serve as a courtside and studio reporter. Tom Rinaldi will contribute features, news and interviews during event coverage and on SportsCenter.
Click here to listen to this week’s conference call with Darren Cahill, Pam Shriver, Len DeLuca (ESPN programming) and Jamie Reynolds (ESPN event production).
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