New Multi-Year Agreement with NFL Films
NFL Matchup, ESPN’s popular 30-minute weekly X’s and O’s preview and analysis show that uses team-supplied coaching footage to discuss NFL strategy and tactics, will continue on the network this fall thanks to a new, multiyear agreement with NFL Films. One of the few programs that offers an “inside the film room” perspective, Matchup has been popular among football fans since it debuted on ESPN in 1994.
ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio will continue to host with Monday Night Football analyst Ron Jaworski and studio analyst Merril Hoge. The show will continue to be produced by NFL Films, under the direction of longtime producer Greg Cosell. It will originate from the NFL Films headquarters in Mount Laurel, N.J., and ESPN will now oversee selling sponsorship of the program.
NFL Matchup will air at 3 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. on NFL Sundays, beginning with the regular-season kickoff weekend Sept. 12 and will continue through Super Bowl Sunday on Feb. 6, 2011. Beginning in Week 17, the show will add a re-air most Sundays at 8:30 a.m. on ESPN2, and during the 2011 NFL season it will move to this time on a week-by-week basis.
The top five metered markets who watched ESPN’s NFL Matchup during the 2009 NFL season are Columbus, Ohio (1.7 household rating), New Orleans (1.6), Charlotte (1.5), Birmingham, Ala. (1.4) and Dayton, Ohio (1.4). In addition to New Orleans and Charlotte, other highly-rated NFL cities for the program included Cleveland (1.2), Cincinnati (1.1) and Washington, D.C. (1.1).
Next Week …
ESPN Ultimate NFL Rankings Unveiled July 6-9; Guest Analyst Jay Ratliff of Dallas Cowboys
ESPN’s roster of NFL analysts and Insiders was polled to determine the “Ultimate NFL Rankings,” a power ranking of the 32 teams looking ahead to the 2010 NFL season. ESPN will reveal eight teams per day Tuesday, July 6, through Friday, July 9, on NFL Live and SportsCenter, counting down from No. 32 to No. 1. ESPN studio analysts Mark Schlereth, Mike Golic, Matt Millen and Marcellus Wiley will offer their perspective on the teams and rankings each day, and Dallas Cowboys nose tackle Jay Ratliff will make a guest analyst appearance Wednesday and Thursday.
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