ESPN FC on TV, the company’s new global soccer news and information program, has added four contributors to its diverse roster of hosts, pundits and contributors. The show launches Sunday, August 11, at 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT), on ESPN2.
An extension of the highly successful ESPNFC.com, the program will integrate several elements of the digital platform’s content via social media, the industry-leading ESPN Stats & Information Group’s data visualization analysis, and more. Digital versions of ESPN FC on TV will be available on ESPNFC.com.
The four new ESPN FC on TV contributors:
- Julie Foudy – Former U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team captain, a two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup champion and two-time Olympic Gold medalist, Foudy has parlayed a Hall of Fame career as a player into one of the most versatile careers in sports TV. On ESPN FC, she will focus more on women’s football as well as host long-form interviews and features with top newsmakers in global football.
- Colin Udoh – An award-winning football journalist based in Lagos, Nigeria, and a leading expert on African football, Udoh has covered the last three FIFA World Cups, three Olympic Games and seven African Cup of Nations tournaments. A regular European football analyst on SuperSports, Africa’s top sports network, Udoh will appear on ESPN FC as an African football correspondent.
- Julien Laurens – Accomplished French football journalist based in London, Laurens will provide insight as a French football correspondent on ESPN FC. He works for the French daily Les Parisien, RTL – the Europe-based TV company, and other outlets.
- Alison Bender – UK-based football television presenter, Bender will serve as ESPN FC’s Europe-based reporter covering news and interviews with newsmakers across the top leagues in the region. Her television career spans more than 15 years, and she has worked for Europe’s leading English-language sports television networks – ESPN UK, Sky Sports – and club networks such as Chelsea TV and Real Madrid TV.
Highlights of Recurring Segments on the Daily Soccer Program
The program will feature regular segments that engage viewers and generate conversations among soccer fans. Highlights:
- Americans Abroad (Monday) – In-depth analysis by Taylor Twellman on how U.S. Men’s National Team players are doing at their respective professional clubs abroad, including interviews with key players throughout the season following weekend games.
- EPL Team of the Week (Monday) – Each week, an ESPN FC panel of four pundits will pick a team as the top Premier League club of the week based on its performance from the weekend’s match days. The show will discuss the pick and the team.
- Bloopers with Tommy Smyth (Tuesday) – Every Tuesday, Tommy Smyth will take a lighthearted look at some of the abnormal events, highlights and news in world football.
- Shaka Hislop’s Power Rankings (Thursday) – Former Trinidad & Tobago National Team and 2006 FIFA World Cup goalkeeper Shaka Hislop picks his top-10 clubs in world football, and the panel will debate his choices.
- EPL Weekend Previews (Friday) – Roger Bennett, ESPNFC.com columnist and co-host of Grantland’s “Men In Blazers” podcast, takes a unique look at the Premier League’s weekend fixture including some of the history behind select matchups and rivalries.
About ESPN FC on TV:
The Sunday edition (12 midnight ET) of ESPN FC on TV will be a one-hour program – wrapping up the best highlights, news, reactions and opinions, from the weekend’s soccer action while looking ahead to what the results mean to the teams and their respective leagues. Monday through Friday (5:30 p.m., ESPN2), the program will air for 30-minute editions each day, highlighting the biggest news and issue of the day in soccer.
Additional ESPN FC on TV highlights:
- A daily destination show that will provide U.S. fans with soccer news and information from across the globe;
- Employ ESPN FC’s global reporters, columnists and team bloggers for breaking news, rumors and player-transfer news, focusing primarily on the Barclays Premier League, UEFA Champions League, Spain’s La Liga, Major League Soccer, U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team and the Mexican National Team;
- Interviews with newsmakers, and timely features and profiles of key personalities in the sport;
- Previews of key matches throughout the soccer calendar year (eg. El Clásico, Manchester Derby, top-tier UEFA Champions League matchups, select FIFA World Cup qualifying matchups such as USA vs. Mexico, and more);
- A former licensed professional league match official will join the show to provide insight ion controversial refereeing decisions in key matches.
***Click here for brief questions and answers with ESPN FC coordinating producer Steve Palese.
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