ESPN’s Coverage of Pro Football Hall of Fame Weekend

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ESPN’s Coverage of Pro Football Hall of Fame Weekend

ESPN Presents the Enshrinement Ceremony for the 22nd Year
Sean McDonough Makes MNF Debut in ESPN’s First Hall of Fame Game Telecast – Colts vs. Packers

Photos via ESPN Images:
Monday Night Football I Gruden’s QB Camp with Brett Favre I Tom Jackson I Chris Mortensen

This weekend ESPN will present the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony for the 22nd year and the Hall of Fame Game for the first time. One day after former Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy, wide receiver Marvin Harrison and Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre are enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, ESPN’s new Monday Night Football announce team will kick off the NFL preseason with Andrew Luck and the Colts vs. Aaron Rodgers and the Packers.

In addition to Dungy, Harrison and Favre, the 2016 Hall of Fame class includes Edward DeBartolo, Jr., Kevin Greene, Orlando Pace, Ken Stabler and Dick Stanfel.

Coverage begins Saturday, August 6, at 7 p.m. ET when host Trey Wingo anchors ESPN’s telecast of the Enshrinement Ceremony from Canton, Ohio. He’ll be joined by NFL Insider Adam Schefter, national correspondent Sal Paolantonio and NFL analyst Tom Jackson, who will make his farewell appearance after a 29-year career at ESPN. Jackson was one of ESPN’s first NFL analysts and the 2015 Pro Football Hall of Fame Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award winner. He announced his retirement yesterday.

In addition, ESPN host Chris Berman will emcee the Enshrinement Ceremony for the 17th year and ESPN senior NFL Insider Chris Mortensen – who is on leave from ESPN as he battles throat cancer – is expected to attend and accept the 2016 Dick McCann Award for his “long and distinguished contribution to pro football through coverage.”

ESPN’s new MNF play-by-play voice Sean McDonough will make his debut with analyst Jon Gruden on Sunday, August 7, at 8 p.m. ET during the 2016 Hall of Fame Game between the Colts and the Packers from Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Lisa Salters, beginning her fifth season as MNF sideline reporter, will provide in-game and pre-game reports. The telecast will also include in-game interviews with members of this year’s Hall of Fame class.

ESPN’s new Sunday NFL Countdown crew also makes its debut on August 7 with an hour-long pregame show from Canton beginning at 7 p.m. ET. Berman hosts with new NFL analysts Randy Moss, Charles Woodson and Matt Hasselbeck – who was the 2015 backup quarterback to Luck with the Colts, and a backup to Favre in Green Bay. NFL analyst Trent Dilfer will join Countdown next week.

Beyond the Enshrinement Ceremony and the Hall of Fame Game, ESPN platforms will have more coverage surrounding Pro Football Hall of Fame weekend, including:

SportsCenter Special: Gruden’s QB Camp – Brett Favre
Encore presentations of SportsCenter Special: Gruden’s QB Camp – Brett Favre begin today at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. The hour-long show chronicles Favre participating in a film room session and workout with ESPN’s Super Bowl winning head coach. Complete schedule.

ESPN.com:
NFL Nation reporters – including Rob Demovsky (Packers) and Mike Wells (Colts), who will be stationed in Canton – will provide coverage leading up to and surrounding Pro Football Hall of Fame weekend. ESPN.com highlights:

  • Demovsky revisits the trade that sent Favre to the Packers;
  • Live SportsCenter reports from Demovsky and Wells on Saturday;
  • Individual stories and accompanying videos for the Class of 2016;
  • A live post from each individual’s speech; and
  • Mike Sando, Demovsky and Wells will staff the Hall of Fame Game.

NFL Live
Leading into the weekend, ESPN’s NFL Live is airing features on Dungy, Harrison, Favre and DeBartolo. Additionally, former Packers wide receiver Antonio Freeman appeared as a guest on Wednesday, and Sunday NFL Countdown contributor Frank Caliendo has a special Hall of Fame feature planned for Friday.

ESPN’s Hall of Fame Campaign
Earlier this week, ESPN’s marketing team debuted new spots highlighting the 2016 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony and the Hall of Fame Game (Colts vs. Packers). To View.

ESPN will continue its presentation of the Enshrinement Ceremony through 2020.

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Allie Stoneberg

I advance ESPN’s communications and publicity efforts for NFL studio programming, Monday Night Football, the NFL Draft and our coverage of the Canadian Football League and the Arena Football League. I enjoy meeting journalists in person at games and events and delight in showing them around our Bristol, Conn., campus.
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