Network Expands 2017 Coverage to Include Dynamic Pre-meet Ceremonies & New Graphics

SEC Network is debuting new commentators, new roles, new graphics and streaming the razzle-dazzle of Southeastern Conference pre-meet introductions for the 2017 gymnastics season.

“The depth of extension for the sport of gymnastics on television seems limitless,” said Meg Aronowitz, ESPN coordinating producer. “Since we began nationally televising live regular-season SEC meets in 2015 we’ve introduced live scoring interfaces, WIRED coaching segments, quad-box views, live apparatus feeds and expanded our schedule each year. This year’s incredible roster of commentators and the addition of Before the Heights brings an additional layer of authenticity to the electricity of the meets for the viewer at home.”

Chalk Talk
The network vaulted into its 18 meet television schedule – the most live regular-season meets ever slated for television – on Friday, Jan. 6 with Olympians Bart Conner and Kathy Johnson Clarke joined by ESPN reporter Holly Rowe. A fixture in women’s sports reporting, Rowe made her gymnastics debut on Friday. She joins Courtney Kupets Carter beginning Friday, Jan. 13 in her season-long play-by-play role on one of ESPN’s “Friday Night Heights” doubleheader packages.

Also new to the roster, but certainly not the sport, Olympic Medalist (2008), World Champion (2009) and nine-time NCAA National Champion Bridget Sloan joins SEC Network this season as an SEC Now studio-analyst. The recent Florida graduate is the only woman to ever win U.S., World and NCAA Championships in the All-Around competition. Sloan will share her expert opinion every Friday on SEC Now beginning January 20.

“Before college my goal was to make the 2008 Olympics, during college my goal was for my team and I to win a National Championship, after college my goal was to work for SEC Network. To say I’m excited about working for SEC Network is an understatement, I am beyond excited and can’t wait to get started!” – Bridget Sloan

Sloan is also slated as the booth-analyst for the Friday, March 3 matchup of Auburn at Missouri. She will be joined by Laura Rutledge for play-by-play. 2017 marks Rutledge’s third season covering gymnastics as a reporter with Conner and Clarke, and her first season providing play-by-play.

(Full Schedule & Talent Assignments below)

Before the Heights

In addition to eight consecutive week of high-flying competition Fridays on SEC Network, ESPN is bringing even more of the SEC experience home with the debut of “Before the Heights: SEC Gymnastics” on WatchESPN and the ESPN app. Dramatic introductions intensified with well-placed pyrotechnics for SEC home meet pre-shows will stream live beginning Friday, January 13 on SEC Network +. Shimmer and sparkle have never looked so intimidating.

Picture Perfect

ESPN successfully executed a new graphics execution at the SEC and NCAA Championship meets last year (2016) and debuted the new bells & whistles in the regular-season package on SEC Network on January 6. Educational illuminations such as a high bars protractor graphic received immediate praise from the gymnastics community as did a new “corner board” scoring graphic.

SEC Gymnastics TV Schedule:

An additional 16 meets – including a tri (Feb. 10) and a quad meet (Feb. 24) – produced by SEC schools will be available to stream on SEC Network + via WatchESPN and the ESPN app:

-30-