ESPN Caribbean presents UEFA EURO 2012 - Live Coverage of all 31 Matches

DOUBLE-HEADER JUNE 8TH BEGINS QUADRENNIAL TOURNEY

ESPN Caribbean will air all 31 matches LIVE of the UEFA European Football Championship™ 2012 on its ESPN Caribbean and ESPN2 Caribbean television networks and recently launched broadband network ESPNPlay.com. ESPN Caribbean is the only entity that will carry ALL matches of the event in the region; the tournament runs from Friday, June 8 to Sunday, July 1, from eight cities across Poland and Ukraine.

The ESPN Caribbean network and ESPNPlay.com kick-off coverage this Friday with Poland vs. Greece at 11:30 a.m. and Russia vs. Czech Republic at 2:30 p.m. ESPN Caribbean will also air encore telecasts of the opening matches on the same day at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m., respectively (all times Eastern). 

In addition to live coverage of every match, ESPN Caribbean’s expansive coverage of the event includes nightly news, analysis and highlight studio shows; highlights and interviews on ESPNCaribbean.com; and prime time, encore telecasts of matches at 8 and 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 and 11 p.m. on Sunday. 

ESPNPlay.com, the recently launched broadband network for live sports programming, will also keep all round-robin games archived until the European Leagues begin in August; the quarters, semis and finals will be archived through December 31, 2012.  ESPNPlay.com is available to fans with subscriptions to participating pay TV service providers.

“ESPN Caribbean is dedicating our multimedia resources to provide the most comprehensive coverage of Euro 2012 to fans throughout the region,” said Bernard Stewart, Vice President and General Manager, Caribbean and Maritime Media.  “Expert analysis, in-depth highlight programs, and the addition of ESPNPlay.com underscore our commitment to giving fans the comprehensive, top quality coverage of this major event they expect from ESPN.”

Match Commentators

ESPN’s match commentators will be led by play-by-play announcer Ian Darke and analyst Steve McManaman, booth partners for Barclays Premier League matches.  McManaman, a Liverpool FC legend and former England National Team player, had his best performances representing his country at the UEFA European Football Championship 1996.  McManaman’s inspired play propelled England to its only semifinal appearance in the UEFA European Championship.

Other match analysts include former Premier League midfielder Robbie Mustoe, former U.S. Men’s National Team goalkeeper Kasey Keller, and former New England Revolution and U.S. Men’s National Team striker Taylor Twellman.  Mustoe, a match analyst for ESPN International who was part of ESPN’s award-winning presentation of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa, will be paired with international football voice Adrian Healey.  Keller and Twellman will split match analyst roles working with ESPN UK’s Derek Rae, while also contributing studio analysis.

News and Information/Studio Shows

Throughout UEFA Euro 2012, ESPN Press Pass, ESPN’s football discussion and analysis show that looks at the global game with a global perspective, will connect fans with all the latest from Poland and Ukraine. Expanding to seven nights a week for the duration of the tournament, the studio show generally will air at 7 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday and 8 p.m. ET on Sunday.

Already featuring an outstanding and diverse group of contributors – including former European professionals, commentators and top journalists – Press Pass will feature Trinidad & Tobago goalkeeper Shaka Hislop, Jamaica’s Robbie Earle, football commentator Tommy Smyth, and other special guest hosts and pundits throughout the tournament, along with ESPN football presenter and reporter Rebecca Lowe, who will make her debut on the show, and former Germany international captain, Michael Ballack, who will make a special appearance on the eve of the tournament, June 7.

ESPN’s Darrell Currie will also provide on-location reports from Poland and the Ukraine throughout the tournament.

Hosted in turns by Dan Thomas, Andrew Orsatti and Lowe, Press Pass brings together a combination of football experts and analysts to discuss multiple topics surrounding UEFA Euro 2012. Among the show’s contributors are:

• Shaka Hislop – former Newcastle United, West Ham United and Trinidad & Tobago goalkeeper
• Robbie Earle – captain of Jamaica’s 1998 World Cup team and former Premier League midfielder
• Steve Nicol – former Scotland international, member of legendary Liverpool teams in 1980s and 90s 
• Robbie Mustoe – midfielder who made his name with Middlesbrough and Charlton Athletic 
• Gabriele Marcotti – journalist, author and expert on European football  
• Tommy Smyth – football commentator and personality 
• Janusz Michallik – Polish-American former United States international  

Euro 2012 Tonight, a half-hour studio show, will recap and analyze the day’s Euro 2012 match action and air generally at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN and ESPN2 Caribbean.  In addition, UEFA EURO 2012, will air prior to or between matches.  Talent for the studio shows will be rotated among hosts Rebecca Lowe and Max Bretos, along with ESPN’s match analysts and special guests, including Michael Ballack.

Key Matchups in the Group Stage:

• Germany vs. Portugal (Sat., June 9 at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN; re-aired at 10:00 p.m. on ESPN2):  Germany has beaten Portugal in their last two matches – at the 2006 FIFA World Cup and UEFA EURO 2008.  Each team needs a result in the first of their three Group matches.
• Spain vs. Italy (Sun., June 10 at 11:45 a.m. on ESPN; re-aired at 9 p.m. on ESPN):  A matchup between the last two FIFA World Cup champions in their first Group C match, where both teams are favored to advance.
• France vs. England (Mon., June 11 at 11:45 a.m. on ESPN; re-aired at 8 p.m. on ESPN):  Traditional powers in European soccer entering the tournament with a recent history of underachieving in marquee tournaments 
• Netherlands vs. Germany (Wed., June 13 at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN; re-aired at 10 p.m. on ESPN):  Traditional European rivals and two of the top teams in the world playing in the second of three matches in Group B – the tournament’s “group of death.”
• Groups Stage Schedule attached

Group Stage Schedule (subject to change) and Re-airs*

About UEFA European Football Championship™ 2012

With 13 of the 16 national teams in the championship ranked among top 20 teams in the FIFA World Rankings, the UEFA European Football Championship is arguably the most prestigious and competitive international football tournament in the world.  The first championship was in 1960, hosted by France. Teams representing the 16 nations compete in the Championship.  Of these, 14 earned spots in the three-week tournament following a two-year qualification process among 50 UEFA member nations while the host nations – Poland and Ukraine – received automatic berths.

Current 2010 FIFA World Cup champion, Spain, won the last European Championship – UEFA EURO 2008 – hosted by Austria and Switzerland.

FOOTBALL ON ESPN CARIBBEAN NETWORKS

ESPN Caribbean networks are the home of premier football championship events and top league competitions from around the world. ESPN airs the Barclays Premier League, Spain’s La Liga, Italian Serie A, Dutch Eredivisie, German Bundesliga, Euro 2012 Qualifiers, UEFA Euro 2012 & 2016, World Cup Qualifiers, International Friendlies, Brazilian Paulista, Brazilian Championship, Major League Soccer, Europa League and Copa Del Rey.