· SportsCenter, First Take, SportsNation, ESPN Radio’s The Herd with Colin Cowherd, Sirius XM’s Stephen A. Smith Show, ESPN Radio LA710 Max & Marcellus in Las Vegas
· Coverage from Las Vegas on ESPN Deportes’ News and Information Platforms, Semana de Campeones
· “All-Access” Specials
· Special Thursday edition of ESPN Friday Night Fights, Noche de Combates
· Pre- and post-fight Analysis, Stories on ESPN.com, ESPN Deportes.com, ESPN The Magazine
MicESPN will present extensive pre- and post-fight coverage across its platforms in English and Spanish of the much- anticipated 12-round welterweight unification title fight between undefeated five-division world champion Floyd “Money” Mayweather (47-0, 26 KOs) and eight-division world champion Manny “Pac-Man” Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs). ESPN’s week-long coverage will begin with SportsCenter live from Las Vegas this Sunday, April 26, at 11 p.m. ET, and culminate with live post-fight coverage and reactions immediately following the bout. In addition, ESPN International will present coverage across its networks in Latin America, Brazil, the Caribbean and Pacific Rim and globally on ESPN.com and other digital media platforms. The fight, from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, will take place on Saturday, May 2.
Highlights:
Television
SportsCenter
ESPN’s Hannah Storm, Lindsay Czarniak, Stan Verrett, Neil Everett, Steve Levy, Jay Harris, Max Bretos, Robert Flores, and Joe Tessitore will anchor live coverage from Las Vegas throughout fight week, while ESPN boxing analysts Teddy Atlas and Dan Rafael will provide expert insights and analyses. Hall of Fame referee and ESPN analyst Joe Cortez, PTI co-host Michael Wilbon, First Take’s Stephen A. Smith, SportsCenter anchor Kenny Mayne, SportsCenter fan correspondent Reese Waters, ESPN NBA analysts Tim Legler and Chauncey Billups will also contribute to coverage. Reporters Josina Anderson, Bernardo Osuna, and Jeremy Schaap will be on site providing live reports with Osuna covering Pacquiao’s camp and Schaap covering Mayweather’s camp. Additionally, former world champion Bernard Hopkins will serve as a special guest analyst. Celebrity guests will also join SportsCenter throughout the week to pick their winner between Mayweather and Pacquiao.
SportsCenter will originate from various locations, including Drai’s Beach Club, the MGM Grand main pool, MGM Grand Garden Arena, MGM Grand Theatre and MGM Grand Media Tent for pre and post-fight coverage. As part of the “SportsCenter on the Road” initiative, live shows will also come via the “SportsCenter on the Road” bus at the Caesars Palace pool, and Mandalay Bay wave beach pool. The actual boxing ring where Muhammad Ali and Larry Holmes fought on October 2, 1980 will be used as part of SportsCenter’s set at the Caesars Palace pool with the SportsCenter desk inside the ring.
SportsCenter throughout the week will include:
· “All-access” pieces with both fighters;
· Taped boxing demonstrations with Atlas, in which he demonstrates what each fighter needs to do to win;
· Taped “Inside the Ring” demonstrations with Cortez. Cortez will provide demonstrations from the referee’s perspective.
· Roundtable discussions including various guests.
SportsCenter Specials will include:
· SportsCenter Special Mayweather-Pacquiao presented by Cricket Wireless- A preview show covering the arrival of Pacquiao and his caravan (Monday, April 27, 8 p.m., ESPN2);
· SportsCenter Special Mayweather-Pacquiao presented by Cricket Wireless – A preview show covering the fighters Grand Arrivals (Tuesday, April 28, 8 p.m., ESPN);
· SportsCenter Special–Mayweather-Pacquiao Press Conference presented by Cricket Wireless live (Wednesday, April 29, 4 p.m., ESPN);
· SportsCenter Special–Mayweather-Pacquiao Weigh-In presented by Cricket Wireless live (Friday, May 1, 5 p.m., ESPN2);
· SportsCenter Special–Mayweather/Pacquiao Red Carpet presented by Cricket Wireless live (Saturday, May 2, 8 p.m., ESPN);
· SportsCenter Special–Mayweather/Pacquiao post-match presented by Cricket Wireless live (Saturday, May 2, approx. 12 a.m., ESPN).
#MayweatherWins and #PacquiaoWins
The @SportsCenter Twitter handle will conduct a week-long vote using the hashtags #MayweatherWins and #PacquiaoWins. The winner of the fight, as voted on by the fans, will be revealed late in the week on SportsCenter with a special performance from KÀ by Cirque du Soleil.
Outside the Lines
The April 24 edition of Outside the Lines (2 p.m., ESPN) will feature a story detailing Mayweather’s history with domestic violence and the reaction through the years by boxing officials.
All-Access Specials
· Mayweather: Behind the Scenes: A 30-minute show created from the seven-plus hours that ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith spent with Mayweather at his home that gives viewers access to Mayweather’s training camp.
Wednesday, April 29—ESPN2
8 p.m. – Mayweather: Behind the Scenes
Thursday, April 30—ESPN2
8:30 p.m. – Mayweather: Behind the Scenes
Saturday, May 2—ESPN2
6:30 a.m. – Mayweather: Behind the Scenes
8 a.m. – Mayweather: Behind the Scenes
10 a.m. – Mayweather: Behind the Scenes
Saturday, May 2—ABC
4 p.m. Mayweather: Behind the Scenes
· Inside Mayweather/Pacquaio: Three, 30-minute SHOWTIME produced shows will air on ESPN2 throughout fight week.
Wednesday, April 29—ESPN2
8:30 p.m. – Inside Mayweather/Pacquiao (Episode #1)
9 p.m. – Inside Mayweather/Pacquiao (Episode #2)
Thursday, April 30—ESPN2
8 p.m. – Inside Mayweather/Pacquiao (Episode #3)
Saturday, May 2—ESPN2
8:30 a.m. – Inside Mayweather/Pacquiao (Episodes #1 through #3)
10:30 a.m. – Inside Mayweather/Pacquiao (Episodes #1 through #3)
First Take
ESPN2’s two-hour weekday morning live debate show, First Take (10 a.m-12 p.m.) will emanate poolside from the MGM Grand Wednesday—Friday. Host Cari Champion, and featured commentators Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless will debate Mayweather-Pacquiao and more. In addition, a First Take Special: Mayweather/Pacquiao show will air in prime time on Wednesday April 29, at 9:30 p.m. on ESPN2. Celebrity guests throughout the week are scheduled to include Jake Gyllenhaal, Jamie Foxx and 50 Cent.
SportsNation
ESPN2’ s SportsNation (weekdays 3-4 p.m.) with Michelle Beadle, Max Kellerman and Marcellus Wiley, will originate poolside from the MGM Grand Wednesday—Friday. The show will welcome celebrity guests and local Vegas acts as well as feature boxing-themed stunts throughout the show.
Special Thursday Edition of ESPN Friday Night Fights and Noche de Combates
Two days before Mayweather-Pacquiao, a special Thursday edition of ESPN Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra and Noche de Combates presentado por Corona Extra will air live April 30, at 9 p.m. on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and via WatchESPN. The show, from the Pearl Theatre at Palms Casino Resort, will be headlined by former world titleholder Ishe “Sugar Shay” Smith (26-7, 12 KOs) taking on Cecil McCalla (20-1, 7 KOs) in a 10-round junior middleweight bout.
Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas will describe the action on ESPN2, while studio host Todd Grisham will be on site providing the latest news on Mayweather-Pacquiao. Pablo Viruega and Delvin Rodríguez will call the fights ringside for Noche de Combates on ESPN Deportes, while Leopoldo González and Claudia Trejos will co-anchor the studio on site. Bilingual reporter Bernardo Osuna will provide live interviews and reports for both shows.
ESPN Classic Boxing Marathon
ESPN Classic will present 26 hours of historic boxing matches, including Mayweather’s first professional fight (televised on Friday Night Fights), beginning Friday, May 1, at 7 p.m.
ESPN Deportes
ESPN’s Spanish-language network, ESPN Deportes, will have extensive news and information coverage throughout fight week from Las Vegas on SportsCenter, Nación ESPN, Cronómetro and more. ESPN Deportes’ David Faitelson, Claudia Trejos, Jorge Eduardo Sanchez, Karina Correa, Alba Galindo, Renato Bermudez, Alvaro Morales, Mauricio Pedroza, Bernardo Osuna, Carlos Nava, Julio Cesar Chavez, Juan Manuel Marquez, and Joe Cortez will be on site providing all the latest news, insight and analysis. Shows will all originate from the MGM Grand with satellite components from around Las Vegas. The network is set to offer approximately 80 hours of programming beginning Sunday, April 26.
Show highlights for the week include:
· Semana de Campeones (Week of Champions) shows every night throughout fight week:
o Monday-Wednesday’s one-hour shows will air at 10 p.m. on ESPN Deportes;
o Thursday’s Semana de Campeones telecast (8 p.m., ESPN Deportes) will lead in to the special edition of Noche de Combates (9 p.m. ESPN Deportes);
o Friday’s live, two-hour Semana de Campeones show (5:30 p.m., ESPN Deportes), from the MGM Grand Garden Arena will cover the official weigh-in;
o Saturday’s live, one-hour Semana de Campeones shows, from the Media Center at the MGM Grand Arena, will air prior to the fight (8 p.m., ESPN Deportes) and following the fight ( 2 a.m., ESPN Deportes). Leading up to the pre-show special, live segments and hourly updates will begin at 3 p.m.
Radio
The Herd with Colin Cowherd
ESPN Radio’s The Herd with Colin Cowherd (weekdays, 10 a.m.–1 p.m., ESPN Radio, the ESPN Radio app, espnradio.com, SiriusXM, iTunes Radio, Slacker, TuneIn and simulcast on ESPNU) will broadcast poolside from Mandalay Bay Wednesday-Friday.
The Stephen A. Smith Show and Red Carpet Special with Stephen A. Smith
SirusXM’s The Stephen A. Smith Show (weekdays, 1–3 p.m.)—produced by ESPN—will broadcast live from radio row at the MGM Grand Wednesday—Friday. In addition, Smith will host an afternoon Red Carpet Special that will be broadcast nationally on ESPN Radio from the MGM Grand lobby on Saturday from 12-3 p.m.
Max & Marcellus
ESPN Radio LA710 Max & Marcellus (weekdays 5:45 p.m.–10 p.m./ 2:45 p.m.–7 p.m. PT) with Max Kellerman and Marcellus Wiley will broadcast live from radio row at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas Wednesday—Friday.
Digital and Print
ESPN3
Coverage of the press conference on Wednesday, April 29, at 4 p.m., and weigh-in on Friday, May 1, at 6 p.m., will be live on ESPN3 via WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app and streamed on televisions through Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox 360 and Xbox One to fans who receive their Internet or video subscription from an affiliated provider.
ESPN.com and ESPNDeportes.com
Highlights:
· Comprehensive coverage, including pre- and post-fight features, videos, blogs and predictions from ESPN’s Dan Rafael, Brian Campbell, Ray Flores, Tim Keown, Brett Okamoto, Darren Rovell, Pablo Torre, Nigel Collins, Rafe Bartholomew, Charles Pierce, Wally Matthews and ESPN Deportes’ Carlos Nava, Salvador Rodriguez, Carlos Narvaez and Joe Cortez;
· “Fight Credential,” ESPN.com’s home page for all Mayweather-Pacquiao coverage, will be updated with features, video, photos and social media from all platforms throughout the week and through the fight.
· Blog dedicated to the Mayweather-Pacquiao bout with contributions from Rafael, Rovell and others;
· Special edition of ESPN.com’s original boxing show Making the Rounds, featuring a combination of ESPN, HBO and SHOWTIME talent;
· Career timelines, which include photo galleries of both Mayweather and Pacquiao;
· Story with opponents who have fought both Mayweather and Pacquiao;
· Live fight coverage, featuring commentary from Rafael, Campbell and Okamoto and Rafael’s unofficial scorecard, on ESPN.com’s “Now” feed;
· Stories highlighting the referee of the fight as well as the judges;
· ESPN Deportes.com dedicated microsite specific to the Mayweather-Pacquiao title bout;
· Daily Mayweather-Pacquiao features on ESPNDeportes.com;
Other highlights include:
· In-depth feature on Pacquiao as an entertainer by Torre;
· A look at the 10 most-anticipated fights in boxing history by Collins;
· Animated gifs, done in “Street Fighter” style, showing possible Mayweather-Pacquiao outcomes.
The Undefeated: Pacquiao vs. Mayweather – Life After Death
Amid the glitz surrounding Pacquiao vs. Mayweather, “The Undefeated” – ESPN’s new site on race, sports and urban culture – critically examines the fight and its place in boxing history. Written by Brando Starkey with reporting by Justin Tinsley, the opinion-forming piece will post on www.espn.com on Tuesday, April 28, a foretaste of the in-depth journalism that will be “The Undefeated’s” calling card.
Highlights:
· Are Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather boxing’s defibrillators, last-gasp instruments trying to shock life into the long-dead sport of boxing?;
· An in-depth examination of why boxing collapsed;
· Boxing began its downfall during the first onslaught of integration – a sport that has always been for the desperate and the poor had its talent pipeline gutted in the early 1970s when mainstream colleges began pervasively recruiting poor black kids to play football and basketball;
· Posits that Pacquiao-Mayweather is another boxing gimmick, no different from 45-year-old Foreman and post-prison Tyson, preying on the nostalgia of fight fans;
· At 36 and 38 years of age, Pacquiao and Mayweather, respectively, are both well past their primes. This is the movie Grudge Match, a marketing blitz, and with neither fighter on the same level as the all-time greats of yesteryears.
ESPN The Magazine
ESPN The Magazine’s “Fight for Perfection” Issue, scheduled to hit newsstands Friday, May 1, features Floyd Mayweather on the cover, accompanied by a profile written by Tim Keown. The third installment of the Keown on Mayweather series in The Mag [following the Money Issue in 2012 and the Fight Issue in 2013], will focus on Mayweather’s controversial “antics.” The feature, slated to run on ESPN.com Wednesday, April 29 also includes an overall preview of his May 2 bout versus Manny Pacquiao. In addition, the issue will provide an all-access photo story of Pacquiao written by The Mag’s Pablo Torre.
