ESPN will provide extensive NCAA Men’s Final Four analysis, news and interviews from two locations in New Orleans, site of the championship, across multiple shows and platforms Thursday, March 29, to Monday, April 2.
The reports from New Orleans will be highlighted by daily SportsCenter segmentsThursday, March 29, to Monday, April 2; two two-hour College GameDay Driven by State Farm shows before the semifinals (Saturday, March 31, at noon ET) and championship (Monday, April 2, at 7 p.m.); a two-hour College Basketball SportsCenter Special on Saturday, March 31, at 4 p.m.; and a SportsCenter special between the semifinal games Saturday, March 31, at 8 p.m.
ESPN will have at least 11 hosts, analysts and reporters in New Orleans for the five days of coverage.
SportsCenter and College GameDay segments and shows from New Orleans will originate from two set locations: inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Saturday, March 31, and April 2, and at Jackson Square on Thursday, March 29 to Monday, April 2.
Highlights:
SportsCenter
ESPN’s men’s college basketball studio host Rece Davis and SportsCenter anchor John Anderson will share hosting duties. Dick Vitale, Jay Bilas, Digger Phelps, Jimmy Dykes, Bob Knight, Hubert Davis and Len Elmore will provide analysis. ESPN.com senior writer Andy Katz and reporter Shannon Spake will provide news and updates from New Orleans. Highlights:
- Thursday, March 29: Interviews with coaches and players
- Friday, March 30: Live coverage of team practices and press conferences with analysis and updates
- Saturday, March 31: In-depth analysis as part of pre- and postgame segments as well as a special show between the National Semifinals at 8 p.m.
- Sunday, April 1: News, updates, interviews and analysis, coverage of the National Championship game coaches and players press conferences, and Katz conducting a Sunday Conversation interview with the two coaches
- Monday, April 2: An extensive day-long preview of that night’s National Championship and post-game coverage
College GameDay
ESPN will televise two day-of-game editions of College GameDay: a two-hour show Saturday, March 31, at noon previewing the National Semifinal matchups and a two-hour Championship preview Monday, April 2, at 7 p.m. Rece Davis and Anderson will host the programs with analysis from Bilas, Phelps, Hubert Davis, Knight, Elmore and Dykes. Katz and Spake will provide reports.
In addition, the Saturday edition of College GameDay will include the announcement of the 2012 John R. Wooden Award Men’s Player of the Year. The John R. Wooden Award All American Team was also announced on ESPN.com this past Monday.
College Basketball SportsCenter Special
ESPN will televise a two-hour College Basketball SportsCenter Special from New Orleans leading up to the National Semifinal games Saturday, March 31, at 4 p.m. Host John Anderson and analysts Vitale, Knight, Elmore and Dykes will update storylines and provide an in-depth look at each matchup with keys to the game, players to watch and more. Katz and Spake will provide reports from inside the Superdome.
ESPNU
ESPNU will provide special shows, marathons and more, as part of the Tournament Countdown programming:
- ESPNU’s roster of former coaches will discuss the X’s & O’s before the matchups as part of a special Tournament Countdown: ESPNU Film Room Thursday, March 29, at 11 p.m. with encore telecasts on Friday, March 30, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, March 31, at 10 a.m.
- Four back-to-back 30-minute editions of Road to the Championship on Friday, March 30, will highlight the journey Kansas, Ohio State, Louisville and Kentucky took to reach the Final Four. The specials will begin at 11 a.m. with Kansas followed by Ohio State at 11:30 a.m., Louisville at noon and Kentucky at 12:30 p.m. Encore presentations focusing on the National Championship teams will be aired on Monday, April 2 at 4 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
- Special editions of SportsCenterU on Friday, March 30, at 1 p.m. and Saturday, March 31, at 11 p.m. will feature analysis, news and coverage of the coaches’ press conferences.
- Two Tournament Countdown: The Experts shows. The first on Monday, April 2, at 1 p.m. will include a panel of ESPN analysts reviewing the National Semifinals and previewing the National Championship. A post-championship The Experts on Tuesday, April 3, at 1 p.m. will take a look back after the game after they crown the champion.
- ESPNU will also offer a special two-hour College Basketball Live: National Championship Special on Monday, April 4, at 5 p.m.
ESPN.com and ESPN Mobile
ESPN.com will have complete Final Four coverage from its lineup of experts and analysts, including Eamonn Brennan, Andy Katz, Jason King, Myron Medcalf, Dana O’Neil, and Gene Wojciechowski. ESPN Mobile will also carry coverage from writers and analysts, keeping fans up to date on the latest news and highlights on mobile devices via a special section on the new ESPN mobile Web. Fans can sign up for ESPN Alerts to receive real-time information on the game (scores, starts, etc.), breaking news and more. Additionally, fans won’t be far from checking the latest news and their brackets while on the go with the 2012 updated ESPN Bracket Bound free app available in the App Store and Android Market.
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