Once again, it’s another busy week. Lots of premieres of various studio programs begin this week as Fox Sports 1’s launch continues. In addition, there are plenty of live games as we speed towards the beginning of college football next week and the NFL in September. Let’s get started.
TELEVISION
We have a lot of studio shows premiering and a majority of them are on Fox Sports 1. NBCSN also kicks off a show this week. This is what we have for you. We’ll break it down by network.
FOX SPORTS 1
Three of Fox Sports 1’s regular series premiere on Monday. They all have eclectic casts and are supposed to be “fun” because that’s what Fox wants. The listing of shows with brief synopsis is below.
Fox Soccer Daily, 4 p.m. ET
Brian McBride, Rob Stone, Warren Barton, Eric Wynalda and Julie Stewart-Binks (left to right)
This will be Fox’s entry into daily soccer talk. ESPN’s ESPN FC premiered last week. According to Fox, this show will discuss the beautiful game and bring highlights from the world’s soccer leagues. That is the world’s soccer leagues except for the English Premier League as Fox did not pay to air them. And while ESPN did for ESPN FC, you won’t see any EPL highlights on Fox Soccer Daily. Julie Stewart-Binks will be the main host and she’ll be joined by Fox Soccer holdovers Warren Barton, Brian McBride and Eric Wynalda. Sports Illustrated soccer beat writer Grant Wahl will also contribute to the program.
Crowd Goes Wild, 5 p.m.
Jason Gay, Katie Nolan, Michael Kosta, Regis Philbin, Trevor Pryce and Georgie Thompson (left to right)
This is the Regis Philbin-led show that has some observers scratching their heads. Regis is going to host the show and have a cast of characters discussing the day’s events. The others involved in the show are Georgie Thompson, Katie Nolan, Jason Gay, Michael Kosta and Trevor Pryce. Unlike most of Fox Sports 1’s studio shows, Crowd Goes Wild originates from New York and will be taped in front of a live studio audience. Fox says the show will not embrace debate as ESPN’s shows have done.
Fox Football Daily, 6 p.m.
This goes up directly against ESPN’s early SportsCenter and this might be the show that cuts into the ratings. With Curt Menefee hosting and a cast featuring Ronde Barber, Scott Fujita, insider Jay Glazer, Randy Moss, rules analyst Mike Pereira and Brian Urlacher, the show will discuss football year-round. Mike Hill and college football analyst Joel Klatt will also be contributors to the program. In addition, Fox NFL Sunday’s cast members will make various appearances during the season.
Jones and Moseley Show, Sundays at 6 p.m.
Co-hosted by former NFL linebacker Dhani Jones and former Olympic freestyle skier Jonny Moseley, Fox promises that this will be a Wide World of Sports-type show. Ok.
Those are the shows premiering on Fox Sports 1 in the Week Ahead.
NBCSN
Yes, the NBC Sports Network also has a show premiering this week. Here’s a brief description.
Sports Dash, noon ET
This show takes the place of “The Box Score,” the Dan Patrick Show’s wrap-up program and an outdoors series (don’t ask me which one). Dave Briggs who was canned after a few short months as the stiff co-host of “The Crossover” has another opportunity to front an NBCSN show. This time, he’ll be teamed with Carolyn Manno. This is another show that will talk about the day’s events utilizing Yahoo Sports Trends, social media and some of Yahoo Sports’ personalities. Sports Dash will be co-produced with Yahoo and originate from NBC Sports’ world headquarters in Connecticut. In addition, a companion on-line show will be streamed at Yahoo.com, NBCSports.com and on the NBC Sports Live Extra app.
We’ll see how many of these survive in a year.
Also, HBO’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel returns on Tuesday at 9 p.m. with an all-new edition. Among the stories, a look at former wrestler Diamond Dallas Page and how yoga has helped him overcome depression and his fellow wrestlers, and a profile on former tennis star and Fox Sports Live’s Andy Roddick.
ESPN’s critically-acclaimed, but low-rated Nine for IX series continues on Tuesday with a look at the US Women’s Soccer team titled “The 99ers”, focusing on the team that won the FIFA Women’s World Cup and set the bar for the future of the sport. That will premiere at 8 p.m. with multiple re-airs during the week on the ESPN family of networks.
And one more TV note, CBS Sports Network moves its channel position on DirecTV from the 600’s to 221, joining the other sports networks. It completes a week of change on DirecTV which began on Saturday when Fox Sports 1 and MAVTV changed positions.
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Lots of games this week including one on Monday, another on Wednesday and another nine during the weekend. Here are the matches that will be seen in the Week Ahead.
Monday, August 19
Manchester City vs. Newcastle, NBCSN, 3 p.m.
Wednesday, August 21
Chelsea vs. Aston Villa, NBCSN, 3 p.m.
Saturday, August 24
Premier League Live — NBCSN, 7 a.m.
Fulham vs. Arsenal — NBCSN/mun2, 7:45 a.m.
Newcastle vs. West Ham United — NBCSN, 10 a.m.
Everton vs. West Bromwich Albion — Extra Time, 10 a.m.
Southampton vs. Sunderland — Extra Time, 10 a.m.
Hill City vs. Norwich — Extra Time, 10 a.m.
Stoke City vs. Crystal Palace — Extra Time, 10 a.m.
Aston Villa vs. Liverpool — NBC, 12:30 p.m.
Match of the Day — NBCSN, 11 p.m.
Sunday, August 25
Premier League Live — NBCSN, 10:30 a.m.
Tottenham Hotspur vs. Swansea City — NBCSN/mun2, 11 a.m.
Cardiff vs. Manchester City — Extra Time, 11 a.m.
Premier League Goal Zone — NBCSN, 1 p.m.
Match of the Day II — NBCSN, 11 p.m.
GOLF
The PGA Tour now enters the first leg of the FedEx Cup playoffs with The Barclays taking place in Jersey City, NJ. Golf Channel and CBS combine for coverage of the tournament.
Thursday — Golf Channel, 3 p.m.
Friday — Golf Channel, 3 p.m.
Saturday — Golf Channel, 1 p.m./CBS, 3 p.m.
Sunday — Golf Channel, noon/CBS, 2 p.m.
The LPGA Tour heads up north to Canada for the Canadian’s Women’s Open at Oakville, Ontario. Golf Channel has all four rounds with the first three rounds tape delayed.
Thursday — Golf Channel, 6:30 p.m. (same day coverage)
Saturday — Golf Channel, 12:30 a.m. (delayed from Friday) & 5 p.m. (same day coverage)
Sunday — Golf Channel, 4 p.m.
Golf Channel also has live coverage of the European PGA Tour, Champions Tour and Web.com Tour during the week.
LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES
Games take place in Williamsport, PA and culminate in the Championship Games this weekend. I’m not going to list the games Monday through Thursday, but here’s what happening over the weekend.
Saturday, August 24
International Championship — ABC, 12:30 p.m.
United States Championship — ABC, 3:30 p.m.
Sunday, August 25
Third Place Game — ESPN, 11 a.m.
World Series Championship — ABC, 3 p.m.
MLB
The Boston Red Sox trip to the West Coast for Interleague series between the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers will get national coverage this week. ESPN2 has a rare late Monday game as the Red Sox take on the Giants and MLB Network has Wednesday afternoon’s game. Then on during the weekend, Fox and ESPN both carry the Red Sox and Dodgers on Saturday and Sunday night respectively.
Here’s the national schedule for you.
Monday, August 19
Tampa Bay at Baltimore — MLB Network, 7 p.m.
Boston at San Francisco — ESPN2
Tuesday, August 20
Tampa Bay at Baltimore or Arizona at Cincinnati — MLB Network, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, August 21
Seattle at Oakland or Boston at San Francisco — MLB Network, 3:30 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Baltimore — ESPN2, 7 p.m.
Washington at Chicago Cubs — WGN America, 8 p.m.
Thursday, August 22
Arizona at Cincinnati — MLB Network, 12:30 p.m.
Washington at Chicago Cubs — WGN America, 2:20 p.m.
Chicago White Sox at Kansas City or Atlanta at St. Louis — MLB Network, 8 p.m.
Friday, August 23
Texas at Chicago White Sox or Atlanta at St. Louis — MLB Network, 8 p.m.
Saturday, August 24
Boston at Los Angeles Dodgers or Detroit at New York Mets or Oakland at Baltimore — Fox, 4 p.m.
Texas at Chicago White Sox (Civil Rights Game) or Atlanta at St. Louis — MLB Network, 8 p.m.
Chicago Cubs at San Diego — WGN America, 8:30 p.m.
Sunday, August 25
Atlanta at St. Louis — TBS, 2:15 p.m.
Chicago Cubs at San Diego — WGN America, 4 p.m.
Boston at Los Angeles Dodgers — ESPN, 8 p.m.
MLS
Friday, August 23
Chicago vs. Sporting KC — NBC Sports Network, 8:30 p.m.
Sunday, August 25
Chivas USA vs. New York — Univision Deportes, 5 p.m.
MOTORSPORTS
Formula 1
Sunday, August 25
Grand Prix of Belgium — NBCSN, 8 a.m.
IndyCar
Grand Prix of Sonoma — NBCSN, 4 p.m.
NASCAR
Camping World Truck Series
UNOH 200, Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, TN — Fox Sports 1, 8 p.m.
Nationwide Series
Food City 250, Bristol, TN — ESPN, 7:30 p.m.
Sprint Cup Series
Irwin Tools Night Race — ABC, 7:30 p.m.
NFL PRESEASON
Eight games will be aired live nationally. All of the NFL’s TV partners will have games this week with ESPN on Thursday, CBS and NFL Network on Friday and Saturday and then Fox and NBC on Sunday.
Here’s how the schedule shakes out.
Thursday, August 22
Carolina at Baltimore — ESPN, 8 p.m.
Friday, August 23
Seattle at Green Bay — CBS, 8 p.m.
Chicago at Oakland — NFL Network, 11 p.m. (joined in progress)
Saturday, August 24
Buffalo at Washington — NFL Network, 4:30 p.m.
St. Louis at Denver — CBS, 8 p.m.
San Diego at Arizona — NFL Network, 11 p.m. (joined in progress)
Sunday, August 25
New Orleans at Houston — Fox, 4 p.m.
Minnesota at San Francisco — NBC, 8 p.m.
The third installment of Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Cincinnati Bengals airs on HBO at 10 p.m. on Tuesday. We’ll see if James Harrison scolds the NFL Films cameras.
TENNIS
This week marks the final tuneup tournaments before the U.S. Open next week. The U.S. Open Series has its stops in New Haven, CT for the women and Winston-Salem, NC for the men. CBS, Tennis Channel and ESPN2 divide the coverage. Here’s the schedule:
ATP Tour
Winston-Salem Open
Thursday — Quarterfinals, ESPN2, 3 p.m. & 10 p.m./Tennis Channel, 5 p.m.
Friday — Semifinals, ESPN2, 3 p.m./Tennis Channel, 9 p.m.
Saturday — Final, CBS, 12:30 p.m.
WTA Tour
New Haven Open at Yale
Wednesday — Round of 16, Tennis Channel, 1 p.m. & 7 p.m.
Thursday — Quarterfinals, ESPN2, 1 p.m./Tennis Channel, 7 p.m.
Friday — Semifinals, ESPN2, 1 p.m. & 7 p.m.
Saturday — Final, ESPN2, 3 p.m.
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Champions League action returns this week as the playoff round begins. Ten winners come out of this round to join the 22 automatic qualifiers to the Group Stage. Fox Sports 1 and 2, Fox Soccer and Fox Soccer Plus, and Fox Sports Net combine to carry games on Tuesday and Wednesday. Here’s the schedule for you.
Tuesday, August 20
PSV Eindhoven vs. AC Milan — Fox Sports 1, 2:30 p.m.
Lyon vs. Real Sociedad — Fox Sports 2, 2:30 p.m.
Paços Ferreira vs. Zenit — Fox Soccer, 2:30 p.m.
Plzeñ vs. Maribor — Fox Sports Net, 2:30 p.m.
Wednesday, August 21
Fenerbahçe vs. Arsenal — Fox Sports 1, 2:30 p.m.
Schalke vs. PAOK — Fox Soccer, 2:30 p.m.
Dinamo Zagreb vs. Austria Wien — Fox Sports Net, 2:30 p.m.
OTHER SPORTS
Boxing
Fox Sports 1 has its first boxing card on Monday through Oscar de la Hoya’s Golden Boy Productions.
ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights is in Verona, NY for the fight between Argenis Mendez vs. Arash Usmansee.
Showtime’s World Championship Boxing heads to Carson, CA for the WBC Featherweight Championship between Abner Mares and Jhonny Gonzalez.
Cycling
NBCSN and NBC combine for week-long coverage of the USA Pro Challenge which goes through Colorado. Most of the coverage will be live.
College Football
This is the only time you’ll see College Football under “Other Sports,” but as this is the last week before live games begin, I’ll put it here for this week only. College GameDay’s season premiere is this Saturday at 11 a.m. ET with its Season Preview on ESPN.
Horse Racing
Summer at Saratoga Series continues on NBC with the Travers Stakes and the King’s Bishop Stakes on Saturday at 4:30 p.m.
WNBA
Tuesday, August 20
Minnesota Lynx at Atlanta Dream — NBA TV, 7 p.m.
Los Angeles Sparks at Seattle Storm — ESPN2, 10 p.m.
Friday, August 23
San Antonio Silver Stars at Tulsa Shock — NBA TV, 8 p.m.
Seattle Storm at Phoenix Mercury — NBA TV, 10 p.m.
Saturday, August 24
Chicago Sky at Atlanta Dream — ESPN2, 7 p.m.
Sunday, August 25
Tulsa Shock at Los Angeles Sparks — NBA TV, 8:30 p.m.
And that my friends is a look at the Week Ahead in Sports Media. Next week, it’s the premiere of “Olbermann” on ESPN2, the start of the U.S. Open and beginning of the college football season. Oh my. Lots of stuff.
We’ll be here to go over everything.
