ESPN has unveiled some new football shows that will premiere over the next couple of months. For starters, NFL Insiders which will be co-hosted by Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter launches on Monday, August 5 at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN. This will replace the horrid NFL32 which never really caught on.
On Sunday mornings during the football season, Colin Cowherd will get a one hour show to talk about both college and pro football and it’s aptly titled “Cowherd on Football.” It will air at 9 a.m. ET on ESPN2. You might want to use the ratings block from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. for ESPN2 to protect your children.
ESPN also announces the official premiere of ESPN FC, it’s daily soccer show that will air at 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
The new programming will force some changes in daily afternoon and Sunday morning schedules for both ESPN and ESPN2. The daily edition of Outside the Lines will move from 3 p.m. on ESPN to 4:30 p.m. on ESPN2. On Sunday mornings, it moves to 8 a.m. on ESPN.
College Football Live which has been on at 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN will air at 5 p.m. on the Deuce. And there are some more changes that are outlined in the official ESPN press release below.
New Weekday Lineup on ESPN and ESPN2 Set for Football Season
Adjusted Sunday ESPN2 Schedule Also Coming
Beginning Monday, Aug. 5 and continuing throughout the football season, ESPN and ESPN2 will offer new weekday afternoon programing lineups, resulting from a combination of new shows, expansion of existing programs and different time slots for select series (some of which have already taken place). Additionally for the football season, ESPN2’s Sunday schedule will also have a different look (beginning September 8).
Among the networks’ weekday highlights that take effect in August are the addition of the daily, hour-long NFL Insiders, featuring Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter (ESPN, 3-4 p.m. ET) and the introduction of a daily soccer studio show, ESPN FC (ESPN2, Monday-Friday 5:30-6 p.m. and Sundays at midnight, beginning Sunday, Aug. 11).
On Sundays from September 8 throughout the football season, the revamped ESPN2 schedule will include Cowherd on Football (9-10 a.m.), a new hour-long program focusing on both college and pro football discussion and commentary with host Colin Cowherd. In addition, the ESPN2 Sunday schedule will feature the weekly Outside the Lines at 8 a.m. followed on ESPN2 by The Sports Reporters (8:30 a.m.). Then, Cowherd on Football will lead into SportsCenter (10-11 a.m.) followed by the network’s two-hour Fantasy Football Now (11 a.m. to 1 p.m.). Over on ESPN, the football Sunday morning schedule will continue to consist of SportsCenter through 10 a.m. followed by NFL Countdown from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Outside the Lines (ESPN2, 4:30-5 p.m.) and College Football Live (ESPN2, 5-5:30 p.m.) are also part of the planned August weekday schedule modifications, joining the recently changed new time slots for SportsNation (ESPN2, 3-4 p.m.) and Highly Questionable (ESPN2, 4-4:30 p.m.), as well last month’s expansion of Numbers Never Lie from 30 to 60 minutes (ESPN2, 2-3 p.m.).
“The brand-new lineup is designed to reinforce our commitment to football during the most active time of year,” said Norby Williamson, ESPN executive vice president, programming. “Fans will gain insight from some of ESPN’s leading voices in new settings, while continuing to enjoy a strong mix of emerging shows and valuable, long-established series.”
Below is a snapshot of the weekday lineup as of Monday, Aug. 5 as well as the new Sunday lineup (as of September 8).
NEW ESPN AND ESPN2 FOOTBALL SEASON WEEKDAY LINEUP STARTING MONDAY, AUG. 5
Time (ET) ESPN ESPN2 2-2:30 p.m. SportsCenter Numbers Never Lie 2:30-3 p.m. 3-3:30 p.m. NFL Insiders SportsNation 3:30-4 p.m. 4-4:30 p.m. NFL Live Highly Questionable 4:30-5 p.m. Outside the Lines 5-5:30 p.m. Around the Horn College Football Live 5:30-6 p.m. Pardon the Interruption ESPN FC (*starts Aug. 11) NOTE: *ESPN FC will also be presented Sundays at midnight in addition to M-F at 5:30 p.m. (as of Aug. 11).
NEW ESPN AND ESPN2 FOOTBALL SEASON SUNDAY LINEUP STARTING SEPTEMBER 8
Time (ET) ESPN ESPN2 8-8:30 a.m. SportsCenter Outside the Lines 8:30-9 a.m. The Sports Reporters 9-9:30 a.m. Cowherd on Football 9:30-10 a.m. 10-10:30 a.m. NFL Countdown SportsCenter 10:30-11 a.m. 11-11:30 a.m. Fantasy Football Now 11:30 a.m.-12 p.m. 12-12:30 p.m. 12:30-1 p.m.
That will do it.
