In November, ESPN will air live coverage of the annual New York City Marathon that goes through all five boroughs of the Big Apple. It marks the first time the marathon will be aired live across the country. NBC had the rights, but chose to shovel live coverage of the race to its local WNBC-TV affiliate along with Universal Sports and then show highlights hours later.
Now, the entire country will have access to ESPN2’s live coverage on November 4 on TV’s and through WatchESPN. New Yorkers will also see live coverage on WABC-TV.
ESPN2’s on-air team will be led by Hannah Storm and John Anderson. We have the full press release below.
SportsCenter’s Storm, Anderson to Lead ESPN Team for New York City Marathon on November 4
Five-borough Race Returns to National Live TV for First Time in Almost 20 Years
SportsCenter anchors Hannah Storm and John Anderson will lead the ESPN team of commentators as host and play-by-play for ESPN’s live telecast of the New York City Marathon on Sunday, Nov. 4. Nationally, the telecast will be available on ESPN2 and – for fans who receive their video subscriptions from an affiliated provider – on computers at WatchESPN.com and on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app. ABC will also present a two-hour national broadcast at 4 p.m. Locally, New Yorkers can watch the race on WABC-TV and 7online.com. This is the first year of a five-year television package and marks the return of the Marathon to live national TV for the first time in almost 20 years.
ESPN’s Storm and Anderson will be joined by analysts Carrie Tollefson and Tim Hutchings and reporter Lewis Johnson. Tollefson is an Olympian and five-time NCAA champion in track and field and cross country. Hutchings, an Olympian and former international distance runner, and Johnson, an All-American in track, both covered the 2012 Olympic Games. Juli Benson, Ed Eyestone and David Wiley and WABC-TV’s sports anchors Rob Powers and Laura Behnke will also report from the course.
Anderson said, “Short of my first SportsCenter, I have never been more excited about any assignment I’ve had here at ESPN. The New York City Marathon is a 26.2-mile finish line. From gun to tape it’s non-stop exhilaration with support from the entire city. I’ve run the marathon and nothing ever hurt better in my life. It doesn’t matter if you’re in the lead or in 47,358th place, the crowd treats every runner the same – like a champion.”
Storm added, “There is perhaps, no sporting event in America more closely attached to its neighborhoods and city – while at the same time being an instantly recognizable international event – than the New York City Marathon. It’s a part of the fabric of this great city and I’m thrilled to be involved in the broadcast of such an iconic sporting event.”
More than 47,000 runners, including USA Olympians Abdi Abdirahman, Amy Hastings and Meb Keflezighi and Olympic Marathon gold medal champion Tiki Gelana of Ethiopia, are expected to participate.
NYC Marathon Schedule:
Date Time (ET) Show Network Sun, Nov 4 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Pre-Race & NYC Marathon WatchESPN 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Pre-Race & NYC Marathon WABC-TV, 7online 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. NYC Marathon ESPN2 4-6 p.m. NYC Marathon Show ABC *All times ET unless otherwise noted.
There you have it.
