Thursday's Press Release Package

Here are some press releases you should read.

This is from ESPN touting the English Premier League games it will show in the UK. The start times are all UK time so subtract five hours for ET.

LIVE ESPN COVERAGE OF BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE BROADCAST SCHEDULE UNTIL NOVEMBER – SEASON 2009/10

Debut season of coverage opens with Everton v Arsenal on August 15^th

More than half of matches feature last season’s top four finishers

New Premier League broadcaster, ESPN, today revealed their first handpicked selection of 46 live matches for the 2009/10 season, to be broadcast on the soon-to-launch new flagship ESPN SD and HD channels.

Announcing the selection of live matches, Lynne Frank, Managing Director, ESPN for Europe, Middle East and Africa, said: “We’re clearly delighted to be able to broadcast 46 Barclays Premier League matches this season on ESPN. We will kick off our coverage with a clash between Everton and Arsenal, live on the new ESPN channel at 5.15pm on Saturday 15 August. ESPN’s coverage of the matches announced today will bring excitement, surprises and drama to football fans. We are pleased to be a part of the beautiful game, and look forward to delivering fans of all 20 Barclays Premier League clubs top quality coverage as the story of the season unfolds.”

Opening the season’s coverage on day one of the Barclays Premier League on Saturday 15^th August, ESPN will showcase the clash between Everton and Arsenal, last season’s 4^th and 5^th place finishers, at Goodison Park. Convincingly beaten 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium in 2008, Everton will be looking to go one better than the 1-1 draw they held Arsenal to at home in January 2009.

Other highlights from the coming season’s possible title contenders include Liverpool v Aston Villa on August 24^th, Spurs v Man United on September 12^th and Chelsea v Blackburn Rovers on October 24^th. Overall, as part of ESPN’s debut schedule of coverage, 12 of the 17 matches chosen for live broadcast so far feature a top four finishing club from the 2008/09 season and include 17 of the 20 Premier League clubs.

The full list of 17 live Barclays Premier League matches, selected until November on ESPN are:

August
Saturday 15th	Everton v Arsenal	5:15pm
Sunday 23rd	West Ham v Tottenham	1:30pm
Monday 24th	Liverpool v Aston Villa	8:00pm
Saturday 29th	Chelsea v Burnley	12:45pm

September
Saturday 12th	Tottenham v Manchester United	5:15pm
Saturday 19th	West Ham v Liverpool	5:15pm
Saturday 26th	Fulham v Arsenal	5:15pm
Monday 28th	Manchester City v West Ham	8:00pm

October
Saturday 3rd	Manchester United v Sunderland	5:15pm
Monday 5th	Aston Villa v Manchester City	8:00pm
Monday 19th	Fulham v Hull City	8:00pm
Saturday 24th	Chelsea v Blackburn Rovers	5:15pm
Saturday 31st	Manchester United v Blackburn Rovers	5:15pm

November
Saturday 7th	Wolves v Arsenal	5:15pm
Monday 9th	Liverpool v Birmingham City	8:00pm
Saturday 21st	Manchester United v Everton	5:15pm
Saturday 28th	Aston Villa v Tottenham	5:15pm

ESPN plans to make its Barclays Premier League coverage widely available across multiple pay-TV platforms. As a first step to this distribution strategy, ESPN reached an agreement for its coverage to be retailed by Sky to residential and commercial customers. ESPN will appear in the Sky Guide at channel number 417 in SD and channel 443 in HD.

Next, TNT concludes its NASCAR season in Chicago on Sunday.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Racing from Chicago Concludes TNT’s 2009 NASCAR Coverage

Pre-race coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. ET; green flag drops at 8 p.m. ET

The checkered flag waves on TNT’s exclusive coverage of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series on Saturday, July 11^th with NASCAR Sprint Series Racing from Chicago live from Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill. The network will air the race beginning at 8 p.m. ET with play-by-play announcer Ralph Sheheen calling the race alongside analysts Kyle Petty and Wally Dallenbach in the booth. In addition, analyst Larry McReynolds will make frequent contributions from the in-field as he breaks down crew strategy and analyzes car adjustments.

The network will rev up its pre-race coverage beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET with NASCAR on TNT Live! with Marc Fein (host), Petty and McReynolds. TNT will have two top drivers join its infield rig, with No. 24 Jeff Gordon and No. 99 Carl Edwards each stopping by for an interview.

TNT’s acclaimed Pride of NASCAR series will feature racing legend Fred Lorenzen who was named one of NASCAR 50 Greatest Drivers in 1998. Lorenzen won 26 times in his career, highlighted by his 1965 Daytona 500 victory. Lorenzen will also be remembered for driving a car for one race that was coined the ‘Yellow Banana’ due to its front end sloped downward with a lowered roofline and kicked up tail.

Sheheen will take viewers on a private tour of Jack Roush’s personal garage where Roush will put on display his private collection of rare cars.

The show will be followed by Countdown to Green at 7:30 p.m. ET with Fein (host), Dallenbach (analyst) and Petty (analyst) with reports from TNT pit reporters Adam Alexander, Lindsay Czarniak, Marty Snider and Matt Yocum.

During Countdown to Green, Dallenbach will once again break down race strategy during Wally’s World, as he is superimposed into live race footage from last season’s race at Chicagoland Speedway. He will virtually walk along the road course to discuss its nuances, with the ability to stop the race footage.

Also in the show, No. 2 Kurt Busch will give Snider a tour around the Windy City, Busch’s home away from home during the season. Dallenbach will take a look back to last season’s halfway point and compare it to this season, while McReynolds will look forward and weigh in on what drivers need to do to stay alive in the Chase for the Sprint Cup standings.

Countdown to Green leads into coverage of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Racing from Chicago at 8 p.m. ET with Sheheen, Dallenbach and Petty calling the action with frequent interaction with McReynolds (analyst) who will man the TNT Offtrack Robotic Car.

Throughout this year’s NASCAR on TNT Summer Series, the network will join forces with NASCAR.COM, the official site of NASCAR, to provide TNT RaceBuddy a multiplatform experience for race fans which features live feeds from the racetrack including pit road and in-car cameras, as well as live chats and polls.

REMAINING 2009 NASCAR ON TNT SCHEDULE:

(All times ET)

SATURDAY, JULY 11

6:30 – 7:30 p.m. NASCAR on TNT Live!

7:30 – 8:00 p.m. Countdown to Green

8:00 – 11:30 p.m. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Racing from Chicago (from Chicago Speedway)

Over to Golf Channel which gets ready for the Open Championship at Turnberry, Scotland next week.

ORLANDO, Fla., July 9, 2009 – GOLF CHANNEL analyst Frank Nobilo will return to Turnberry next week as lead analyst for the network’s Live From the Open Championship news coverage (TV Times below). Nobilo found success at Turnberry as a player, competing in his first major championship as a professional there in 1986, and in 1994, recording an 11^th place finish. He offers insight on the host course and the field heading into next week’s Open Championship:

What are some of your memories from the 1994 Open Championship at Turnberry and your T-11 finish?

I had played there in 1986 (my first Open) so it was nice to go back to a venue and have a decent idea of what was required to do well. Conditions were better than in ‘86, and the golf course didn’t appear as intimidating. I opened up with rounds of 69-67 to be well placed, just three back from Watson but went backwards with a round of 72 on Saturday when everybody shot mid to high 60’s. A closing 68 redeemed my week a little but not enough to back door a top 10.

How different will the course setup be next week compared to ’86 and ’94?

I don’t think the setup will be much different from ‘86 or ‘94 but the course will play radically different. The average tee shot goes about 20 yards further than ‘94 and there is less dispersion. So, unless they have cold, wet, windy weather – which is unlikely given the recent heat wave – the course will certainly not present the same test as it did in the past.

The weather was much colder and the wind blew most of the week in ’86. Barring Norman’s 63, the scores were relatively high all week. In ‘94 the conditions were relatively benign and the ball tended to roll out more. I don’t remember the rough being as difficult, consequently the scores were much better. This year, with such a dry summer and the massive technological advances coming in the late ‘90’s, it certainly will have lost some teeth.

What are the keys to success in playing at Turnberry next week?

Turnberry is one of the most exposed Open venues. There are lots of holes with no protection on the tee shots and fairways that slope away from the dogleg. The biggest problem for the players will be dealing with stiff cross breezes on holes that often bend or slope in an opposite direction.

What do you think will be the key holes next week in determining the Open Champion?

The first 6 holes are key especially if the wind blows. You never play two consecutive holes in a similar direction until you play 5 and 6. Consequently it is very easy to get over par in a hurry and have your back against the wall. 9 is never easy especially with a left-to-right wind. The fairway slopes to the right while the hole bends to the left. You also have to somehow close your round off on those last 4 holes. A 3-4-4-4 finish will go a long way each day.

Who are the front runners and who might be dark horses next week?

No surprise, even though Tiger has never set foot on Turnberry prior to this Open, he is the odds-on favorite. I think his challengers will be a little younger than previous years. Sean O’Hair, who has recovered from his forearm issue that made him withdraw from the Memorial Tournament, is ready to break through. Anthony Kim, who did well last year in his first Open in bad conditions, is now healthy. The best European hopes look to be Paul Casey, who hopefully has settled into the fact that he belongs amongst the best players in the game today, and Stenson, in case you have forgotten how well he played at The Players and snuck in the back door at Bethpage. I still have to add Garcia to this bunch. His ability to move the ball around in windy conditions makes him hard to overlook. I know you have to make the putts, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to many if he were to break through. A lot of eyes on Harrington going for three in a row, but more realistically he is trying to recover some form to get his game back on track. For an oldie but a goody, remember Goosen. He has quietly gotten his game back.

Is Tiger Woods back to his pre-surgery form
, and how do you think Turnberry suits his game?

According to Woods he has struggled with the knee for several years, so to compare his form of the first six months of the year to his previous two or three seasons is difficult. There are some areas of his game that are better than pre-surgery. The pace of his swing is far smoother and the transition from backswing to downswing generally much quieter. I still don’t think he is 100% as his gait is still not normal and it looks like he still has tightness in his hip, probably from favoring the leg. But if anything, he looks more determined now than ever. It is hard to say he has been inconsistent as he has not finished out of the top-10 in a stroke play event since his return, but he has not played any two tournaments with the same type of golf. Now that is scary.

Live From the Open Championship TV Times

Tuesday – Wednesday 2 – 4 p.m. ET (News Conferences)

Wednesday 6 – 8 p.m. ET (Live)

Thursday – Saturday 2:30 – 4 p.m. ET (Live)

Sunday 1:30 – 4 p.m. ET (Live)

Thursday – Sunday 7 – 9 p.m. ET (Live)

I celebrate the first ever Tennis Channel press release sent to the Fang’s Bites inbox. This one talks about what TTC will air this weekend.

TENNIS CHANNEL TO CARRY COMPLETE, LIVE COVERAGE OF 2009 U.S. DAVIS CUP QUARTERFINAL THIS WEEKEND

Tennis Channel also Covers International Tennis Hall of Fame Inductions in Addition to On-Court Action as Stars James Blake, Mardy Fish, and Brothers Bob and Mike Bryan Chase Cup

LOS ANGELES, July 9, 2009 – Tennis Channel will provide exclusive coverage of the U.S. Davis Cup quarterfinal match up in Porec, Croatia, this weekend, with live and same-day, “Instant Encore” replays Friday through Sunday. The network will also telecast the International Tennis Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Newport, R.I., as tennis greats Monica Seles, Andres Gimeno, Donald L. Dell and Dr. Robert “Whirlwind” Johnson are honored this Saturday, July 11, at 7 p.m. ET.

Quarterfinal competition between the United States and Croatia will consist of two singles matches on Friday, July 10, at 10 a.m. ET, followed by the doubles match Saturday, July 11, at 9:30 a.m. ET. Tennis Channel’s coverage concludes with the remaining singles play Sunday, July 12, at 10 a.m. ET. Each of the five matches is worth one point, with the team that wins at least three points advancing to the yearlong tournament’s semifinal against the winner of Argentina and the Czech Republic, Sept. 18-20.

Leading the Hall of Fame’s Class of 2009 induction ceremony, which will be held during the final weekend of the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, is nine-time Grand Slam singles champion and former World No. 1 Monica Seles. Also joining in on the induction festivities is 1972 French Open champion, Andres Gimeno, who has been elected in the Master Player category. Finally, Donald L. Dell, of sports marketing and professional sports management company Professional Services Inc. (ProServ), joins the late Dr. Robert “Whirlwind” Johnson, founder and director of the American Tennis Association (ATA) Junior Development Program, who helped pave the way for African-Americans in tennis, in the Contributor category.

Following this weekend’s coverage, Tennis Channel’s Web site, www.tennischannel.com, will offer the induction ceremony on demand and in its entirety for free.

U.S. Davis Cup overage from Zatika Sports Hall (all times ET):

Friday, July 10:

10 a.m. – Live Singles #1

1 p.m. – Live Singles #2

{8 p.m. – “Instant Encore” Singles #1}

{11 p.m. – “Instant Encore” Singles #2}

Saturday, July 11:

9:30 a.m. – Live Doubles

{12:30 p.m. – “Instant Encore” Doubles}

{8 p.m. – “Instant Encore” Doubles}

{11 p.m. – “Instant Encore” Doubles}

Sunday, July 12:

10 a.m. – Live Singles #1

1 p.m. – Live Singles #2

{8 p.m. – “Instant Encore” Singles #1}

{11 p.m. – “Instant Encore” Singles #2}

Croatia hopes to uphold its unbeaten record of 2-0 against the U.S. team, defeating the Americans 4-1 during the 2003 Davis Cup first round in Zagreb, Croatia and again in the 2005 first round, winning 3-2 in Carson, Calif. The United States enters this weekend’s match after beating Switzerland 4-1 in Birmingham, Ala., and is bidding to reach the semifinals for the fourth consecutive year. In 2007 the U.S. team won its 32^nd Davis Cup title with a 4-1 win against Russia, whom it had not defeated since 1995.

Three-time Davis Cup team member and Davis Cup captain since 2000, Patrick McEnroe returns as the 2009 U.S. Davis Cup coach to America’s team. Mardy Fish, World No. 23, will replace Andy Roddick on the team, due to the latter’s right hip flexor, injured during his five-set loss in the singles final at Wimbledon Sunday. James Blake is ranked No. 17 and comes into this weekend’s match after an impressive run to the men’s doubles semifinals at Wimbledon with fellow Davis Cup teammate Mardy Fish before losing to defending champions Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonji?. On the doubles front, twin brothers Bob and Mike Bryan continue to be the world’s most dominant pair, currently ranked No. 1, and winners of the 2009 Australian Open championships.

The Croatians enter this weekend’s match after defeating Chile 5-0 in Porec, Croatia, in the first round to reach the quarterfinals for the fifth time. After winning 3-2 in the 2005 final against Slovak Republic in Bratislava, Croatia became the 12^th nation to win the Davis Cup and the first unseeded nation to ever win. The team is captained by Goran Prpic and features four of Croatia’s best-known tennis stars including Marin Cilic, Ivo Karlovic, Roko Karanusic and Lovro Zovko.

Tennis Channel (www.tennischannel.com) is the only 24-hour, television-based multimedia destination dedicated to both the professional sport and tennis lifestyle. A hybrid of comprehensive sports, health, fitness, pop culture, entertainment, lifestyle and travel programming, the network is home to every aspect of the wide-ranging, worldwide tennis community. It also has the most concentrated single-sport coverage in television, with telecast rights to the US Open, Wimbledon, Roland Garros (French Open), Australian Open, Olympus US Open Series, ATP Masters Series, top-tier Sony Ericsson WTA Tour championship competitions, Davis Cup and Fed Cup by BNP Paribas, and Hyundai Hopman Cup. Tennis Channel is carried by eight of the top 10 MSOs and has a national footprint via DIRECTV and DISH Network.

National Geographic Channel marks the return of “Locked Up Abroad” with a new episode next Wednesday.

LOCKED UP ABROAD: IRAQ

Wednesday, July 15 at 10PM ET/PT

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/locked-up-abroad/4388/Overview

September 7, 2004: US forces are about to attack Tall ‘Afar in northwest Iraq. Journalists Scott Taylor and Zeynep Tugrul rush to the remote city to report from the front line. But they are kidnapped by insurgents who think they’re American spies. From then on their lives hang in the balance as the American military pounds the city and the journalists face execution and torture and witness scenes few Westerners have ever survived.

REENACTMENT: Scott and Zeynep (actors) meeting suicide bombers in the desert. (photo credit © Raw Television)

Video “Hostage in Iraq” – A trip to Iraq becomes a journalist’s worst nightmare.

Video “Al-Qaeda Hostages” – Two people have been taken hostage by Al-Qaeda in Iraq, and have been told this is their last night to live.

Video “Locked Up Abroad: Iraq – Behind-the-Scenes” – Go behind-the-scenes with Locked Up Abroad: Iraq for interviews with the show’s director, producer, and others.

Thanks to the fine people at Nat Geo for allowing me to embed these videos. I have more stuff coming up.