ESPN University

[TheEnforcer]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=2004351

Wondering what ESPNU is all about? Well, here are some of the answers. Be sure to take a look at our syllabus.


What: ESPNU, a multi-media college sports initiative including a new 24-hour television network


When: Launching "03-04-05" - Friday, March 4, 2005, the eve of Championship Week (a week-long series of basketball conference tournament games)


Where: ESPNU is available on DirecTV Channel 609, or you can call your cable operator and tell them you want ESPNU on your system.


Multi-Media Effort: In addition to the TV network, ESPNU content and components will be featured across ESPN's services, such as ESPN.com, ESPN The Magazine , ESPN Mobile (wireless), ESPN Radio, ESPN Interactive, ESPN360 (broadband), merchandising and more.


TV Network Programming: Event programming will be the cornerstone, highlighted by approximately 300 live events (regular season and NCAA Championships) in the network's first year. Action will include a variety of top Division I football and men's and women's basketball mixed with baseball, softball, volleyball, lacrosse, hockey, wrestling and more. ESPNU will also offer comprehensive studio programming, replays of ABC Sports, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Regional Television games, plus specials and more.


Talk college sports in the ESPNU Show
ESPNU, a multi-media college sports initiative including a new 24-hour television network, kicks off Friday at 7 p.m. ET. To help celebrate, some of the top college athletes from around the country and ESPN analysts will be joining The Show on Friday. Join in at 11:30 a.m. ET or send in questions now! ESPNU Show Here's part of the lineup:

Syracuse's Hakim Warrick - 11:30

Wisconsin's Barry Alvarez - 12:30

Texas' Cat Osterman - 1:30

Stanford's John Mayberry Jr. - 3:30

Johns Hopkins' Kyle Harrison - 4

Duke's Monique Currie - 4:30

Vermont's Scott Mifsud - 5:30

ESPNU's first week of programming will include approximately 25 additional live basketball conference tournament games (not currently on ESPN or ESPN2).


ERT: ESPN Regional Television (ERT), a subsidiary of ESPN, Inc., will handle the primary production responsibilities for the ESPNU television network out of its Charlotte, N.C. headquarters. ERT is the nation's largest syndicator of college sports programming with more than 740 events produced each year, accounting for more than 2,000 live and/or original hours.


Signature Commentator: Original Dream Job winner Mike Hall will serve as the signature anchor for ESPNU, hosting studio programming from Charlotte , N.C.


ESPNU VP & General Manager: Burke Magnus


ESPNU Syllabus
On Friday (03-04-05), when ESPNU - ESPN's new college sports television network - opens its doors for classes, fans can expect a diverse collection of college sports. The network, the cornerstone of the multi-media ESPNU initiative, will combine extensive coverage of major events such as college football and basketball with marquee Olympic sports, including wrestling, volleyball, baseball, softball, ice hockey and more.


Highlights of the ESPNU syllabus include:


March:
NCAA Women's Basketball Championship
Championship Week conference tournament games
NCAA Hockey and Wrestling Championships



April:
Inside-out coverage of the NFL draft
Live spring football
Baseball, softball, lacrosse


May:
Women's College World Series
Baseball, softball, lacrosse
NCAA Lacrosse Championship



June:
NCAA Baseball Championship
Women's College World Series
College World Series re-airs and stunts



July/August:
Conference themed programming blocks featuring multiple sports


September/October:
College football
Women's volleyball game-of-the-week
College football re-airs from ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Regional Television (ERT)
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) football game-of-the-week


November:
College football
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) football game-of-the-week
College basketball
Women's volleyball game-of-the-week


December:
Division I-AA, II and III football playoffs
Bowl game re-airs
College basketball



January/February:
College basketball: Monday - Saturday
Women's college basketball game-of-the-week
HBCU college basketball game-of-the-week
College football signing day

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Sweet.. it'll be nice to have coverage of some of the lesser known sports and some Division II and III coverage in football and stuff.

[Sidorino]

Good news indeed!

[grimm]

now that ESPN has become an entertainment company instead of a news organization or sports journalism outlet, there is need for this in their ranks.

think MTV, when it used to be music. then it filled up with useless crap and shoddy music journalism, so M2 had to be launched. Same exact thing. ESPN sucks, so it makes another network to pick up the ball where the mothership left it somewhere back in time where good sports coverage and news reporting meant something to the network.