ESPN's SPORTS CENTER to Air from Six Summer Events

Continuing its mission of serving sports fans, ESPN's signature news and information program SportsCenter will go on the road to six summer events around the nation for five consecutive weekends starting at the end of this month.

Live, three-hour SportsCenter on the Road programs will originate from five of the locations, with SportsCenter anchors hosting the shows from sets located at the event sites. In addition to segments with guests and reports related to the events at the locations, the programs also will include regular SportsCenter news, highlights and analysis.

"We're continuing to look for new ways to get SportsCenter out of the studio and connect with sports fans," said Rob King, ESPN senior vice president, SportsCenter and News. "These five events represent fun slices of Americana and we look forward to bringing them to our viewers."

The summer stretch begins with the Spokane (Wash.) Hoopfest, the world's largest 3-on-3 street basketball tournament, which attracts more than 200,000 to the city. Matt Barrie and Washington State University grad Jaymee Sire will anchor SportsCenter from the center of the action on Sunday, June 28, from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Less than a week later, SportsCenter will celebrate the nation's birthday with segments from the annual Nathan's International Hot Dog Eating CONTEST on Saturday, July 4, from 9 a.m. - noon on ESPN2. The annual competition from New York City's Coney Island, which began in 1916, airs on ESPN2 at noon.

SportsCenter moves to Knoxville, Tenn., for the "World Championships of Cornhole X" on Saturday, July 11. Barrie and Sara Walsh will anchor from the American Cornhole Organization's event 9 a.m. - noon on ESPN2 as competitors vie for championships in the popular backyard and tailgating game.

The National Horseshoe Pitchers Association World Tournament in Topeka, Ks., will host SportsCenter on the Road on Saturday, July 18, from 9 a.m. - noon on ESPN2. Barrie and Walsh will again be the anchors.

A two-location show concludes the five-week series on Saturday, July 25. The 9 a.m. - noon program on ESPN will originate from the Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., on the first Saturday of a 40-day meet generally regarded as the best stretch of thoroughbred racing in the country, and from the WNBA All-Star Game at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Ct. Barrie will anchor from the WNBA event and Walsh will be at Saratoga.

In recent months, SportsCenter has gone on the road to events such as the NBA Finals, the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight, the NFL Draft, the Players Championship and the Belmont Stakes.

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