With the All-Star Game less than a week away, MLB’s network, cable and satellite radio partners are shoring up their plans to cover the Midsummer Classic.
Since the releases are coming in fast and furious, I might as well put them all in one post instead of separating them. First, Fox Sports says all five living U.S. Presidents will appear in a video before the start of the game, then President Barack Obama will throw out the first pitch.
ALL FIVE LIVING U.S. PRESIDENTS TO APPEAR IN SPECIAL VIDEO PRIOR TO MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL ALL-STAR GAME ON FOX
First Time All of the Living U.S. Presidents Will Participate in a Ceremony at a Sporting EventU.S. Presidents to Salute 30 People Being Celebrated for Their Outstanding Community Service & Advocating for All Americans to Volunteer
United States President Barack Obama along with former U.S. Presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carter will appear in an unprecedented video address as part of a special ceremony prior to the 80th Major League Baseball All-Star Game on FOX, Tuesday, July 14 at 8:00 PM ET. The video will mark the first time all of the living U.S. Presidents will participate in a ceremony at a sporting event. Following the video, President Obama will throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
The Presidential video address, which will run approximately seven minutes, will be part of a pregame celebration honoring the 30 “All-Stars Among Us,” men and women who are being recognized by Major League Baseball and PEOPLE magazine for their selfless acts of giving and service to their communities.
The 30 honorees, one representing each MLB Club, were selected by fans online at www.peopleallstars.com as part of a joint initiative between Major League Baseball and PEOPLE magazine, with nearly three quarters of a million votes cast.
“The importance of community service is personified by the 30 ‘All-Stars Among Us’ and reinforced by the willingness of the five living Presidents to come together in support of this important theme during the Midsummer Classic,” said Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig. “In addition to celebrating baseball’s best on the field, Major League Baseball wants to shine a light on stars in the community whose work improves the lives of those who are less fortunate.”
In addition to talking about the importance of giving back to the community, each President will highlight the accomplishments of one of the “All-Stars Among Us,” who will be saluted on the field by the Major League Baseball All-Stars and the fans at Busch Stadium.
Next, MLB Network without having any of the big events of All-Star Weekend will provide plenty of wraparound programming leading up to the game and after the game. MLB Network is pulling all the stops sending just about all of its talent lineup to St. Louis.
MLB NETWORK ANNOUNCES PROGRAMMING FOR 2009 MLB ALL-STAR GAMESchedule to include MLB All-Star Game Red Carpet Show and MLB Tonight: All-Star Batting Practice
MLB Network’s Bob Costas and former MLB All-Stars Barry Larkin, Al Leiter & Harold Reynolds Among Talent On-Site
Secaucus, N.J., July 8, 2009 – MLB Network today announced its exclusive programming leading up to the 2009 MLB All-Star Game at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on July 14. Beginning Monday, July 13, MLB Network will air MLB Tonight: All-Star Batting Practice at 5:00 p.m. ET, the first time the event will be televised nationally, in advance of the Home Run Derby. On Tuesday, July 14, MLB Network will televise the MLB All-Star Game Red Carpet Show at 4:00p.m. ET followed by MLB Tonight: All-Star Batting Practice at 5:00 p.m. ET and an abbreviated version of the MLB All-Star Game Red Carpet Show at 7:30 p.m. ET. A special All-Star edition of MLB Tonight, the signature program of MLB Network during the regular season, will air live from Busch Stadium immediately following the All-Star Game.
Throughout July 13 and 14, MLB Network’s Bob Costas, Greg Amsinger, 12-time MLB All-Star Barry Larkin, two-time MLB All-Star Al Leiter, Joe Magrane, two-time MLB All-Star Harold Reynolds and Matt Vasgersian will share on-air hosting duties while Trenni Kusnierek, Hazel Mae and Reynolds will report from the field each day.
“We’re looking forward to hitting the road to bring fans the latest All-Star news and updates,” s
aid Tony Petitti, MLB Network’s president and CEO. “We will air over 70 hours of All-Star Game-related programming from July 6 through July 15, anchored by our on-site host position in St. Louis.”Additional programming includes three special features from Costas, including a look back at the 1999 All-Star Game at Boston’s Fenway Park and a piece on the history of baseball in St. Louis set to air during MLB Tonight on July 13. Costas will also narrate a feature segment about the 1964 All-Star Game at New York’s Shea Stadium that will air during MLB Tonight airing on July 14. MLB Network will air a block of All-Time Games, featuring 14 All-Star Games from 1971 to 2008, each afternoon through Sunday, July 19.
MLB Network’s All-Star Game coverage on Monday, July 13 and Tuesday, July 14 appears below.
MLB Network 2009 All-Star Game Programming (all times Eastern):
July 13 – 5:00 p.m. MLB Tonight: All-Star Batting Practice
July 14 – 4:00 p.m. MLB All-Star Game Red Carpet Show
July 14 – 5:00 p.m. MLB Tonight: All-Star Batting Practice
July 14 – 7:30 p.m. MLB All-Star Game Red Carpet Show (abbreviated)
July 14 – Post All-Star Game: MLB Tonight
Finally, Sirius XM, mainly XM, in fact, only XM Satellite Radio, not the Sirius side, will have the exclusive play-by-play airing from ESPN Radio of the Home Run Derby as well as the All-Star Game next week.
SIRIUS XM RADIO ANNOUNCES COMPREHENSIVE BROADCAST COVERAGE OF 2009 MLB ALL-STAR GAME
Play-by-play of the 80th All-Star Game will air July 14 on XM channel 175
MLB Home Plate, Mad Dog Radio and SIRIUS XM Stars Too channels will broadcast live from St. Louis
NEW YORK – July 8, 2009 – SIRIUS XM Radio announced today that it will offer baseball fans comprehensive coverage of 2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Week, including the 80th All-Star Game at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on July 14 on XM channel 175.
XM will air the All-Star Game on Tuesday, July 14 (8:00 pm ET), plus live coverage of the Home Run Derby (July 13 at 8:00 pm ET) and the exclusive radio broadcast of the All-Star Futures Game (July 12 at 2:00 pm ET), featuring the top minor league prospects from the U.S. and abroad. All three events will air live nationwide on XM channel 175.
Prior to the All-Star Game and Home Run Derby, MLB Home Plate, SIRIUS XM’s 24-hour baseball talk channel, will broadcast live (6:00 – 8:00 pm ET) from the field at Busch Stadium. SIRIUS XM’s Seth Everett and Jim Duquette will host the pre-game coverage both days, which will include one-on-one interviews with the All Stars, managers and coaches as well as live updates on everything happening on the diamond. The MLB Home Plate channel is available to both XM and SIRIUS subscribers on XM channel 175 and SIRIUS channel 210 with the “Best of XM” programming package.
Additionally, three channels from across the SIRIUS XM platform will broadcast live from MLB All-Star FanFest at the America’s Center in downtown St. Louis on the days leading up to the All-Star Game.
- From MLB Home Plate (XM channel 175 and SIRIUS channel 210 (“Best of XM”)):
- Saturday, July 11 (11:00 am – 1:00 pm ET) – Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. and his brother and fellow major league veteran Billy Ripken will host their weekly show, Ripken Baseball, live from the SIRIUS XM broadcast booth at All-Star FanFest.
- Saturday, July 11 (1:00 – 4:00 pm ET) – Former MLB general manager Jim Duquette will host Talking Baseball live from the SIRIUS XM broadcast booth at All-Star FanFest.
- Saturday, July 11 (4:00 – 7:00 pm ET) – Former major league pitcher and longtime broadcaster Jim Kaat and SIRIUS XM’s Scott Graham will host a special edition of Baseball This Morning Xtra live from All-Star FanFest.
- Sunday, July 12 (10:00 am – 2:00 pm ET), prior to the XM All-Star Futures Game, SIRIUS XM’s Seth Everett and Jim Duquette will host a special edition of their MLB Home Plate show, Power Alley, live from All-Star Fanfest.
From Mad Dog Radio, SIRIUS XM’s all-sports talk channel (SIRIUS channel 123 and XM channel 144):
- Monday, July 13 (2:00 – 7:00 pm ET) Gary Williams, Mad Dog Radio’s morning show host, will host a special All-Star preview show live at FanFest. Williams will be joined live on set by Jim Kaat and Jim Duquette.
From SIRIUS XM Stars Too, SIRIUS XM’s talk radio channel for guys (SIRIUS channel 108 and XM channel 139):
- Monday, July 13 (11:00 am – 2:00 pm ET) and Tuesday, July 14 (noon – 3:00 pm ET), SIRIUS XM personalities Steve Covino and Rich Davis will host their daily talk show live from FanFest. Maxim Radio with Covino and Rich airs weekdays on SIRIUS XM Stars Too.
XM listeners can hear every game from all 30 Major League teams live on XM channels 175 to 189. A schedule of upcoming MLB games on XM can be found at www.xmradio.com/mlb.
That’s it for this post. ESPN will outline its plans for the Home Run Derby later in the week.
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