Trade deadline shows can go two ways. Either they’re very exciting with lots of action, or they’re boring and the host and analysts twiddle their thumbs hoping something happens. But with soccer and Transfer Deadline Day, we’re not dealing with just one league as is the case with MLB, NBA and the NHL, we’re dealing with a bunch of leagues worldwide from the Bundesliga, English Premier Leaugue, France’s Ligue 1, Italy’s Serie A, La Liga and others.
ESPN plans a worldwide coverage of Transfer Deadline Day that will be accessed on ESPNFC.com, ESPN.com and ESPN.co.uk. Coverage starts at 3 a.m. ET Tuesday from ESPN’s UK studios. The U.S. gets involved at 9 a.m. ET when ESPN FC columnist Gabriele Marcotti joins the coverage live from the Worldwide Leader’s headquarters in Bristol, CT.
A studio show aptly named the ESPN FC Transfer Deadline Day Special will be streamed live from 11 a.m. ET through 1:30 p.m. ET across the globe on ESPN.com, ESPNFC.com and ESPN.co.UK. It will be aired live on television in the Caribbean and Oceania regions.
Give credit to ESPN for spending the resources as they’ll have reporters live in England, Spain as well as originating the show from Connecticut. Marcotti will host the show live with analysts Craig Burley, Shaka Hislop and Steve Nicol in Bristol, CT. Ian Darke will also contribute live from London.
Here are ESPN’s plans for coverage of the world’s major leagues on Transfer Deadline Day:
- Premier League – Miguel Delaney and Peter O’Rourke with correspondents including Richard Jolly (Manchester United, Manchester City) and Mike Whalley (Liverpool, Everton)
- La Liga – Sid Lowe with writer Dermot Corrigan
- Bundesliga – Raphael Honigstein
- Italian Serie A – Marcotti with contributors Ben Gladwell and James Horncastle
- France’s Ligue 1 – contributor Julien Laurens
In the U.S., the ESPN FC daily show on ESPNews at 6 p.m. ET will recap the day’s events as the transfer window closes on Tuesday. For soccer fans, it will be exciting day which teams will be able to improve while others sell off their assets in order reload.
[ESPN]
