• FA Cup

ESPN's 12-hour FA Cup final special

ESPN staff
April 19, 2011
Stoke will bid to follow-up their win over Bolton in the semi-finals © Getty Images
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ESPN will cap its first season of FA Cup coverage with a 12-hour commercial-free special presentation of the final between Manchester City and Stoke City.

ESPN will celebrate the FA Cup final with both tradition and technology, bringing fans the action in HD and commercial free as part of a special 12-hour day of FA Cup programming that revives the tradition of broadcasting all day from Wembley Stadium.

Beginning at 8 am on Saturday May 14, ESPN's special FA Cup final coverage will include:

* HD: ESPN HD will feature complete high-definition coverage of the entire 12-hours of FA Cup programming;

* Commercial Free: ESPN will bring fans the FA Cup final commercial free, in association with Wonga, from 2.30pm through to the trophy presentation, giving viewers an uninterrupted countdown to the game, the celebrations afterwards, and a break-free half time with highlights and analysis.

* All Day: A host of dedicated programmes - including Breakfast at Wembley, and special live editions of ESPN's Pardon the Interruption and Talk of The Terrace - will come live from Wembley as part of ESPN's build up to the Final.

Ross Hair, Managing Director, ESPN - Europe, Middle East and Africa, said: "The FA Cup final is one of the biggest occasions in the sporting calendar and has a special place in the hearts of football fans everywhere. This year's Cup has produced some great matches, remarkable stories and amazing upsets. ESPN's presentation of the final will be the culmination of an approach we've taken all season, an approach that has focused on bringing fans closer to the stories around the game and closer to the game itself, delivering innovative coverage whilst also reviving and reflecting on the great traditions of the FA Cup."

ESPN's Mark Durden-Smith will kick the day off at 8am as he presents Breakfast at Wembley with Robbie Savage. Other highlights include a Pardon The Interruption UK special with Mark Chapman and Steve Bunce, plus, a Talk of the Terrace special hosted by Kelly Cates, Nat Coombs and Chris Cohen, complete with a live band.

In a one-hour special at midday. FA Cup Legends will feature exclusive interviews with members of the all-time FA Cup XI, as voted for in an ESPN and ESPNsoccernet.com survey of fans. Viewers can watch Sir Alex Ferguson (voted the Greatest FA Cup manager of all time) recall his FA Cup victories, and Ian Rush (voted as a striker in ESPN viewers' all-time FA Cup XI) recall his two goals in the 1986 final between Liverpool and Everton.

From 12.30 pm, Ray Stubbs and Rebecca Lowe will be joined by ESPN's Kevin Keegan, Steve McManaman, special guests John Barnes and Robbie Savage, alongside others for the build-up to the 3pm kick off, as well as half-time and post-match analysis, interviews and discussion.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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