FOOTBALL IN HIGH HEELS: PRO BOWL 2017
VIA PRESS RELEASE:
ESPN will televise the 2017 NFL Pro Bowl on Sunday, Jan. 29, at 7:50 p.m. ET from Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla. ESPN’s multi-day Pro Bowl coverage includes the first Skills Showdown, reports from team practices, and live telecasts of ESPN studio shows from Pro Bowl events at Walt Disney World Resort, including Mike and Mike, NFL Live and segments of SportsCenter.
Top players expected to participate in the Pro Bowl include Dallas Cowboys star rookies Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott, New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr., and Super Bowl 50 MVP Von Miller of the Denver Broncos as the traditional AFC vs. NFC format returns this year. Pro Bowl Legends Captains include ESPN analysts Jerome Bettis and Charles Woodson.
ESPN’s Monday Night Football team of Sean McDonough, Jon Gruden and reporter Lisa Salterswill call the game. The Spanish-language telecast on ESPN Deportes will feature Eduardo Varela, Pablo Viruega and reporter John Sutcliffe. This is the 13th time that ESPN has televised the Pro Bowl – 1988-94, 2004-06, 2010 and 2015-16. The game also aired on ABC from 1975-87 and 1995-03.
Chris Berman will host a special Postseason NFL Countdown pregame show (6 p.m., ESPN) from Camping World Stadium leading into the Pro Bowl with analysts Trent Dilfer, Matt Hasselbeck, Randy Moss and Charles Woodson, and NFL Insider Adam Schefter. Britt McHenry will also provide stadium reports earlier in the day. Wendi Nix will host an earlier edition of Postseason NFL Countdown on Pro Bowl Sunday, 11 a.m. ET, from ESPN’s Bristol, Conn., studios with Jeff Saturday, Darren Woodson and NFL Insider Dan Graziano.
Pro Bowl Skills Showdown:
ESPN will televise the first-ever NFL Pro Bowl Skills Showdown on Thursday, Jan. 26 (7 p.m. ET). Monday Night Football’s McDonough, Gruden and Salters will call the competition at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex, which features 10 Pro Bowlers per team competing in multiple events:
- Epic Pro Bowl Dodgeball: Pro Bowlers will compete in a game of dodgeball.
- Power Relay Challenge: Four teammates will compete in a timed relay race.
- Precision Passing: Two players on each team will battle it out, trying to hit moving targets of various size and distance.
- Best Hands: Quarterback and wide receiver duos from each team will show off their skills, connecting on as many pass attempts as possible before time runs out.
- Drone Drop: Receivers from each team put their catching abilities to the test as they attempt to catch balls dropped from a drone hovering over the field.
ESPN Shows in Orlando for Pro Bowl:
The following ESPN programs will be live from Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., during Pro Bowl week:
- Mike & Mike (6-10 a.m. ET, ESPN Radio and ESPN2): Mike Greenberg and Mike Golicwill be live from the Marketplace Stage at Disney Springs on Thursday and Friday, Jan. 26-27.
- NFL Live (3-4 p.m., ESPN): Host Trey Wingo and analysts Herm Edwards and Jeff Saturday will be live from the Marketplace Stage at Disney Springs on Thursday and Friday, Jan. 26-27.
- SportsCenter (approx.. 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2): Anchor Matt Barrie will be joined by Edwards, Saturday and national correspondent Sal Paolantonio for live segments from Pro Bowl team practices at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex on Thursday and Friday, Jan. 26-27.
- The Trifecta (12-3 p.m. ET, ESPN Radio): espnW writers Kate Fagan, Jane McManusand Sarah Spain will broadcast their weekend show live on Saturday, Jan. 28, from ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex.
Pro Bowl players will be among the special guests and all shows will be open to the public.
Other ESPN Pro Bowl Programming:
ESPN and ESPN Deportes will televise the Boys’ 13- to 14-year-old Championship Game of the NFL FLAG Championships live on Sun., Jan. 29 from Camping World Stadium during pregame and halftime of the Pro Bowl.
ESPN3 will have live coverage of the USA Football North American Championship at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports on Sat., Jan. 28, with a re-air of the U-19 Canada vs. U.S. game on ESPNU on Sun., Jan 29 at 9 a.m.
ESPN will highlight other NFL events at the sports complex throughout its Pro Bowl week coverage, including the Special Olympics Unified Sports flag football game, NFL Play 60 clinics, and more.
ESPN Social
ESPN social will be on-site for the week of Pro Bowl events, providing behind-the-scenes content via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Additionally, Denver Broncos cornerback Chris Harris Jr. and Seattle Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett will give fans exclusive access to their Pro Bowl experience across ESPN social platforms, including their visits to the Disney Parks.
ESPN International
ESPN International and its affiliated networks will present Pro Bowl live to more than 127 million households in 40 countries and territories throughout Spanish-speaking Latin America, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, Canada, India and the Indian subcontinent. Commentary and analysis is provided in four languages — English, French, Portuguese and Spanish.
