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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 18, 2003 ESPN TO TELEVISE 2004 NFL PRO BOWLESPN will televise the AFC-NFC NFL Pro Bowl in primetime on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2004 at 7:30 p.m. ET, it was announced today by George Bodenheimer, president, ESPN, Inc. and ABC Sports. "This move will provide a primetime showcase for the Pro Bowl,” Bodenheimer said. “ESPN and ABC Sports present the best year-round platform of everything NFL and will work together to promote the game, benefiting our overall company as well as the league.” ESPN will complement its coverage of the Pro Bowl with a wide variety of studio and feature programming on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Classic, including special on-site editions of SportsCenter and Sunday NFL Countdown. ESPN’s Sunday Night Football announce team – playcaller Mike Patrick, analysts Paul Maguire and two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Joe Theismann, and sideline reporter Suzy Kolber – will work the game. The squads for the Pro Bowl will be announced on the annual ESPN Pro Bowl Selection Show on December 18 at 7:00 p.m. ET. ESPN televised the Pro Bowl from 1988-94. ABC Sports has carried the game for the past nine years. ESPN will open its 18-game NFL schedule with a rematch of last year’s AFC Championship Game when the Oakland Raiders visit the Tennessee Titans Sunday, Sept. 7 at 8:30 p.m. ET. The schedule features 14 appearances – including at least one each – by last season’s 12 playoff teams and for the first time will include the last game of the NFL season, Sunday, Dec. 28. ABC’s Monday Night Football campaign begins with the opening NFL game of the season, as the Washington Redskins host the New York Jets on Thursday, Sept. 4 at 9:00 p.m. ET. -30- Media Contact: Rob Tobias at ESPN 860.766.2240 |