TV Schedule for Classic Coverage
July 31, 2001
BASS MASTERS CLASSIC ON ESPN2 AUG. 2-4
PRODUCER THORNTON AND DEFENDING CHAMP DAVES SAY FISHING'S BIGGEST EVENT DESERVES
FIRST-EVER SAME-DAY COVERAGE
This Thursday to Saturday,
ESPN2 will televise the first-ever same-day coverage of bass fishing's biggest
event, the BASS Masters Classic from New Orleans. Coordinating producer
Tina Thornton, fresh off overseeing the extensive production of the ESPN Great
Outdoor Games, and defending champion Woo Daves offer the following thoughts on
the event.
COORDINATING PRODUCER TINA THORNTON:
"The BASS Masters Classic, and its many fans, deserves more than a one-hour
taped highlight show aired two weeks after the event. Our goal is to give
viewers more information than they have ever received on a nightly basis.
Think of it as fishing's version of our NFL 2Night. We are very excited to
take on this new project, like ESPN has done so many times, and apply our
creative energies to it. We'll have eight cameras following the action in
the Louisiana Delta, with nine more covering the climactic final weigh-in at the
Superdome on Saturday."
DEFENDING CHAMPION WOO DAVES
"All the competitors are really excited about ESPN and what it can do for
fishermen and what it can do for B.A.S.S. Winning last year in my 14th
try, and being the oldest pro at 54 to do so, was great. It's been quite a
ride that went by too quickly. I was besieged with business opportunities,
media inquiries, endorsement and appearance offers."
ESPN2 will provide same-day
coverage Thursday - Saturday evenings, as well as updates from the launch site
during ESPN Outdoors Saturday morning on ESPN2. Ron Franklin will host
with Jerry McKinnis, Tommy Sanders and Fish Fishburne. In addition, the
previously announced primetime show is scheduled for Saturday, August 18th at 9
p.m. The schedule:
Date
Event
ESPN2 Telecast Time (ET)
Thursday, Aug. 2
Day One Weigh-In
6 - 6:30 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 3
Day Two Weigh-In
6 - 6: 30 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 4
Updates
7 - 10:30 a.m.
Final Day Weigh-In
6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 18
Review
9 - 10 p.m.
The Classic will be conducted
on the Louisiana Delta with daily weigh-ins August 2 and 3 at the Ernest Morial
Convention Center. The final day weigh-in will be held at the Superdome.
The 45 Classic contenders will
be fishing for a $100,000 top prize and the most important title in the sport.
Winning the Classic is the high-water mark in professional fishing and an
accomplishment that has rewarded past winners with as much as $1 million in
residual earnings. The Classic is the championship event of the BASSMASTER
Tournament Trail.
B.A.S.S. is the world's largest
fishing organization, sanctioning over 20,000 tournaments worldwide. The
BASSMASTER Tournament Trail is the oldest and most prestigious pro bass fishing
tournament circuit. It continues to set the standard for credibility,
professionalism, and sportsmanship after more than three decades. B.A.S.S.
is a wholly owned subsidiary of ESPN.
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Media Contacts: Press Room at the New Orleans Hyatt (540-569-9996 or
540-569-9997)