ESPN, for the first time, will present all of its studio coverage from the FIFA Women's World Cup from the host nation.
The worldwide leader's studio team, topped by Bob Ley, who helmed ESPN's studio coverage from the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, and Rebecca Lowe, ESPN UK's Barclays Premier League co-host, will oversee the 2011 event from Germany.
The comprehensive news, highlights and information coverage of the quadrennial tournament from June 26 through July 17, featuring the top 16 women's national teams in the world, will include pre-match, halftime and post-match shows, as well as World Cup-branded segments on SportsCenter, First Take and ESPNews.
Germany 2011 will also mark the first time all FIFA Women's World Cup matches on ESPN networks will feature pre-match, halftime and post-match coverage, presentation of the national anthems and analysis segments.
Portions of ESPN's 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup programming from Germany will originate from a mobile studio set, traveling throughout the country and originating from five cities - Berlin, Dresden, Frankfurt, Heidelberg and Wolfsburg - during the three-week competition. The features unit also will produce vignettes and long-form features for television and digital platforms profiling the players, teams and coaches as part of the network's planned comprehensive coverage.
"Presenting the Women's World Cup studio programming from site in Germany reflects our ambitious commitment to this world-class, global sporting event," said Jed Drake, ESPN senior vice president and executive producer, production, in announncing the coverage plans. "Bob Ley and Rebecca Lowe's experience and exemplary knowledge of the game will elevate our coverage and how we capture the atmosphere surrounding the event to fans at home."
