ESPN’s ‘BassCenter’ Brings News Format to Bass Fishing Television

BRISTOL, Conn. – For “SportsCenter” fans, it’s the most familiar theme music on television: DA-da-DA! DA-da-DA!

Beginning January 1, that music and the “SportsCenter” brand will be coming to the ESPN Outdoors weekend television block with the launch of “BassCenter,” a new, half-hour show dedicated to the news and topics of the outdoors world. The show will air Saturdays live at 7 a.m. ET on ESPN2 and reair at 11 a.m. on ESPN2.

“We’re going to take a quantum leap forward when we start ‘BassCenter’ on ESPN2,” said Mark Shapiro, Executive Vice President of Programming and Production. “And we’re going to cover the entire sport, not just BASS events. We’ll delve into other outdoor sports, but it will center on bass fishing, regardless of the tour.”

The new show will be a mix of “SportsCenter” tailored to bass fans, and bass fishing produced for sports fans. It will be the anchor show on BASS Saturday, a new ESPN Outdoors programming lineup that combines all bass fishing-related shows in a single, Saturday morning block.

The Saturday morning line-up will also include “Loudmouth Bass,” a debate show for outdoors industry news along the lines of ESPN’s popular “Pardon the Interruption.” Other new shows include “Bass Tech,” which will be dedicated to gear and technology to help anglers and outdoorsmen; and “Bassmaster University,” which will bring professional expertise to the everyday angler. “The CITGO Bassmasters,” which follows competition on the CITGO Bassmaster Tournament Trail, will also air on Saturdays.

Since its inception in 2001, ESPN Outdoors has strived to inform and entertain anglers, hunters, campers and people of all ages who enjoy the outdoors. ESPN Outdoors is committed to increasing awareness of outdoor activities, a direction best exemplified by daily television programming totaling nearly 1,000 hours annually on ESPN and ESPN2.

Each year, ESPN Outdoors stages more than 30 marquee events including the CITGO Bassmaster Classic and the ESPN Great Outdoor Games. ESPN Outdoors comprises BASS, the worldwide authority on bass fishing that sanctions more than 20,000 events through the BASS Federation. ESPN Outdoors also features Bassmaster.com, ESPNOutdoors.com, a weekly outdoors show on ESPN Radio as well as a growing array of promotions and activities that deliver a clear message of conservation and ethical sportsmanship.

For more information, contact ESPN Outdoors Communications at (334) 551-2375.