ESPN.com - ESPNINC/PRESSRELEASES - ESPN to debut umpirecam on NFL pre-season telecasts

 Tuesday, August 1
ESPN to debut umpirecam on NFL pre-season telecasts
 
 August 1, 2000

ESPN's Sunday Night Football will introduce its viewers to UmpireCam, a pencil-sized camera affixed to the bill of the umpire's cap designed to provide an intimate view of the line of scrimmage, during the pre-season starting with the Buffalo-Detroit telecast on Saturday, August 12 at 8:30 p.m. ET.

The NFL has approved the use of the mini cameras during its pre-season games. If successful, the league could allow usage of the camera during regular-season telecasts.

"This technology will redefine 'up close and personal' for football viewers," said Fred Gaudelli, senior coordinating producer of Sunday Night Football. "They'll get an intimate look at what it's really like in the trenches. The game can be greatly enhanced when technology like UmpireCam is used in an appropriate and unobtrusive manner. This is a significant step by the league, and we're confident UmpireCam will pass the test with flying colors."

ESPN's 14th season of televising the NFL will get underway in Tokyo with live coverage of the American Bowl in Tokyo Saturday, Aug. 5 at 10:00 p.m. The entire pre-season schedule follows:

Pre-season schedule
Saturday Aug. 5 10 pm. Atlanta Falcons vs. Dallas
Saturday Aug.12 8:30 pm. Buffalo Bills @ Detroit Lions
Friday Aug. 18 8:30 pm. Arizona Cardinals @ Minnesota Vikings
Thursday Aug. 24 8:30 pm. St. Louis Rams @ Dallas Cowboys

Mike Patrick serves as play-by-play commentator on ESPN's primetime, cable-exclusive Sunday Night Football, with analysts Joe Theismann and Paul Maguire, and sideline reporter Solomon Wilcots.

 



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