Wednesday, March 28, 2012

CSN announces Phillies coverage


PHILADELPHIA- (March 27, 2012) – The defending National League East Champion Philadelphia Phillies return to Comcast SportsNet for comprehensive coverage before, during and after every game on-air and online. Comcast SportsNet and The Comcast Network will air a total of 109 regular season games, all in high definition, with extensive Opening Day coverage, a weekly magazine show, pre and postgame coverage for every game and exclusive features only available on CSNPhilly.com. 

The five-time defending National League East Champion Philadelphia Phillies set two records in 2011: a franchise record 102 regular season victories, and maybe even more impressive, nine straight years of ratings growth on Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia.  In 2011, household ratings on Comcast SportsNet averaged a 9.12, up 10% over the 2010 season and a remarkable 176% since 2002.  The Phils 9.12 rating was the best in the country, beating out the St. Louis Cardinals 9.0 HH rating.

Broadcast Team Addition
New this season is the addition of Comcast SportsNet’s Gregg Murphy to the Phillies broadcast team of Tom McCarthy, Gary Matthews and Chris Wheeler. Murphy will bring the sights and sounds of the ballpark to life in his new role as field reporter.  In addition to his role with the Phillies, Murphy will occasionally provide analysis on Comcast SportsNet’s news and Phillies programs including “SportsNite,” “Daily News Live,” “Phillies Pregame Live,” and “Phillies Postgame Live.” 

The regular season debut of the new broadcast team will be on Thursday, April 5 when the Phillies open their 2012 season against the Pirates.  Comcast SportsNet will have a robust lineup for Opening Day including Phillies Pre and Postgame Live.

Comcast SportsNet Opening Day Schedule for Thursday, April 5
12 p.m.                                                  SportsRise
12:30 p.m.                                            Phillies Focus
1 p.m.                                                     Phillies Pregame Live
1:30 p.m.                                               Phillies vs. Pirates on PHL 17
4:30 p.m.                                               Phillies Postgame Live
5 p.m.                                                     Daily News Live
6 p.m.                                                     SportsNite

Comcast SportsNet Home Opener Schedule for Monday, April 9
12 p.m.                                                  SportsRise (live)
12:30 p.m.                                            Phillies Pregame Live
1 p.m.                                                     Phillies vs. Marlins
4 p.m.                                                     Phillies Postgame Live
5 p.m.                                                     Daily News Live
6 p.m.                                                     SportsNite
7 p.m.                                                     Phillies Encore: Phillies vs. Marlins
10 p.m.                                                  SportsNite

2012 Broadcast Enhancements
Comcast SportsNet will utilize state of the art Ultra-Mo technology with an adjusted frame rate camera to capture images in super slow motion with superior clarity. Statistical analytics will also assume a greater role with enhanced graphics and data appropriate to various storylines, while multiple robotic and point of view cameras will be deployed to bring the viewer closer to the action.


All The Bases Covered
Leslie Gudel (@LeslieGudel), Marshall Harris (@mharrisCSN) and Jim Salisbury (@JSalisburyCSN) team up for expanded Phillies coverage during the 2012 season. As CSNPhilly.com’s Phillies Insider, Salisbury will report on the team both at home and on the road, providing feature stories, video blogs and Phillies chats for the website. Gudel and Harris will provide coverage on-air and online, including exclusive interviews and feature stories on the players, coaches and personalities that make the Phillies tick.  Harris will also host Phillies Clubhouse this season.

Pre and Postgame Coverage
In addition to live game coverage, Comcast SportsNet delivers pre and post-game coverage and analysis. Before every game on Comcast SportsNet and The Comcast Network, viewers can catch the latest team developments, game previews and opposing team analysis on “Daily News Live,” “SportsNite” and “Phillies Pregame Live.” 

Following each match-up, Phillies fans get a game breakdown with stats and highlights, and a look ahead to the rest of the season on “Phillies Postgame Live.” Other features include manager Charlie Manuel’s press conferences and reaction from the clubhouse. Phillies Postgame Live analysis will be provided by former Major League ball players Ricky Bottalico, Chris Coste and Ben Davis.
Bottalico returns for his fourth year as a Phillies analyst after playing 12 seasons in the major leagues, including seven with the Philadelphia Phillies.  Returning to the lineup this year are Coste, who played four seasons with the Phillies, and Davis, a catcher from Malvern Prep, who played seven seasons in the majors.

Phillies Clubhouse
Completing Comcast SportsNet’s Phillies lineup is the weekly 30-minute feature series Phillies Clubhouse. “Phillies Clubhouse” illustrates the deep bond between the Phillies and their fans with off-field player profiles, behind-the-scenes stories about fans and the people who make the team run, look into the future of the game with regular minor league updates, and relive great moments in Phillies’ history with the people who made it happen.  This season features “My Memory,” where Phillies players past and present recall the greatest moments in their career.  “Phillies Clubhouse airs most Mondays at 7 p.m.

CSNPhilly.com
Digital/Social Media
CSNPhilly.com’s Phillies Insider Jim Salisbury (@JSalisburyCSN) will provide exclusive player, coaches and management interviews, plus breaking news and in-depth features on CSNPhilly.com. He will also provide live reports for “Daily News Live” and “SportsNite.” CSNPhilly.com columnist John Gonzalez (@GonzoCSN) and feature writer John Finger (@JFingerCSN) will also contribute to the site throughout the season.   

This year, CSNPhilly.com launches a Phillies-themed online show, “Phightin Words” featuring Davis and Bottalico as they discuss the Phillies and respond to trends, answer fan questions from Twitter and Facebook and dissect upcoming series and player performance.  Fans can join the conversation by using the hashtag #PhilliesTalk.

The five-time defending National League East Champion Philadelphia Phillies set two records in 2011: a franchise record 102 regular season victories, and maybe even more impressive, nine straight years of ratings growth on Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia.  In 2011, household ratings on Comcast SportsNet averaged a 9.12, up 10% over the 2010 season and a remarkable 176% since 2002.  The Phils 9.12 rating was the best in the country, beating out the St. Louis Cardinals 9.0 HH rating.

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