NESN Sports Today to Premiere Tomorrow Night, Replaces NESN Daily

NESN announced today that beginning tomorrow night, NESN Daily will be replaced with a new format and show, NESN Sports Today.

Here is the release from the network:

June 10, 2013 – NESN, New England’s most watched sports network, will debut a new sports program called NESN Sports Today on Tuesday, June 11immediately following the network’s Boston Red Sox coverage. Separately, there will be periodic specials, starting with Bruins coverage on Wednesday, June 12 (see below for more details).

“We want to give New England viewers a live, fast paced, nightly sports show that goes beyond opinions or scores with highlights,” said Joseph Maar, NESN’s vice president of programming & production, executive producer.

Over the past few months NESN has been developing a dynamic sports program that strives to be relevant, insightful and interactive for passionate fans using NESN’s unparalleled access to teams and unmatched resources.

“The new show gives fans everything they need to know in sports, plus interactive debates where viewers can weigh-in on the discussion,” added Maar. “NESN Sports Today will look and feel different from any other sports show in the country and allow mobile device users to participate in the program.”

Maar began the process of transforming NESN’s sports programming back in August when he joined the network. In November 2012, NESN added three new anchors/reporters by hiring Adam Pellerin, Leah Hextall and Jamie Erdahl to team with Jamison Coyle. They will be joined by an already popular and talented group of NESN announcers and hosts that includes Don Orsillo, Jack Edwards, Tom Caron and Dale Arnold, plus regular appearances by analysts Andy Brickley, Billy Jaffe, Jerry Remy, Dennis Eckersley, Jim Rice and Tim Wakefield.

NESN Sports Today, which replaces NESN Daily, will air every night in 30-minute blocks from 10 pm to 12 midnight (or immediately following Red Sox or Bruins post-game programming). NESN will broadcast a best of edition of the show the following morning between 4 am and 6 am and again between 12 noon and 2 pm.

NESN Sports Today Specials

The program’s format will adapt during nights of major sports stories, devoting expanded coverage for special days like Red Sox, Bruins, Celtics and Patriots playoff games. Beginning this Wednesday and before each Stanley Cup Championship game there will be a NESN Sports Today Bruins Pre-Game Special at 5:30 pm.

Thus ends a largely forgettable three year run for NESN Daily, which debuted in August of 2010 with hosts  Jade McCarthy and Uri Berenguer. The original format was a bust, as chemistry between the co-hosts was non-existant, and Berenguer was taken off the show in November, and McCarthy left the network the following summer.

The show format, which originally was going to be a PTI-style debate program was quickly shelved, and the show basically reverted to the format of its predecessor, Sports Desk.

This is VP Joseph Marr’s first real chance to impact the network he joined last summer from FOX Sports North.

I’m not sure about you, but the term “interactive debates” when it comes to sports programming makes me shudder.