Seen on Screen: NBC Sports Takes the Ice for 2020 NHL Draft; Hard Knocks: Los Angeles To Chronicle Rams, Chargers Preseason By Kristian Hernandez, Associate Editor Friday, June 26, 2020 - 8:30 am
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Seen on Screen provides a roundup of the current sports programming landscape as networks deal with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. In this week's edition, major networks like NBC Sports, Fox Sports, and ESPN are combating the silence of no live sports with previously-released, taped, or archival content. Many networks have also continued producing live studio content - often with on-air talent located remotely.
NBC Sports will present live coverage of the 2020 NHL Draft Lottery tonight at 8 p.m. ET on NBCSN, hosted by Kathryn Tappen. Immediately following the 30-minute program, a special half-hour edition of NHL Live will be presented at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN with reactions to the Draft Lottery as well as a preview of the NHL's latest Return to Play plans. The show will be hosted by Liam McHugh alongside analysts Keith Jones and Patrick Sharp.
The Draft Lottery will feature interviews with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, the consensus top prospect Alexis Lafreniere, and the general manager of the organization that wins the Draft Lottery.
Programming will also stream on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app
HBO Sports, NFL Films and the two Los Angeles-based NFL franchises are teaming up for an unprecedented and unfiltered all-access look at what it takes to make it in the National Football League when Hard Knocks: Los Angeles kicks off its five-episode season this summer. The 15th edition of the 18-time Sports Emmy-winning series debuts on Tuesday, August 11 from 10 to 11 p.m. ET, with other hour-long episodes of the first sports-based reality series debuting subsequent Tuesdays at the same time, culminating in the Sept. 8 season finale.
Hard Knocks will have encore plays Wednesday nights and will be available to stream on HBO via HBO Max and partners' platforms.
In an unprecedented programming move, the 2020 edition of the venerable series will spotlight both Los Angeles NFL teams: The Los Angeles Chargers of the AFC West and the Los Angeles Rams of the NFC West. The two franchises are set to share the spectacular new 70,000-seat SoFi stadium that is nearing completion in Inglewood, California.
Dedicated NFL Films production crews will be in both southern California training camps, shooting more than 2,300 hours of footage over the course of the series, offering an inside look at the daily rigors of an NFL training camp. With access to players' and coaches' meeting rooms, training rooms, living quarters and practice fields, Hard Knocks will document hours of conditioning practices and meetings, chronicling players as they compete for a roster spot and bond off the field
Fox Sports kicks off its MLS is Back Tournament slate on Friday, July 11 at 8:00 PM ET with Atlanta United vs. New York Red Bulls on Fox and FC Cincinnati vs. Columbus Crew SC at 10:30 PM ET on FS1. Among the nine group stage matchups are past MLS Cup champions, historic rivalries, and recent additions to the league. The lineup features two appearances each by Columbus Crew SC, Houston Dynamo, New York Red Bulls, and LA Galaxy along with matches featuring Atlanta United, Chicago Fire FC, D.C. United, FC Cincinnati, Inter Miami CF, LAFC, New England Revolution, New York City FC, Philadelphia Union, and Portland Timbers.
Fox Sports' coverage of the all-new tournament includes nine group stage matchups, four knockout stage matches, two quarterfinals, and a semifinal
NBC Sports has announced its telecast schedule for the 2020 NTT INDYCAR Series through July 18, highlighted by the second race of the REV Group Grand Prix at Road America on Sunday, July 12 at 12:30 p.m. ET on NBC. Pre-race coverage will begin at noon ET on NBC.
Three of the first four races of the 2020 NTT INDYCAR Series will be showcased live on NBC. The season began live in primetime on Saturday, June 6, on NBC with the Genesys 300 at Texas Motor Speedway, which delivered the most-watched INDYCAR race since 2016, excluding Indy 500s.
The first race of the REV Group Grand Prix at Road America on Saturday, July 11, will air live on NBCSN at 5 p.m. ET, followed by the Iowa INDYCAR 250s doubleheader weekend, which will air live in primetime at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN on Friday, July 17, and Saturday, July 18.
The 2020 season continues on Saturday, July 4, with live coverage of the GMR Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on noon ET on NBC. Live coverage of qualifying will air Friday, July 3 at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.
The 2020 NTT INDYCAR Series schedule includes:
Friday, July 3 (NBCSN, 4:30 p.m.)
GMR Grand Prix at Indianapolis - Qualifying
Saturday, July 4 (NBC, 12 p.m.)
GMR Grand Prix at Indianapolis
Saturday, July 11 (NBCSN, 5 p.m.)
REV Group Grand Prix at Road America - Race 1
Sunday, July 12 (NBC, 12:30 p.m.)
REV Group Grand Prix at Road America - Race 2
Friday, July 17 (NBCSN, 8:30 p.m.)
Iowa INDYCAR 250s - Race 1
Saturday, July 18 (NBCSN, 8:30 p.m.)
Iowa INDYCAR 250s - Race 2
Mike Tirico will host NBC Sports' coverage of the historic NASCAR/INDYCAR crossover weekend on Fourth of July weekend, anchoring 10-plus hours of coverage from Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 4-5 on NBC.
Tirico will be joined by special guests throughout the crossover weekend, including current and former INDYCAR and NASCAR drivers.
Here is the schedule for Fourth of July weekend:
Saturday, July 4
NTT INDYCAR Series GMR Grand Prix (NBC, 12 p.m.)
Countdown to Green (NBC, 2 p.m.)
NASCAR Xfinity Series Race - Indianapolis (NBC, 3 p.m.)
IMSA - Daytona (NBCSN, 6 p.m.)
Sunday, July 5
NASCAR Cup Series Race - Indianapolis (NBC, 4 p.m.)
Univision&#
