ESPN Sets Multiplatform Plans for America 250 Celebration

ESPN will mark America's 250th anniversary with a series of content initiatives across its linear, digital, and streaming platforms, including a special edition of SportsCenter, a multimedia presentation on ESPN.com, themed segments on Get Up and First Take, and coverage of the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest.

The ESPN programming is part of The Walt Disney Company's Disney Celebrates America, a company-wide initiative tied to the nation's 250th anniversary.

On July 4 at 5 p.m. ET on ABC, ESPN will present Disney Celebrates America: SportsCenter, a two-hour live special co-hosted by Kevin Negandhi and Christine Williamson. The program will feature live reports from across the country, original storytelling, historical retrospectives, and segments from ESPN personalities including Chris Berman, Stephen A. Smith, Scott Van Pelt, Joe Buck, Pat McAfee, and others.

The special will include features on iconic moments in American sports and the cultural impact of sports in the U.S., along with essays and SC Featured storytelling. During the program, Randy Scott and Gary Striewski will report from a Savannah Bananas game at Kinnick Stadium at the University of Iowa, Hannah Storm will report from SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, and Nicole Briscoe and Michael Eaves will join from Chicago's Wrigley Field ahead of the Cubs' July 4 game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Related SportsCenter content will begin June 27.

ESPN.com will also publish AMERICA 250 Road Trips: A journey through the mystery and majesty of sports, a five-day multimedia series beginning June 29. The project follows five ESPN reporters on custom road trips exploring how sports have helped shape the country's identity. The presentations will include maps, illustrations, photography, video, and graphics, with ESPN Social sharing original content tied to the series throughout the week.

The five ESPN.com features are:

June 29: Alyssa Roenigk explores why Americans continue to take risks, beginning with a jump off the Snake River Canyon, made famous by Evel Knievel.

June 30: Kent Babb travels through Utah to examine whether sports can still unite people.

July 1: Aishwarya Kumar looks at what makes a sport American, with stops tied to pickleball, crawfish, cricket, and lacrosse.

July 2: Roberto Jos Andrade Franco explores the state of boxing through stops in Las Vegas, Brooklyn, and Atlantic City.

July 3: Dotun Akintoye travels through the Midwest to examine why American sports fans believe in the impossible, with stops tied to Camp Randall and the Field of Dreams.

ESPN's daily studio shows will also participate in the celebration. Beginning June 29, Get Up will highlight great plays from the previous night and examine what made them stand out. First Take will showcase historic and iconic moments from U.S. sports history leading up to July 4, with a focus on their impact on the sports landscape.

ESPN will continue its Independence Day tradition with coverage of the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest from Coney Island. Coverage begins July 4 at noon ET on ESPN2, with the men's contest simulcast on ABC beginning at 12:30 p.m. ET. A re-air will follow at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN2. Joey Chestnut will look to win his 18th title, while Miki Sudo will seek her 12th overall women's title and fifth straight.

The ESPN App will also be part of a 24-hour Disney Celebrates America broadcast beginning the evening of July 3 and continuing through July 4. The cross-platform event will span ABC, Disney+, Hulu, the ESPN App, National Geographic, FX, Freeform, ABC News Live, and ABC Owned Television Stations and affiliates, with programming from all 50 states.

LINK:	https://www.sportsvideo.org/2026/06/29/espn-sets-multiplatform-plans-f...
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