WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - -The Big Ten Conference announced on Wednesday that the Big Ten Network and ESPNEWS will air live coverage of the 2008 Big Ten Football Media Day on Thursday, July 24. The Big Ten Network will also record the 37th Kickoff Luncheon on Friday, July 25, to appear on the network at a later date. Both events will take place at the Hyatt Regency Chicago.
The Big Ten Network will provide more than four hours of live coverage on Thursday, including the full press conferences for all 11 head coaches and Big Ten Commissioner James E. Delany. The press conferences also will be streamed live at www.BigTenNetwork.com. The network's coverage begins at 11:30 a.m. ET with hosts Mike Hall and Chris Martin. The Big Ten Network will also air a 60-minute Kickoff Luncheon Special at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday, July 31.
For the third consecutive year, the opening session of the Big Ten Football Media Days will appear live on an ESPN Network. Coverage by ESPNEWS will begin on Thursday at 12 p.m. ET and will feature all 11 head coaches either live or tape-delayed as they address the assembled media. In addition, Big Ten coaches may be interviewed on "College Football Live", hosted by Rece Davis and Dari Nowkhah, from 2:30-3 p.m. CT on ESPN, and on "The Hot List", hosted by David Amber and Bram Weinstein, from 2-5 p.m. CT on ESPNEWS.
The Big Ten Kickoff Luncheon is annually the largest and most exciting celebration of college football in the country. The 2008 Kickoff Luncheon will take place Friday, July 25, at the Hyatt Regency Chicago with the annual players and coaches autograph and photo session set to begin at 11 a.m. ET, followed by the luncheon at 12:30 p.m. ET. Brent Musburger of ABC and ESPN will serve as the event's master of ceremonies.