Comcast SportsNet Debuts 'net IMPACT

Comcast SportsNet Debuts 'net IMPACT

New Program Showcases the Passions and Triumphs that Define Athletes and Their Experiences

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Comcast SportsNet today announced a new series - 'net IMPACT - that takes viewers past the stats and scores of daily sports coverage and explores the deeper human elements that tie sports fans together and motivate athletes of all stripes.

'net IMPACT will air each month on the Comcast SportsNet family of eight sports channels. The inaugural October edition features four segments spanning the athletic experience. Rooted in boxing, baseball, cross-country and football, the episodes come from the places where sports traditions are born, including episodes based in great sports cities like New York, Philadelphia and Chicago, as well as the U.S. Naval Academy.

Tom Stathakes, Comcast SportsNet Senior Vice President of Programming and Senior Executive Producer, said of the show, "Picking the title of the program, 'net IMPACT, was the easy part because of the impact that these stories have on the lives of the average fan and athlete. Sorting through the myriad of story ideas was far more difficult.

"Because Comcast SportsNet's channels now span the country from coast to coast and north to south, we're able to present these stories in the context of their universal appeal without losing the localism that makes them so compelling," Stathakes continued. "Because our regional networks offer fans a deeper look at the teams and sports that they're most passionate about, we're in a unique position to produce a program such as this."

The segments in the 30-minute inaugural episode, hosted by Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia's Michael Barkann, are:

1) Fight To Survive: A look at how a Philadelphia institution and tradition, the neighborhood boxing gym, has taught young men in Philadelphia respect and kept them off the streets for decades. Now increased costs and liabilities threaten those safe havens. Meet Isaiah Muneer who knows all about life on the streets and goes to the gym to get away and spend time with his other family. Joe and Marvis Frazier talk about Frazier's Gym in the city. Lance Crawford reports.

2) Nice Catch: A young baseball fan that has literally written the book on how to shag a ball during an afternoon at the park. Zach Hample ("The Art of Shagging") demonstrates sure-fire ways to get your hands on a Shea Stadium souvenir and shows off his personal collection of more than 2,700 baseballs.

3) Sixteen Minutes From Home: The touching story of astronaut Willie McCool who served as pilot on the Space Shuttle Columbia mission that broke up over Texas on Feb. 1, 2003, sixteen minutes from touchdown in Florida. McCool was the captain of the U.S. Naval Academy cross-country team his senior year despite never winning a race, and this story examines how his determination and drive impacted his fellow runners and coach, as well as their efforts to honor him with a memorial along the Academy's cross-country course. Brent Harris reports.

4) Historic Treasures: When most people hear of cracking vaults in Chicago, they don't think of the Chicago Bears, but viewers take a fascinating behind-the-scenes tour of 83 years of Bears memorabilia. See incredibly rare and valuable Bears equipment, archives, and memories from the early days of the National Football League that haven't seen the light of day for decades. Chuck Garfien reports.

During each episode viewers will be given an email address, netimpact@comcastsportsnet.com, to offer reactions or suggest a compelling personal sports story for a future episode. 'net IMPACT will initially air on Comcast SportsNet channels as follows:

Comcast Local Detroit: Saturday, October 14 at 5:30 p.m. ET
Comcast Sports Southeast: Sunday, October 15 at 5:30 p.m. ET
Comcast SportsNet Chicago: Wednesday, October 11 at 7:00 p.m. CT
Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic: Thursday, October 12 at 7:00 p.m. ET
Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia: Thursday, October 12 at 8:00 p.m. ET
Comcast SportsNet West: Wednesday, October 11 at 6:00 p.m. PT
The mtn.: Saturday, October 14 at 6:00 p.m. MT
SportsNet New York: Friday, October 13 at 7:00 p.m. ET

Comcast SportsNet currently consists of regional sports networks serving the Philadelphia, Washington, Baltimore, Chicago, and Northern and Central California television markets. In addition, Comcast SportsNet manages SportsNet New York, the mtn., and CSS. Together, the networks reach approximately 27 million households providing local sports coverage, including live game action for the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers, Washington Capitals, and Chicago Blackhawks; the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers, Washington Wizards, Chicago Bulls, and Sacramento Kings; and MLB's Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, and New York Mets.

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Source: Comcast SportsNet

CONTACT: Tim Fitzpatrick, Comcast SportsNet, +1-215-952-7086

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