USA Climbing has just to announced a multi-year agreement with ESPN to present the Combined Invitational, Bouldering Open National Championships, and Sport & Speed Open National Championships.
For each competition, a one-hour show will be televised on ESPN2 highlighting the excitement of competition climbing and the athletes’ journey toward National Team Selection. ESPN3 will also live stream significant portions of the qualifying rounds,
as well as the semi and final rounds in their entirety. In addition to the live stream, the events will remain available on demand on ESPN3. In year two, ESPN will add Collegiate Nationals to the arrangement.
“Working with ESPN is a huge step toward bringing competitive climbing into the mainstream,” said Marc Norman, CEO of USA Climbing. “As we build toward our first Olympic Games, we are excited to introduce climbing and our athletes to the American public. Finally, a special thanks to The North Face; without their additional support this would not have come to fruition.”
“With the significant growth in climbing in the U.S., this arrangement with ESPN is another positive step in our efforts to capture and share the excitement of competition climbing,” said Patti Rube, President of USA Climbing’s Board of Directors. “Thanks to the efforts of our routesetters, judges, staff, climbing gyms and competitors, our National level events are ready for this broad media distribution.”
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