New York, November 3, 2017— The 2017 TCS New York City Marathon will be broadcast on ABC7, ESPN2 and will be available globally in more than 616 million households across over 175 different countries and territories on Sunday, November 5, from 9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. ET, with extended coverage until 2:00 p.m. ET on ABC7 in the New York City tristate area, it was announced today by New York Road Runners. The 47th running of the race will also be available streaming live via the ABC app in New York and the ESPN App nationally from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. ET.

The broadcast, which has been produced by IMG since 1994, will consist of 33 cameras covering the 26.2-mile course, including a camera attached to the chair of professional wheelchair athletes and U.S. Paralympian Amanda McGrory and Brian Siemann. The production staff of 300 will include 17 commentators, reporters, and analysts, with ESPN’s Sage Steele serving as the race-day host for the second consecutive year. Steele currently serves as ESPN’s lead host for SportsCenter on the Road and as the weekday anchor for SportsCenter:AM.

ESPN SportsCenter anchor John Anderson will call the play-by-play on race day for the fifth consecutive year, with marathon analysts Tim Hutchings and Carrie Tollefson providing commentary from the booth and Emmy-award winning broadcaster Larry Rawson and three-time New York City Marathon winner Paula Radcliffe serving as lead athlete reporters. The group will be joined by a number of reporters stationed along the course, as well as at the start and finish, including Lewis Johnson and ABC7’s Ryan Field, Laura Behnke, Amy Freeze, Anthony Johnson, Kemberly Richardson, John Del Giorno, Michelle Charlesworth, and Josh Einiger.

Returning for a second year in the broadcast will be an in-depth look at runner biometric data through Performance Metrics powered by TCS. Ten notable runners will wear a small electronic device that will collect real-time data for in-race analysis. ESPN “Sports Science” host John Brenkus will break down the Performance Metrics live in the broadcast, which will include pro athletes Stephanie Bruce, Brian Siemann, two-time New York City Marathon champion Amanda McGrory, New York City Marathon champion Meb Keflezighi who is racing his 26th and final marathon, ultramarathoner Michael Wardian, former NFL star and media personality Tiki Barber, 1974 New York City Marathon champion Kathrine Switzer, running journalist Jen Miller, NYRR President and CEO Michael Capiraso, and NYRR Coach Roberto Mandje. The data will focus on heart rate, breathing rate, and cadence and pace relative to the conditions of the course and environment, such as elevation, grade, and weather.

The broadcast will also include four professional athlete features: Keflezighi’s 26th and final career marathon, Shalane Flanagan’s return to New York, Mary Keitany’s dominance, and the story of Beverly Ramos, the Olympian from Puerto Rico who has had to endure the devastating effects of the recent hurricane while finding a way to keep up her marathon training.

A new coaches corner segment will allow viewers to hear from the coach of a top pro in the race for an insider’s view on race strategy.

In the New York tristate area, ABC7 will air 10.5 hours of race-week coverage, including race day. In addition to the Sunday race broadcast, coverage of the following will be available on ABC7 as well as on the ESPN App nationally outside of the New York tristate area:

· Friday, November 3: TCS New York City Marathon Opening Ceremony, 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Eyewitness News sports anchor Ryan Field and meteorologist Amy Freeze will kick off the celebration for one of New York City’s greatest sporting events, reporting from the Parade of Nations and the evening fireworks in Central Park.

· Saturday, November 4: Countdown to the Starting Line, 7:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Live from the TCSNYCM Eve Experience at the TCSNYCM Pavilion in Central Park, Eyewitness News sports anchors Liz Cho and David Novarro and meteorologist Amy Freeze reveal the big names to watch on race day and look at what it takes to put on the biggest marathon in the world.

· Sunday, November 5: Eyewitness News Marathon Sunday, 7:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Sports anchors Ryan Field and Laura Behnke will host coverage from Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island. Meteorologists Lee Goldberg and Amy Freeze will report from the start, while Kemberly Richardson, Michelle Charlesworth, Josh Einiger, and Anthony Johnson will report from throughout the city. John Del Giorno will cover the race from above in NewsCopter7.

A two-hour condensed encore presentation of the race broadcast will air on ABC affiliate station nationwide on Sunday afternoon from 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. local time.  

Internationally, coverage of the race will be available to over 616 million homes in the following countries and territories: Australia –Fox Sports, Brazil – Globosat, Canada – FloSports, China – Tiankong Sports/Sohu Sports, Cuba –  ICRT, Europe – Eurosport, Italy – RAI, Japan – FujiTV, Mexico – Sky Mexico, Netherlands – NOS, New Zealand – Sky, Sub-Saharan Africa – TVMS, South Africa – SuperSport, South America – ESPN International, Southeast Asia – FOX Sports & FloSports, Spain – TVE, Switzerland – SRF, Thailand – Cineplex, United Kingdom – FreeSports.

About the TCS New York City Marathon

The TCS New York City Marathon is the premier event of New York Road Runners (NYRR) and the largest marathon in the world. Over 1,000,000 people have finished the race since its first running in 1970 with just 127 entrants and 55 finishers running four laps around Central Park. The race expanded to all five boroughs in 1976 and just celebrated its 40th year as a five-borough affair. Held annually on the first Sunday of November, the race features over 50,000 runners including the world’s top professional athletes and a vast range of competitive, recreational, and charity runners. Participants from approximately 125 countries tour the city, starting on Staten Island at the foot of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and running through the neighborhoods of Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx before ending in Manhattan. The NYRR Youth Invitational at the TCS New York City Marathon covered 1.8 miles of the race course in Central Park, beginning near mile 24 and finishing at the famed TCS New York City Marathon finish line. More than one million spectators and thousands of volunteers line the city streets in support of the runners, while millions more watch the television broadcast in 175 countries and territories, including viewers in the New York area on WABC-TV, Channel 7, nationally on ESPN2, and via various international broadcast partners. The race is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, which features the world’s top marathons—Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York—and crowns the top professional male and female marathoners each year. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), a leading global IT services, consulting, and business solutions organization, is the premier partner of NYRR and the title sponsor of the TCS New York City Marathon. The 47th running of the TCS New York City Marathon is set for November 5, 2017. To learn more, visit www.tcsnycmarathon.org.