The Boston Athletic Association and ESPN (Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) announced their agreement to telecast the 2023 Boston Marathon. It will be ESPN’s first broadcast of the event since 2004.
Jack Fleming, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the B.A.A., said, “We’re honoured to partner with ESPN and WCVB Channel 5, respected market leaders who bring a spirit of innovation and thoughtful storytelling that will propel the mission of the B.A.A. and legacy of the world’s oldest annual marathon forward. Both have established a tradition of broadcasting world-class athletic events, and we are excited to build on this tradition together into the future.”
The 127th Boston Marathon, which is set to take place on April 17, 2023, will be live on ESPN from 8:30 AM ET to 1:00 PM ET. Moreover, following the before and after live coverage, ESPN will also have coverage of the race on SportsCenter, as well as coverage on some other ESPN shows and portals.
Burke Magnus, President, Programming and Original Content, ESPN, commented, “The Boston Marathon is one of the world’s most recognizable and best-known sporting events and we’re proud to be able to bring it to ESPN viewers for years to come. We look forward to working with the B.A.A. and WCVB to present the stories and athletic achievements of this classic race.”
The Boston Marathon has not been covered by ESPN since 2004, but the network has a long history with the race. Previously, the event was covered by ESPN in the early 1980s and again from 1997 to 2004.
Furthermore, the Boston Athletic Association will acknowledge the 10th anniversary of the terrible tragedies surrounding the 2013 Boston Marathon at the 2023 race.