Not to be left out of the inaugural fun (or ratings bonanza), ESPN Classic will be airing 10 hours of their Breaking Barriers program on Tuesday featuring groundbreaking African-American athletes such as Arthur Ashe, Jack Johnson, and Eddie Robinson. Today, MLK Day, they are airing seven hours of BB with programs devoted to Jackie Robinson, Hank Aaron, and others.
As far as the actual inauguration goes, SportsCenter will present live coverage of President-elect Obama’s swearing-in ceremony with Jeremy Schaap reporting from the west front of the U.S. Capitol. Schaap will also be interviewing athletes in attendance.
ESPN’s inauguration coverage will include “Realizing The Dream” vignettes in which athletes talk about what the election of Barack Obama means to them. The vignettes will air within ESPN studio programming and across platforms (ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, etc.). Sports figures participating include Magic Johnson, Tom Jackson, Paul Pierce, and Craig Robinson, the Oregon State head basketball coach and brother-in-law of Obama.
See below for Tuesday’s Breaking Barriers schedule …
Breaking Barriers schedule on ESPN Classic, Tuesday, Jan. 20
noon – 1975 Wimbledon Finals: Arthur Ashe vs. Jimmy Connors
2pm – Jack Johnson documentary
3pm – SportsCentury: Bill Russell
4pm – National Championship: Texas Western vs. Kentucky
5pm – Third and a Mile: History of the Black Quarterback
6pm – Eddie Robinson’s 400th Victory
8:30pm – SportsCentury: Ernie Davis
9:30pm – SportsCentury: Willie Jeffries
This article appears in January 16 • 2009.