ESPN in the UK

• Up to 90 AHL games to be shown on ESPN America
• Playoffs and Calder Cup Final to be exclusively televised
• Coverage of the 2013 AHL All-Star Classic

ESPN America will be the live and exclusive television home of the American Hockey League (AHL) this season, having reached an agreement with the league to televise up to 90 games on ESPN America across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The 30-team professional ice hockey league – based in the United States and Canada – serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League (NHL). Coverage throughout the season will be a combination of live and as-live.

ESPN America will feature as-live coverage of Hamilton Bulldogs travelling to the Toronto Marlies on Sunday 21^st October, with the first live game coming to the channel on Friday 26^th October with Peoria Rivermen playing host to the Chicago Wolves.

ESPN America will bring hockey fans exclusive coverage of the Calder Cup playoffs and Finals from April through to June. The channel will also feature coverage of The 2013 Dunkin’ Donuts AHL All-Star Classic, pitting the top players from the AHL’s Eastern Conference against the best of the Western Conference. The two-day event begins with the AHL All-Star Skills Competition on Sunday 27^th January followed by the AHL All-Star Game on Monday 28^th January.

The NHL lockout has meant many players have taken their talents to the AHL. Mikael Granlund, arguably the best prospect in hockey, has left the NHL’s Minnesota Wild to join the Houston Aeros, while Chris Krieder, a New York Rangers future star is playing for the Connecticut Whale. The Oklahoma City Barons are the team to have benefited most from the lockout, with three top young NHL prospects – Jordan Eberle, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Justin Schultz – joining their roster.

The AHL will join an extensive portfolio of top class sport on ESPN America and ESPN America HD, the only European networks devoted exclusively to the best in North American sport.  The channel features coverage of the NFL, NHL, MLB and NCAA Football and Basketball across Europe, available to 19 million homes in more than 40 countries. 

October 2012

Date                             Time (GMT)                  Game

Sunday 21^st                   12.00pm*                      Hamilton at Toronto

Friday 26^th                     1.00am*                        Chicago at Peoria (LIVE)

Sunday 28^th                   9.00am                         Abbotsford at Lake Erie

Monday 29^th                  5.00pm                         Grand Rapids at Chicago

November 2012

Saturday 3^rd                  8.00am                         Chicago at Rockford

Sunday 4^th                     8.00pm                         Chicago at Charlotte (LIVE)

Tuesday 6^th                   12.00am                        Chicago at Charlotte (LIVE)

Sunday 11^th                   2.30pm                         Oklahoma City at Abbotsford

Friday 16^th                     1.00am                         Chicago at Peoria (LIVE)

Sunday 18^th                   4.00pm                         Hamilton at Toronto

Tuesday 20^th                  1.00am                         Milwaukee at Chicago (LIVE)

Sunday 25^th                   12.30pm                       Milwaukee at Chicago

Wednesday 28^th             1.00am                         Rockford at Chicago (LIVE)

Friday 30^th                     1.00am                         Chicago at Milwaukee (LIVE)

*BST

For game times and updated schedule information throughout the AHL season, visit www.espnamerica.com.