ESPN, BUDWEISER LAUNCH GREATEST MOMENTS FA CUP POLL
ESPN, in conjunction with Budweiser, the official sponsor of the FA Cup, today launches a search to establish fans’ all-time favourite moments from the world’s oldest and most illustrious domestic football competition. ESPN will reveal fans’ favourite FA Cup moments in a variety of categories as part of the sports media company’s extensive all-day, on-site build up to the FA Cup Final on 11th May 2013.
Voting categories will be initiated round by round at ESPN.co.uk/facuppoll – starting ahead of the Third Round with a vote for the Greatest FA Cup Giant-Killings. Fans will be given a shortlist of five moments to vote on per category, chosen by the ESPN.co.uk/facuppoll editorial team from ESPN Classic’s extensive archive of FA Cup moments. Fans will be encouraged to share their recollections and views of their favourite moments via #ToTheDream, with selected comments featured on ESPN’s televised FA Cup coverage through the season. Additionally, two fans who share their views via #ToTheDream will be randomly selected to win two tickets to the FA Cup Final in May.
ESPN Classic will feature an extensive programming lineup of great FA Cup moments, airing on the channel every night in January.
Charles Classen, Senior Director Commercial, Digital and Marketing, ESPN: “The FA Cup is one of the world’s most loved and treasured tournaments. Every fan has their own special connection to football’s oldest cup competition. As we continue a very successful collaboration with Budweiser, we aim to engage fans with discussion and discover their favourite moments from The Cup’s past are, as we bring another new chapter of The Cup to them on TV, online and on mobile.”
After voting for the greatest giant-killings, the vote ahead of the Fourth Round will ask fans to pick the Greatest FA Cup Goal. Ahead of the Fifth Round fans will choose the Greatest FA Cup Comeback, and as the final eight teams contest the Sixth Round, the poll will shortlist the games that have been instrumental in changing the long term fortunes of clubs and players – in FA Cup Games That Changed History. As the Cup reaches the Semi-Final and Final, ESPN will revisit some of the best matches to have taken place at those stages, and ask fans to select the Greatest FA Cup Semi-Final and the Greatest FA Cup Final.
Voting will be opened for the following categories at these times:
- Third Round – Greatest FA Cup Giant-Killings – voting opens Weds Jan 2
- Fourth Round – Greatest FA Cup Goals – voting opens Mon 21 Jan
- Fifth Round – Greatest FA Cup Comebacks – voting opens Mon Feb 11
- Quarter Final – FA Cup Matches that Changed History – voting opens Mon Mar 4
- Semi-Final – Greatest FA Cup Semi-Finals – vote opens Mon April 8
- Final – Greatest FA Cup Finals – voting opens Mon May 6.
Shortlist – Greatest FA Cup Giant-Killings – ESPN.co.uk/facuppoll
**Voting opens Weds 2nd Jan, closes 20th Jan**
- 3rd Round Replay 1971/72: Hereford United 2-1 Newcastle United: Although Ronnie Radford’s superb goal is sometimes incorrectly attributed as the winning goal; the match actually went to extra time with substitute Ricky George getting the winner.
- 5th Round 1970/71: Colchester United 3-2 Leeds United: 4th Division Colchester United defeated the mighty Leeds United at Layer Road in front of 16,000 spectators
- 3rd Round 1983/84: Bournemouth 2-0 Manchester United: Manchester United were the FA Cup holders, but lost 2-0 to Harry Redknapp’s Bournemouth of Division Three.
- 3rd Round 1991/92: Wrexham 2-1 Arsenal: Wrexham, then bottom of the Fourth Division, knocked out Division One champions Arsenal with two goals in the closing minutes.
- 3rd Round 1988/89: Sutton United 2-1 Coventry City: Coventry, who had won the cup only two seasons earlier, faced humiliation after Matthew Hanlan scored from close range.
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