ESPN to Expand Coverage of Legion World Series

ESPN will expand its live coverage of The American Legion WORLD SERIES (ALWS) to broadcast two semifinal games, Aug. 17, on its ESPNU channel in addition to the championship game on Aug. 18, the network announced today.

The four days of "pool play" leading up to the semifinals will continue to be aired by ESPN through its webcasting service - ESPN3.

The two semifinal games will be shown on ESPNU at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. EDT on Aug. 17, and the championship airs at 7 p.m. the following day on the same channel.

From Aug. 13-16, three games of "pool play" - pitting each of the eight regional champions against each other - will be streamed live daily on ESPN3.com at approximately noon, 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

ESPN's announcement that it will air the semifinal games of the 89th Annual AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL WORLD SERIES is an expansion of the relationship between ESPN and The American Legion. That relationship began in the summer of 2011, when the sports network streamed each of the series games online. The American Legion and the Shelby (N.C.) Baseball WORLD SERIES Committee inked a five-year contract last year with ESPN for the broadcasting giant to televise the ALWS championship game.

This year, ESPN will again televise the ALWS championship game on ESPNU as part of the channel's "Championship Tuesday." Last year's broadcast was a major milestone; The AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL WORLD SERIES championship game had not been shown on live TV in 35 years. ESPNU reaches nearly 80 million viewers.

In all, the ALWS will feature 15 games this year - 12 games of "pool play" between the eight regional champions, two semifinal contests and a championship. "Pool play" is divided by two divisions, the "Stars division" and the "Stripes division," each of which features four teams. The winner of one division faces the runner-up of the other division in a semifinal game, with the two winners advancing to the championship.

Now in its 89th year, the AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL WORLD SERIES is played annually at Keeter Stadium in host city Shelby, N.C. The five-day event features entertainment, competition and plenty of America's pastime.

Each year, thousands of Legion Baseball teams, sponsored by American Legion posts, compete nationally for a chance to be named ALWS champion.

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