UK Sports Network to Air ‘Before the Madness’ Special
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LEXINGTON, Ky. – The UK Sports Network will once again air a pre-Big Blue Madness TV special on Friday prior to Big Blue Madness presented by Papa John’s. “Before the Madness” will be televised live from 5:30-7 p.m. on UK Sports Network select networks.
Big Blue Madness presented by Papa John’s is slated to start at 7 p.m.
Before the Madness will feature exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes content from the Kentucky men’s and women’s basketball teams and more. Dave Baker and Christi Thomas will serve as the hosts for the night and will be joined by special guests.
In addition to the show, the UK Sports Network will live stream UK’s behind-the-scenes, VIP “Blue Carpet” entrance from 6-7 p.m. on UKathletics.com. Fans will be able to watch live as former and current players, coaches and staff, and special guests enter Rupp Arena for Big Blue Madness 2016.
The Blue Carpet live stream, presented by Nissan, will be available only on UKathletics.com and the UK Gameday app. A replay of Before the Madness will be available later on UKathletics.com.
New to the coverage this season, Before the Madness will air regionally on a delayed basis on Fox Sports South and Fox Sports Ohio. Below are the complete listings of networks throughout the state and surrounding regions:
|
Market
|
Station
|
|
Bowling |
WKBO |
|
Evansville, |
WTVW |
|
Hazard, |
WYMT/EYMT |
|
Huntington, |
WSAZ/WQCW |
|
Lexington, |
WKYT/CW |
|
Louisville, |
WBKI |
|
Regional |
Fox |
|
Regional |
Fox |
For fans unable to make it to Rupp Arena for Big Blue Madness, the annual tipoff to the Kentucky men’s and women’s basketball seasons can be seen live on the SEC Network. It will mark the second straight season the annual spectacle will air live and in its entirety on a national network.
The two-hour show will also stream live via the WatchESPN app on computers, tables and smartphones. ESPN’s Dave O’Brien will be on hand to make the call alongside analysts Sean Farnham and Kara Lawson.
Big Blue Madness presented by Papa John’s will feature introductions of both the men’s and women’s basketball teams, practice drills, videos and more. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. and the event will begin at 7 p.m.
Free tickets for Big Blue Madness, which were distributed last week in-person at Memorial Coliseum and online, sold out in just 28 minutes.
This will be the 12th time Madness has been held in Rupp Arena.
For the latest on the Kentucky men’s and women’s basketball teams, follow @KentuckyMBB and @KentuckyWBB on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat, and on the web at UKathletics.com.
