FOX Sports opens its live coverage of the 83rd running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans on Saturday, June 13 (8:30 AM – 12:00 PM ET) on FOX Sports 2 and FOX Sports GO, with Bob Varsha leading a nine-member FOX Sports broadcast team.
Varsha captains a team that includes fellow play-by-play/host Brian Till, analysts Calvin Fish, Jamie Howe, Tommy Kendall and Darren Law, with Justin Bell and Andrew Marriott reporting from the pits at the Circuit de la Sarthe.
Former racer and veteran broadcast journalist Sam Posey offers exclusive perspective and essays.
“With 56 cars, 168 drivers, some unique rules and more than 80 years of history, Le Mans would be a huge challenge even if it were a 10-lap sprint,” Varsha said.
“There’s a lot to absorb, but our team on both sides of the camera has been compiling background notes for weeks. It helps that many of the drivers already are familiar to us from our FOX Sports coverage of the World Endurance Championship, while others have appeared in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, and even FIA Formula E.
“Another key challenge is keeping everyone on the broadcast rested, and we are fortunate to have a group of announcers with resumes that give us staffing flexibility,” Varsha added. “For example, Brian and Calvin are proven broadcast hosts as well as former racers, so they can perform in either role.
“Sam, Darren and Tommy have all competed at Le Mans, while Jamie will bring her years of experience in the pit lane to the booth, so we can mix and match announcers and keep everyone fresh through the 24 hours.
“Justin and Andrew in the pits are all-rounders as well, so maybe we’ll just put the show in their hands overnight and go get some sleep!”
Adds Howe, who makes the move to the booth after five years in the pits at Le Mans, beginning in 2010: “Being involved in the 24 Hours of Le Mans broadcast in any role is a special opportunity. Being moved to the FOX Sports booth is a new challenge that I am excited to take on.
“My role in the show won’t be changing much, as I am still preparing to give viewers an inside look at the event and its participants. I’ve been talking to manufacturers and teams for the last few weeks, getting information I would normally get in preparation to cover pit lane. I’m looking forward to contributing to the broadcast and being a part of the team again.”
Now available to 85 million pay-TV customers, FOX Sports GO, the critically acclaimed app that provides live streaming video of FOX Sports content at home or on the go, offers live continuous streaming of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, including the non-telecast hours.
Customers of participating video providers may access the live streams of the race through FOX Sports GO on iOS, Android, Fire tablets and Fire phones, Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, select Windows devices, and online at FOXSportsGO.com.
FOXSports.com offers full editorial coverage of the race, photos, fast-turn videos and live streaming on-board camera options through FOX Sports GO, including a multi-camera Corvette streaming page www.foxsports.com/corvette/.
Earlier this year, FOX Sports and the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) entered into a multi-year agreement, highlighted by live coverage of WEC racing, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, on the FOX Sports family of networks.
FOX Sports broadcast schedule (all times ET and subject to change):
FOX Sports GO (Saturday, June 13 at 8:30 AM to Sunday, June 14 at 9:30 AM)
Saturday, June 13 (8:30 AM to 12:00 PM, FOX Sports 2)
Saturday, June 13 (7:00 PM to 8:00 PM, FOX Sports 1)
Saturday, June 13 (11:00 PM to 12:30 AM, FOX Sports 2)
Sunday, June 14 (3:30 AM to 7:30 AM, FOX Sports 1)
Sunday, June 14 (7:30 AM to 9:00 AM, FOX Sports 2)
Sunday, June 14 (9:00 AM to 9:30 AM, FOX Sports 1)
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