ESPN announces return of MegaCast, alternate options for Playoff

ESPN announced the return of MegaCast on Friday in a press release.

“ESPN will present nine offerings of each College Football Playoff Semifinal on Saturday, Dec. 31, courtesy of the network’s signature CFP MegaCast production,” the statement read. “In total, more than three dozen different presentations will be available across the New Year’s Six, peaking with the CFP Semifinals as the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl showcases No. 2 Michigan and No. 3 TCU (4 p.m. ET) and the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl highlights No. 1 Georgia and No. 4 Ohio State (8 p.m.).”

“Across all New Year’s Six games, ESPN will provide fans with nearly 40 different presentations across the six preeminent bowls. ESPN’s entire offering of the New Year’s Six is a preview of its presentation of the College Football Playoff National Championship Presented by AT&T on Monday, Jan. 9, at 7:30 p.m.”

For the first time since 2019, the “Field Pass” aspect of the broadcast will be brought back on ESPN2.

Field Pass with The Pat McAfee Show will be anchored by Pat McAfee, who will be on the sidelines of Mercedes-Benz Stadium for both semifinal games. He’ll be joined by other analysts and personalities. From the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, Robert Griffin III, Taylor Lewan and AQ Shipley are set to join McAfee, AJ Hawk and Darius Butler, who will be live from Atlanta. “Stanford Steve” Coughlin among other guests during the second semifinal contest in primetime.

Here’s a look at the alternate presentations (all available on the ESPN App):

Command Center (ESPNU): A multi-angle presentation, which includes up to four different vantage points at any one time, with real-time player and team statistics supplementing the game action.
AT&T 5G SkyCast (ESPNEWS): The popular view from above the action and behind the offense on most plays. This unique angle has long been one of ESPN’s alternate viewing options and is readily available on multiple games every week. Replays will be shown every time the main telecast shows a replay, while never losing the look from Skycam.
All-22 (ESPN App): Watch the game the same way players and coaches study film, with a vantage point high above the field of play. The angle allows for the 22 players on the field to be seen at all times, providing the ability to distinguish how plays develop while listening to the ESPN Radio call.

Crissy Froyd

Crissy covers SEC football news for Saturday Down South.