Sunday, April 19th, watch the 63rd USHA Collegiate National Handball Championship Men’s Finals LIVE on ESPN & the WatchESPN App, courtesy of WPH Live TV, with video captured by Jeff Kastner/produced by Dave Vincent. “Being the first collegiate handball final ever aired on ESPN is a tremendous opportunity to showcase the best collegiate players to a mass audience,” says USHA Development Director, Matt Krueger. “We at the United States Handball Association are very excited to have this opportunity.” This USHA directed match between Daniel Cordova (LFC) and Martin Mulkerrins (UCD) pins the Irish Phenom seeking his fourth straight national trophy; meanwhile, four-time finalist, and rising star w/a bullet, Cordova, looks to get the monkey off his back.
The USHA Collegiate National Championships showcase the best collegiate handball players in the game and are a true test of ability and endurance for the sport. Each athlete battled through four tough rounds of play to make it to their respective fourth straight finals appearance against each other and you can watch all the drama unfold LIVE on ESPN April 19th.
“Cordova and Mulkerrins join a select group of players, many who went on to establish Hall of Fame careers,” Krueger adds. “As four-time finals opponents, they’ve carved their own place in handball history.”
Watch LIVE as Lake Forest College goes up against University College of Dublin on ESPN in conjunction with the WPH Race4Eight Tour Finale, The Player’s Championship, Sunday, April 19th, at 9am Mountain Time. Broadcast Schedule and even more handball matches will air on ESPN at www.wphlive.tv & www.race4eight.com.
The Player’s Championship? Well, the World Players of Handball, ESPN and EDTL Handball have select professional handball stops throughout the season at various locations around the country. Each season the WPH wipes the slate clean and all players have zero rankings points; but gather points, from their results, beginning with stop #1 until the very last stop of the season. Entering Salt Lake, Paul Brady (Ire), Marcos Chavez (CA) and Catriona Casey (Ire) have the most points for the Elite Eight, Senior 40+ Men and Women’s Elite. However, stiff competition brings world, national & state champions into their brackets; coupled with future and current hall of famers, past pro stop winners and a very talented pool of dark horses!
What’s the kicker? Well, the players within the WPH Player’s Bonus Structure get season-ending points and cash once the final results are tallied w/some HUGE implications on the line. “A player with a poor Salt Lake result could loose thousands of dollars and get passed in the final year-end ranking [called race points],” says WPH Director, Dave Vincent. “This season may seem like a runaway for a couple standouts, but within the event there is another event that has the players excited to finish well!”
This excitement will all be aired LIVE at www.race4eight.com beginning April 17th @ 1pm, local Salt Lake City, Utah, Mountain Time, and continue throughout the weekend at www.race4eight.com w/the embedded ESPN & WatchESPN App. Please join the Aces cleanup crew, World Players of Handball, EDTL Handball, donors, sponsors and fans for the season ending Player’s Championship of Handball.
“This may be the very last time we get handball on ESPN and for this we are grateful,” barks Vincent. “However, we are asking the community to rally-together to help expose the broadcast schedule and this event with hopes of boosting viewership. Every viewer will help, as we seek an ESPN renewal later this year.” WPH operates solely on membership, web store and broadcast advertising, plus generous non-profit gifts and donations through their foundation ~ 501(c)3 Tax-Exempt. Vincent, part of the brain trust of the WPH R48Pro Tour and lead contact with ESPN continues, “The cost involved to broadcast one ESPN event is well over $15,000 and we have had seven in the past year. 100% of the money involved either comes from those wanting to support mass marketing of the sport, through donations, or those supporting the game through advertising and membership purchases. We really do need collective help.” Vincent isn’t shy in asking for professional and volunteer services, beyond cash donations and membership or Pay-Per-View purchases.
There is no money exchanged between ESPN and the World Players of Handball [WPH], based out of Tucson, Arizona. “We do not pay them and they do not pay us, but we do have to hire talent, satellite airtime (Internet bandwidth) and rent equipment,” continues the WPH Executive Director and Lead Play-by-Play announcer. “ESPN has a whole set of requirements that is greater than a regular filmed event, as we have to inflate our staff to meet their basic operating requirements.” WPH has used interns while on the road and has purchased new equipment to bypass the very costly Satellite Service Truck/Satellite Airtime, in recent months, to help cut financial corners. Vincent and has staff have also learned to take on new rolls as video operators and editors/directors in the attempt to save member and donor dollars while also fulfilling the mission of the organization. “Man, we are really lucky. Maria, who runs our web store and manages the office, has grown into a fabulous photographer, bringing us just breathtaking action shots as we capture the game on the road. Others have taken video editing courses and tutorials, while those close to us all learn new tasks like editing, directing, engineering and videography, to name just a few.”
To contact David Vincent, with the WPH, regarding the upcoming season, collegiate nationals, race4eight tour, Player’s Championship, ESPN or other content in this email, please go here: vincent@wphlive.tv
To contact the WPH regarding advertising, donation and memberships, go here: wph@race4eight.com
WPH Webstore: www.thehandballstore.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/wphlive
Twitter: www.twitter.com/wphlive
WPH Race4Eight Rankings, HERE>
Women, Qualifier and 40+ Senior Video Preview, HERE>
The Elite Eight Video Preview, HERE>
Player’s Championship Press Release, HERE>
