Youth movement for Little League World Series broadcasters

ESPN will be using young broadcasters as part of the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

The first of two KidsCast presentations will be the MLB Little League Classic between the Los Angeles Angels and Cleveland Indians on Aug. 22. The ESPN2 broadcast will complement the main feed on ESPN.

Two nights later, one of the Little League World Series games will serve as the standalone telecast on ESPN at 7:30 p.m. EDT.

This is the second time the network has done a KidsCast from the Little League World Series. A 2019 game winner’s bracket game between Hawaii and Virginia aired on ESPN2 alongside the traditional broadcast on ESPN.

Last year’s LLWS and MLB Little League Classic were canceled because of the pandemic.

Mo’ne Davis, the celebrated pitcher for Pennsylvania in the Little League World Series in 2014, will be an analyst for the second time. Davis was in the booth in 2019 and is a communications major at Hampton University.

“I know the team has a lot of fun things planned for the broadcasts that will be of interest to kids and MLB fans of all ages. Since 2019 I’ve had some practice and feel more prepared than ever. I can’t wait to work with some new people and get back at it in Williamsport,” Davis said in a statement.

Play-by-play announcer Ian Nichols, analyst Zoe Alter and reporter Hayley Galindo were selected from the Bruce Beck Sports Broadcasting Camp. Alter was a reporter during the 2019 game and said in a statement she is hoping that her experience from two years ago will help with calling a game in the booth.

Alter will also serve as the reporter for the Little League Home Run Derby, which will air Aug. 29 before the LLWS title game.

Joe Reedy, The Associated Press