The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) has announced the debut of a nightly broadcast Boston Marathon Live presented by Amazon and WBZ-TV, which will air every night Monday, September 7 through Sunday, September 13. Co-produced by the B.A.A. and WBZ-TV, a new one-hour show will premiere on CBSBoston.com each night at 8:00PM ET and re-air at midnight. Each show can be viewed worldwide.
“The B.A.A. is delighted to partner with Amazon and WBZ-TV to offer a week of programming that will celebrate our participants, spotlight race history, and serve as a unifying element throughout the Boston Marathon Virtual Experience. The nightly show will be available to our global audience and truly allow for us to bring Boston to the world,” said B.A.A. CEO Tom Grilk.
Boston Marathon Live will be hosted by Lisa Hughes, award-winning journalist and WBZ-TV anchor. Each show will feature interviews with Boston Marathon personalities, including champions, and profiles on participants in the Boston Marathon Virtual Experience. Finishers of the virtual race will also have the opportunity to be highlighted on air. The full broadcast schedule will be announced in the coming days.
“WBZ-TV has been a proud partner of the B.A.A. and the exclusive local broadcast partner of the Boston Marathon for more than 35 years. We are honored to continue this partnership by providing coverage on our digital platforms, CBSBoston.com and our streaming news service CBSN Boston, that will enable fans world-wide to share in the experience,” said WBZ-TV President and General Manager, Mark Lund.
Throughout race week the B.A.A. will be raising funds for COVID-19 response through a text-to-donate campaign and sweepstakes for a Boston Marathon VIP Experience for two which includes: a three-night hotel stay steps from the finish line during marathon weekend; opportunity to be an official starter; VIP finish line seating; VIP tickets to all marathon weekend events; and an opportunity to sit in the announcer booth during the Boston Marathon. The terms of the sweepstakes will be announced prior to race week.
The Boston Marathon Expo produced by Conventures, Inc., will also be presented virtually for 12 days, September 4 through September 15. The Expo will be free and open to all and will feature sessions with running legends, coaches, dieticians, and wellness professionals. Visitors to the virtual expo will also have the opportunity for real-time video or text chats with brand representatives from participating companies and to shop from a variety of exhibitors directly on the site.
Participants interested in being featured on Boston Marathon Live should email to stories@baa.org with more information on their virtual experience, including when and where they plan to run. Participants may also submit high-resolution videos to be featured on the broadcast or on Boston Marathon and B.A.A. social media by following the steps on the video submissions webpage.
ABOUT THE BOSTON MARATHON VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE
The Boston Marathon Virtual Experience will bring Boston to the world, with participants completing 26.2-miles within their neighborhoods from September 5 through September 14. The B.A.A. will present more than a week’s worth of content that can be accessed digitally worldwide. Boston Marathon Live will air September 7 through September 13 on CBSBoston.com. The Boston Marathon Virtual Experience will conclude with the Mile 27 Post-Race Party presented by Samuel Adams on Monday, September 14.