Here’s why Heat star Jimmy Butler is part of Premier League fanfest in Miami Beach
An interview with Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler about his passion for soccer and friendship with Neymar is among the many highlights of this weekend’s Premier League Mornings Live fan festival in Miami Beach.
South Florida soccer fans are invited to head to the beach bright and early as the popular English Premier League show will be broadcast live on NBCSN from the Clevelander hotel beginning at 7 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.
The event will feature live action from nine Premier League matches, culminating with the Arsenal vs. Manchester City showdown on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. on NBCSN and Telemundo.
Telemundo announcer Andres Cantor will call the Arsenal-Manchester City match live in Spanish from a stage, where fans can observe his play-by-play and famous “Gooooooooooal!” call in person. The lively Premier League Mornings studio team of Rebecca Lowe, Robbie Earle, Kyle Martino and Robbie Mustoe will be broadcasting live all weekend.
“It’s going to be very interesting for those who watch us on TV every weekend to be able to see firsthand the work and number of people that it requires,” Cantor said. “It’s going to be fun. It will be a different experience for people who are used to just tuning in at kickoff time and watching the game on TV”
It will be the first time Cantor calls a game in front an audience.
“I’ve called games in stadiums filled with lots of people, but they were looking the same direction I was looking; now, they’ll be looking at me,” Cantor said. “It’s going to be a different experience, and I’m looking forward to it.”
The Premier League trophy will be on display, and there will be appearances by club mascots and former Premier League players Jay DeMerit (Watford), Nigel Reo-Coker (West Ham), Peter Ward (Brighton & Hove Albion), Gerry Taggart (Leicester City) and Juan Pablo Ángel (Aston Villa).
Sunday’s show features Heat star Butler speaking with “The 2 Robbies” (Earle and Mustoe) about his love for soccer, which began when he attended the men’s final at the 2016 Olympics in Brazil’s Maracana Stadium. He saw Neymar lead his team to the gold medal over Germany,and immediately became a fan of the Brazilian icon.
Butler and Neymar have become friends since then. In the summer of 2018, Butler went to France to watch Neymar play with Paris Saint-Germain, and he also has visited Neymar in Rio de Janeiro. Butler now follows the global sport regularly, and is a big fan of the Premier League.
Among the other features that will be shown:
A tour of Little Havana in a classic car with Earle and Mustoe. A Miami cuisine tour and salsa dancing with Earle, Mustoe, and Martino. And, a cooking segment with Lowe and Chef James from Telemundo’s Un Nuevo Dia.
Former Watford captain and U.S. national team player DeMerit will be on the set Saturday when league leaders Liverpool take on Watford at 7:30 a.m.
“I am really excited to attend the Premier League Mornings Live fan festival...It will be a great opportunity to meet supporters whose passion for the Premier League gets them out of bed early every weekend,” DeMerit said.
Reo-Coker will join the NBC Sports’ team for Saturday’s late kick-off when his old club West Ham United visits Southampton.
“Living in Florida, I know how much soccer means to everyone here,” said Reo-Coker. “To be able to bring the Premier League to American supporters through this fan festival with NBC Sports, is really exciting. I can’t wait to head to South Beach to meet all of the West Ham fans and hopefully celebrate a few goals for the team alongside them all.”
Fans planning to attend are asked to register at https://www.nbcsports.com/PremierLeagueMorningsLive
The full weekend schedule:
Sat., Dec. 14 7 a.m. Premier League Mornings NBCSN
Sat., Dec. 14 7:30 a.m. Liverpool v. Watford NBCSN, Universo
Sat., Dec. 14 9:30 a.m. Premier League Live NBCSN
Sat., Dec. 14 10 a.m. Chelsea v. Bournemouth NBCSN, Universo
Sat., Dec. 14 10 a.m. Burnley v. Newcastle NBC Sports Gold
Sat., Dec. 14 10 a.m. Leicester City v. Norwich City NBC Sports Gold
Sat., Dec. 14 10 a.m. Sheffield United v. Aston Villa NBC Sports Gold
Sat., Dec. 14 12 p.m. Premier League Live NBCSN
Sat., Dec. 14 12:30 p.m. Southampton v. West Ham NBC
Sun., Dec. 15 6 a.m. Match of the Day NBCSN
Sun., Dec. 15 7 a.m. Premier League Mornings NBCSN
Sun., Dec. 15 9 a.m. Manchester United v. Everton NBC Sports Gold
Sun., Dec. 15 9 a.m. Wolverhampton Wanderers v. Tottenham NBCSN, Universo
Sun., Dec. 15 11 a.m. Premier League Live NBCSN
Sun., Dec. 15 11:30 a.m. Arsenal v. Manchester City NBCSN, Telemundo
This story was originally published December 12, 2019 at 11:34 AM.