October 26: What Is ESPN’s 4K Game of the Week?

By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man –Follow me on X.

TV Answer Man, any word on the ESPN 4K game of the week? The Georgia and Texas game looked great in 4K. — Jake, Phoenix.

Jake, ESPN this Saturday (October 26) at noon ET will serve up an upscaled 4K broadcast of the Notre Dame vs. Navy game. ABC and ESPN+ will simulcast the game in high-def and Sean McDonough, Greg McElroy and Molly McGrath will be on the call from the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Notre Dame, 6-1, is the nation’s 12th ranked team while Navy, 6-0, is 24th ranked. The Fighting Irish are favored by 13.5 points and the ESPN Matchup Predictor gives Notre Dame a 91 percent chance of winning.

YouTube TV, Dish, Sling TV, DIRECTV, DIRECTV Stream, Comcast, Optimum and Verizon are expected to offer the game on their ESPN 4K channels. ESPN does not offer 4K programming on its ESPN TV Everywhere app or ESPN+.

The ESPN 4K broadcast will be ‘upscaled’ from 1080p HD.  The upscaled 4K means that the game will be produced in 1080p HD on site and upgraded to 4K for the home transmission. ESPN switched to upscaled 4K more than a year ago after previously doing some games in native 4K.

Is It Worth Watching The Game In Upscaled 4K?

Yes. From personal experience, I can assure you the picture is better. The high-def image from ESPN sometimes lacks detail and makes you wonder if it’s actually in high-def. However, the 4K image removes the blurriness and adds a realistic feel to the picture.

Jake, hope that helps. Happy viewing and stay safe!

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The TV Answer Man is veteran journalist Phillip Swann who has covered the TV technology scene for more than three decades. He will report on the latest news and answer your questions regarding new devices and services that are changing the way you watch television. See the bio for Phillip Swann here.