What’s On This Weekend in TV Sports (May 1-2)

Dominick Smith of the New York Mets
(Image credit: ESPN)

The prestigious Kentucky Derby and a big heavyweight pay-per-view boxing match highlight the live sports events ushering in the first weekend of May. 

The first leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown takes place Saturday as NBC provides live coverage of the Kentucky Derby. This year’s race comes eight months after the 2020 Kentucky Derby race, which was moved to Sept. 5 from May 2 due to the pandemic. 

Fox Sports on Saturday will tee up its first pay-per-view boxing event of the year, headlined by the Andy Ruiz Jr.-Chis Arreola heavyweight division fight. Prior to the PPV card, Fox broadcasting will televise the Erislandy Lara-Thomas LaManna middleweight boxing match.

Also on Saturday, ESPN2 will step into the Octagon with coverage of a UFC Fight Night mixed martial arts fight card, headlined by the Dominick Reyes-Jiri Prochazka light heavyweight fight.  

Also Read: UFC Moves Forward with July Conor McGregor-Dustin Poirier PPV Event

On the soccer field, NBCSN will offer five live Premier League game telecasts across two days, while NBC will provide Saturday afternoon coverage of the Fulham-Chelsea Premier League  contest. On Sunday, MLS takes the field with live game telecasts on ESPN (Inter Miami CF-Nashville SC) and FS1 (LA Galaxy at Seattle.)

Also Read: Super League is Super Done

CBS will deliver to golf fans live weekend coverage of the PGA Valspar Championship tournament, while auto racing fans can catch Sunday action on ESPN (Formula One’s Portuguese Grand Prix), FS1 (NASCAR Cup’s Bushy McBusch Race 400) and NBCSN (IndyCar Series’ XPEL 375).

NBC on Sunday will take to the ice for the Tampa Bay Lightning-Detroit Red Wings telecast, while ABC will hit the court to televise the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets-Milwaukee Bucks afternoon game. 

Also Read: Turner Sports Secures NHL TV Rights Deal

ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball telecast will feature the New York Mets visiting the Philadelphia Phillies.  

R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.