Cable television sports network giant ESPN will train its cameras on Bangor next week as the Senior League World Series championship game will be televised live for the first time.

The live broadcast is the result of a new, eight-year TV contract between Little League and ESPN. Terms of the deal call for ESPN to broadcast each of Little League’s eight divisional world series title games live.

“This year, for the first time, all eight will have a TV presence,” said Little League media relations manager Chris Downs. “It really broadens the exposure of our program at all levels. Our best-known program is the 11- and 12-year-olds.

“The other tournaments we put on have had a very minimal presence in past years, but with this contract, the championship games are not only on TV, they’re also live and repeated.”

The game will air live on ESPNU Aug. 18 at 3 p.m. and will be rebroadcast by ESPN2 on Aug. 30 at 2 p.m.

The exposure should benefit both Little League and Bangor.

“I think what it does is we now put Mansfield Stadium and Bangor, Maine, on a national and international stage,” said Mike Brooker, Senior League World Series tournament director. “To be able to show what we’re doing here on a national stage is huge for us.

“I think if we can show a national audience that we have 2,000 to 2,500 really happy people here enjoying themselves in Bangor, perhaps that will pique people’s interest enough to want to visit this area.”

Downs agrees, adding that the tournament itself has already been a plus for Bangor as much as Bangor has been a plus for it.

“I think in that regard, you’ll find the entire Bangor area will benefit even greater now because now you’re starting to draw some visual of what it’s like to play ball in that part of the United States,” Downs said. “It also continues to draw more international flavor to that part of the U.S. as well.”

Brooker said ESPN officials have been in regular contact for months, rented two production trucks out of Saco, and have sent someone to Mansfield to take measurements and photos from different locations to gauge camera angles and sight lines.

“They know what they’re doing, what needs to be done and how to do it,” Brooker said. “The communication is great and they’ve been preparing for this for awhile now. They’re ready to go.”

Brooker said ESPN has also rented scissor-lift trucks from a local equipment dealer, installed six new phone lines to use at the stadium, and is bringing a generator truck to provide the extra power needed to run its equipment.

ESPN’s live broadcasts is yet another positive development for the tournament, now in its sixth year at Bangor. Its evolution has been impressive, but it doesn’t surprise Brooker.

“I’ve said from day one that if people become aware of what’s going on, they’ll not only want to watch, they’ll want to become involved and the support is what’s allowed us to get to this point,” Brooker said.

Bangor’s proficiency at running the tournament has not gone unnoticed.

“That, in itself, is evident. The Senior League World Series continues to call Bangor home and that represents the ability of the committee and local volunteers to support a tournament of this size and magnitude,” said Downs. “It’s now recognized as the home of the Senior League World Series, and now that so many people have been there and experienced the tournament, they know where Bangor is.”

Andrew Neff can be reached at 990-8205, 1-800-310-8600, or at aneff@bangordailynews.net