ESPY TV has maintained the only nationally broadcast martial arts television program for many years now. The show has conducted interviews with recognized martial artists and dedicated lesser knowns. Sometimes John Burke’s interviews bordered on the simplistic but their informal, enthusiastic approach always caught something of the mind of the instructor.
They have concentrated on the Eastern seaboard and covered many fine teachers and active schools there. They also created one of the first lines of multi-style instruction tapes with topics like Seven Star Mantis, Tai Chi, Eagle Claw, Hung Gar, Snake style Kung Fu, White Eyebrow and other forms including many non-Chinese styles such as Jiu Jitsu, Karate, etc.
Note: ESPY material was first offered in VHS form. In recent years they have converted a number of their programs to DVD. Sometimes these are pretty straight conversions with only the barest re-working. ESPY titles often have no menus. Also they may or may not be able to automatically skip chapters with the advance button on your remote control. Since these were, in the main, filmed in the 80’s: don’t expect top production values. The information is solid and often very reasonably price but these are definitely “diamonds in the rough”.
Have fun. Enjoy these rare presentations.
