Photo Gallery

Collaboration Includes on-site Activations, Content Integration

Joining as the official optics partner of espnW, Oakley and espnW will launch an innovative new content collaboration focused on serving the female fan and celebrating female athletes. Oakley works directly with hundreds of female athletes worldwide, many of who will be competing this summer in the London Games. The activation with espnW will focus on their successes and challenges on and off the field, as well as highlight their desire for both fashion and function in eyewear.

Oakley and espnW will team up for quarterly social media partnerships and photo galleries, plus content captured at Oakley athlete events. Oakley will provide on-site promotion at a number of sports events, beginning with a photography collaboration featuring recent Winter X Games 2012 highlights from Aspen, Colo.

Oakley will also include an espnW presence as part of the company’s athlete hospitality at the 2012 Summer Games in London and will integrate espnW into their activations at the Ironman World Championship race in Kona, as well as at other global sports events this year.

Additional content collaboration will include Oakley sponsored photo galleries on espnW.com, as well as a four-part web series with Oakley’s star female athletes, including World Cup Alpine Skiing Champion and gold medalist Lindsay Vonn, American track and field athlete Lolo Jones, silver medalist snowboarder Gretchen Bleiler and “Triathlon’s Three Emma’s,” (Snowsill, Moffat, Jackson).

“Oakley’s partnership with espnW is a perfect match for the Oakley brand and our focus in bringing performance and style to the active, sports-minded woman,” said Liesl Holtz, Oakley Global Women’s Sports Marketing Manager. “Through our professional female athletes and event activations we look forward to celebrating the athlete in all of us.”

Added espnW vice president Laura Gentile, “Oakley understands and appreciates the unique needs of the female athlete. By sharing the strength of our respective resources, we can create something unique for female fans and athletes.”

espnW is also supported by founding partners Nike, Gatorade and Proctor & Gamble.

About Oakley, Inc.
Established in 1975 and headquartered in Southern California, Oakley is one of the leading sports brands in the world. The holder of more than 600 patents, Oakley is continually seeking problems, solving them with inventions and wrapping those inventions in art. This philosophy has made Oakley one of the most iconic and inimitable brands on the market, with innovations that world-class athletes around the globe depend on to compete at the highest level possible. Oakley is famed for its insuperable lens technologies such as High Definition Optics® (HDO®) which is incorporated into all Oakley sun and prescription eyewear, and all premium Oakley goggles. Oakley has extended its leadership position as the world’s leading sports eyewear brand into accessories collections. Laser focused on the consumer, Oakley has both men’s and women’s product lines that target Sports Performance, Active and Lifestyle consumers. Oakley is a subsidiary of Luxottica Group. Additional information is available at oakley.com. Follow Oakley on Twitter and Facebook.

About espnW
espnW’s mission is to connect female fans with the sports they love and follow. espnW.com provides an engaging environment where women are an integral part of the sports conversation, share their perspective on men’s and women’s sports and find the motivation and support for their athletic goals and interests. Founded in July 2010, espnW, [espnw.com], is an emerging business that consists primarily of a digital product suite including pc web, mobile web and social media. Founding partners include Nike, Gatorade and P&G (Venus and Secret). espnW is also supported by a strong social media presence on Twitter and Facebook. The Women’s Sports Foundation is the charity of choice of espnW.

Beginning today, Mark Nolan will lead ESPN’s sales and marketing strategy dedicated to the global expansion of the X Games. Nolan brings extensive experience with global sales, media, sponsorship and marketing to ESPN, having most recently served as Director of Olympic Sales at NBC. While at NBC, Nolan’s team developed sales and marketing strategies for the 2010, 2012 and 2014-20 Olympic Games.

Drawing on those experiences, Nolan will shape ESPN’s sales and marketing strategy for X Games as the franchise will feature six events beginning in 2013. In addition to Los Angeles, Aspen and Tignes, France, three new host cities will be named in the spring of 2012.

Nolan will oversee a number of different tiers of sponsorship opportunities, from major global media partnerships to regional and local levels of sponsorship tailored to events, sports, cultural elements and venues. For specific tiers ESPN will work with partners to create branded content available for multiple distribution outlets, and will also be working with partners to develop creative and innovative intellectual property opportunities on a global scale. He will also work closely with ESPN's teams and leadership around the world on the local sales component.

This newly created position reflects ESPN’s long-term commitment to global expansion of the X Games, which highlight the world’s best action sports athletes in BMX, Skateboard, Moto X, Rally Car Racing, Skiing, Snowboarding and Snowmobiling. The ESPN X Games global expansion will continue to present world-class action sports competitions, but will also focus on youth cultural and lifestyle elements including music, style, film and photography, creating a variety of touch points to today’s global youth.

Nolan will be based in New York and will report to Eric Johnson, executive vice president of multimedia sales at ESPN.

Capital One and Castrol EDGE Return as Presenting Sponsors

ESPN announces the sponsor roster for the 19th annual ESPY Awards, which will once again be presented by Capital One and Castrol EDGE. This year’s event, featuring more sponsors than ever, will be hosted by Saturday Night Live's head writer and "Weekend Update" anchor Seth Meyers, who will be joined by an all-star lineup of top athletes and entertainers to celebrate the best sports stories of the past 12 months. 

The 2011 ESPYs will be televised live, Wednesday, July 13, at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPNHD from Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles. Additional unique content will be available on a variety of ESPN multimedia platforms including ESPN.com, WatchESPN, ESPN Mobile, ESPN Deportes and ESPN International.

Co-presenting sponsors Capital One and Castrol EDGE will also serve as co-presenters of the nomination show and ESPY voting.  Each entity supports an individual award as well – the Capital One Cup, recognizing excellence in collegiate athletics, and the Castrol EDGE “NFL Strongest Performance” award.

Returning associate sponsors include EA SPORTS, Gatorade, GMC, Hennessy, MGD64, and SuperCuts.  First-time associate sponsors include Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey, K-Swiss, HP and 20^th Century Fox.  Hennessy will again sponsor ESPN’s Tuesday night pre-party – “Vault of Secrets” hosted by Serena Williams – and MGD64 will return as presenting sponsor of the official ESPYs Post Party.  HP will present the official Social Media Lounge at the ESPY Style Studio.

In addition to on-site hospitality opportunities, sponsorship benefits include media components across many of ESPN’s screens, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, ESPN.com and ESPN’s Mobile web site, as well as ESPN Radio and ESPN The Magazine.  Sponsors also participate in the ESPY Celebrity Golf Classic benefitting the Jimmy V Foundation.

The ESPYs

The ESPYs gather top celebrities from sports and entertainment to commemorate the past year in sports by recognizing major sports achievements, reliving unforgettable moments and saluting the leading performers and performances. The 2011 ESPYs will recognize both sport-specific achievements, such as “Best MLB Player” and “Best WNBA Player,” and best-in-sport winners, such as “Best Team” or “Best Female Athlete” that pit nominees from different sports against each other.  The ESPYs honor ESPN’s commitment to The V Foundation for Cancer Research, a partnership launched with the late Jim Valvano at the inaugural ESPYs in 1993. 

Fans will determine the winners in all categories (except the Arthur Ashe Courage Award and other special awards) by voting online at http://www.espn.com/espys, ESPN Mobile Web at http://espn.mobi and at www.facebook.com/ESPN starting June 24th through July 9th.  Follow the show on Twitter at @espys.

A limited amount of ESPYs tickets are available for public purchase through www.ticketmaster.com.

May 17, 2011

ESPN Going “NonStop” With NASCAR Commercial Format
All Chase for NASCAR Sprint Cup Races to Feature Second Half Split-Screen Breaks

ESPN’s telecasts of the final 10 races of the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season will have a new look with the introduction of “NASCAR NonStop,” a commercial format designed to bring more racing action to viewers while also providing value to advertisers. The new format will be in effect for the races that make up the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship and will debut with the event at Chicagoland Speedway on Sunday, Sept. 18, at 2 p.m. ET.

In NASCAR NonStop, ESPN’s commercial breaks will feature a split-screen format showing the advertisement on the left side of the screen and a continuation of racing action on the right side. In addition, ESPN’s scoring ticker will continue to move across the top of the screen, allowing NASCAR fans to follow the running order of the race during the breaks.

When going to break during NASCAR NonStop, ESPN will utilize a screen wipe tied to an advertiser, with that advertiser occupying the wipe for the rest of the race. NASCAR NonStop will take effect at or near the halfway point of the race, with the first half of the race presented in the traditional commercial break format.

“Since we returned to NASCAR racing in 2007, one of the most common questions from our fans has been ‘why don’t you do the commercials side-by-side?’” said John Skipper, ESPN executive vice president, content. “We’re very pleased to be able to do it now with NASCAR NonStop and showcase the advertiser while still showcasing the race. ESPN’s mission is to serve sports fans and this is a way to give the fans more racing action during the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.”

Skipper said that ESPN worked with NASCAR to create the format for NASCAR NonStop.

"NASCAR has the most dedicated and loyal fans in the world, and we are constantly trying to enhance how those fans consume this great sport,” said Paul Brooks, president of NASCAR Media Group. “ESPN’s ‘NonStop’ format will ensure our fans maximize their viewing experience during the most intense and thrilling time of the season – the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.”

The final 17 races of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule will be televised on ESPN Networks, with 14 airing on ESPN and three Saturday night races airing on ABC. ESPN’s NASCAR Sprint Cup coverage begins with the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, July 31, at 1 p.m.

Visit www.espnmediazone.com for ESPN's latest releases, schedules and other news, plus photos, video and audio clips and more.

About NASCAR on ESPN:

ESPN produces comprehensive, multi-platform coverage featuring telecasts of the final 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup races, including the 10-race “Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Additionally, ESPN2 is the television home of the NASCAR Nationwide Series. ESPN’s NASCAR coverage extends to ESPN.com, SportsCenter, ESPN the Magazine, ESPN Classic, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Radio and ESPN International, among other ESPN platforms. ESPN aired 262 NASCAR Cup Races over a 20-year period starting in 1981 and returned to NASCAR coverage in 2007. The network's award-winning, live flag-to-flag coverage on ESPN has been honored with 19 Sports Emmy Awards, as well as many industry honors. It is widely credited for helping to popularize the sport nationwide.

-30-

Contact: Andy Hall at 386-492-2246, andy.hall@espn.com, or Amy Phillips at 212-456-0226, amy.phillips@espn.com.

Samsung Apps Store is First to Feature ESPN ScoreCenter Application

Bristol, Conn - ESPN has launched its ScoreCenter application, popular on devices like the iPhone and iPad, to Internet-enabled televisions.  ScoreCenter will first be available on Samsung Internet-enabled TVs via the Samsung Apps store, the world’s first HDTV-based application store.

The application provides fans with the ability to view scores and stats from a variety of sports with a touch of a button. Scoreboards and live game details can expand to include in-game stats, scores and schedules. Personalization features allow fans to customize their ScoreCenter experience by highlighting their favorite teams and leagues.  Fans can also position the application to suit their preference, including across the top, bottom or sides of the screen.  The video image adjusts accordingly, depending on the placement of the app.  For a video demonstration of ScoreCenter, please click here.

“Bringing the ScoreCenter application from mobile devices to televisions shows how good content and utility can start on any screen,” said Sean Bratches, executive vice president, sales and marketing, ESPN.  “This was a natural progression of a great product and one more way we’re serving sports fans.”

“Sports fans are passionate consumers who often demand the best entertainment and media experience in their living rooms.  With the release of ESPN ScoreCenter app, our second collaboration with ESPN, Samsung continues to deliver on its commitment to give people the flexibility to enjoy a quality media and content experience when and where they want it,” said Eric Anderson, vice president of content and product solutions, Samsung Electronics America, Inc.  “Fans no longer need to step away from their Samsung TV to check the latest sports scores and stats because of this innovative app.”

ESPN, Inc., is the world’s leading multinational, multimedia sports entertainment company featuring a portfolio of more than 50 multimedia sports assets. The company is comprised of six 24-hour domestic television networks (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNEWS, ESPNU, ESPN Classic, ESPN Deportes) and ESPN 3D, an event-based network. ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPNEWS HD are simulcast services. Other businesses include ESPN Regional Television, ESPN International (46 networks, syndication, radio, websites), ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, ESPN3.com (broadband sports network) ESPN Mobile, ESPN The Magazine, ESPN Enterprises, ESPN PPV and other growing new businesses, including ESPN on Demand and ESPN Interactive. Based in Bristol, Conn., ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc., which is an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. The Hearst Corporation holds a 20 percent interest in ESPN.

To Tweet this release: http://es.pn/cOFPuK

November 17, 2010

ESPN Deportes, the home of winter baseball, has signed Coors Light as the presenting sponsor for the network’s coverage of the 2010 Dominican Baseball League and Caribbean Series, which kicked off earlier this month and runs through February 2011.

The Coors Light brand will be integrated into all ESPN Deportes’ platforms – television, print, radio and online.  During the season, Coors Light will also be featured in the network’s marketing campaign, which includes out-of-home executions such as billboards and bus advertising in New York City.   

During all games, viewers will get up-to-minute information with a special Coors Light-branded feature titled “Notas Del Caribe” that will include the latest on what’s going on with specific athletes and games as well as other baseball-related news from the Caribbean.

“We’re thrilled to have partnered with Coors Light for what will be another exciting Winter Baseball season,” said John Fitzgerald VP, Multimedia Ad Sales, ESPN Deportes.  “Our coverage of the games across all of our platforms demonstrates our commitment to bringing fans relevant sporting events while providing great advertising opportunities to our lients. The Caribbean World Series in Puerto Rico presented by Coors Light on ESPN Deportes is very special to us.”

For Coors Light, the Winter Baseball League partnership presents an opportunity to extend its reach among legal-drinking-age U.S, Latinos.

“Few sports are as popular with Latinos as baseball, and few things go as well with enjoying a ball game as the World’s Most Refreshing Beer,” said Roger Garcia, Latino marketing manager for the Coors Family of Brands.  “Coors Light has a long history of supporting the sports that matter most to Latino beer drinkers, from baseball to soccer to boxing.  We’re excited to team up with ESPN Deportes to bring people the excitement of the Winter Baseball season.”

As the Major League Baseball comes to a close every November, ESPN Deportes launches its comprehensive coverage of winter baseball with the Dominican Republic baseball league games. The network’s coverage concludes with the Caribbean Series taking place in Puerto Rico on February 2011.

The Dominican Baseball League consists of six teams: Águilas Cibaeñas; Azucareros del Este; Estrellas Orientales; Gigantes del Cibao; Leones del Escogido; and Tigres del Licey. Each team plays a 50-game schedule, with the top four teams advancing to the playoffs. The winning team goes on to represent its country in the Caribbean Series. 

About ESPN DEPORTES

ESPN DEPORTES is the leading multimedia, Spanish-language sports brand dedicated to providing the widest variety of sports to the U.S. Hispanic sports fan via television, online, print, radio and wireless. Sports media assets include ESPN Deportes television which offers unparalleled Spanish-language sports programming, featuring more than 1400 live and/or original hours of sports programming presented annually; ESPN Deportes Radio, the only around-the-clock Spanish-language sports radio network in the U.S., and currently available in 10 of the top 25 U.S. Hispanic radio markets and also distributed on SIRIUS Satellite Radio; ESPN Deportes La Revista, the first general sports Spanish-language magazine in the U.S.; ESPNdeportes.com, the #1 Spanish-language sports Web site among Spanish-preferred fans in the U.S.; and ESPN Deportes Wireless, the brand’s  emerging business which offers Spanish-language sports content to fans to text message enabled phones.

- 30 -

Multi-Year Deal with ESPN and the Tournament of Roses Includes 2014 VIZIO BCS National Championship Game

 IRVINE, Calif., PASADENA, Calif., and BRISTOL, Conn. – VIZIO, the Tournament of Roses and ESPN announced today that a four-year agreement has been reached establishing VIZIO as the presenting sponsor of the Rose Bowl Game through 2014, as well as the title sponsor of the 2014 BCS National Championship Game.  The Rose Bowl Game will be known as the “Rose Bowl Game presented by VIZIO” and the 2014 BCS National Championship game to be hosted by the Rose Bowl in Pasadena will be named the “2014 VIZIO BCS National Championship Game.”

The deal consists of the multi-media integration of VIZIO as part of ESPN’s season-long college football coverage, including a new game mark that will be incorporated into all Rose Bowl Game and BCS-related materials. VIZIO also secures logo rights for product packaging, and on-site integration for all Rose Bowl related events. VIZIO’s deal ensures the brand will be a part of the Rose Bowl Game’s 100^th Anniversary celebrating an unprecedented milestone in college bowl game history.

“Sports fans, particularly football fans, are a critically important audience for our brand as it continues to grow and expand,” said Randy Waynick, VIZIO Chief Sales Officer. “Serving as presenting sponsor of the ‘Granddaddy of all Bowl Games’ provides a rare opportunity to reach a captive audience on New Year’s Day. It also provides tremendous marketing potential leading up to the game during the critical holiday buying season.”

VIZIO, America’s HDTV and Consumer Electronics Company, and ESPN have worked together since 2006.  The brand is currently the official HD sponsor of SportsCenter and ESPN College Football and will maintain these positions throughout the term of the deal. VIZIO believes the agreement with the Tournament of Roses and ESPN will provide an even greater platform to promote its ever-expanding line of consumer electronic products.

Initiative was the media agency responsible for brokering the Rose Bowl agreement on behalf of VIZIO and has helped the brand develop several high visibility partnerships including Super Bowl VLIV, the Vancouver Winter Olympics and the 2010 NHL Winter Classic.  The Rose Bowl sponsorship represents the latest evolution in VIZIO’s sponsorship strategy.

“Since 1989 the Tournament of Roses and the Rose Bowl Game have been proud partners with ESPN,” Executive Director Scott McKibben said.  “We are thrilled VIZIO has signed on to sponsor The Granddaddy of Them All for the next four years and look forward to a successful future in promoting postseason college football at its finest.”

Added Ed Erhardt, President, ESPN Customer Marketing and Sales: ”Taking an enhanced and major stake in college football will give VIZIO significant new opportunities to connect with the college football fan.  Together with the Tournament of Roses, we look forward to working with VIZIO to maximize their new sponsorship throughout the season and especially with the Rose Bowl Game itself.”

The Rose Bowl Game is the oldest bowl agreement in college football between two major conferences, the Big Ten and the Pac-10.  The game has been home to 17 Heisman Trophy winners, produced 29 national champions, featured 190 consensus All-Americans and honored 98 college football legends by inducting them into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame.  Outside of the BCS National Championship Game, the Rose Bowl Game continues to annually be the top-rated televised bowl game.  In 2014, VIZIO’s partnership will share in another milestone for the Tournament of Roses as it hosts the 2014 VIZIO BCS National Championship Game and 100^th Rose Bowl Game presented by VIZIO in a newly renovated, iconic, Rose Bowl Stadium. 

 The Rose Bowl Game presented by VIZIO is one of five BCS Bowl games, which take place annually in four locations: South Florida, Pasadena, Calif., the Phoenix area and New Orleans. All five games will be televised on ESPN as part of a new agreement. The schedule for the BCS Bowl games on ESPN follows.

# # #

About VIZIO
VIZIO, Inc., "Entertainment Freedom For All," headquartered in Irvine, California, is America’s HDTV and Consumer Electronics Company. In 2007, VIZIO skyrocketed to the top by becoming the #1 selling brand of flat panel HDTVs in North America and became the first American brand in over a decade to lead in U.S. TV sales. Since 2007 VIZIO HDTV shipments remain in the TOP ranks in the U.S. and was #1 for the total year in 2009.  VIZIO is committed to bringing feature-rich consumer electronics to market at a value through practical innovation. VIZIO offers a broad range of award winning consumer electronics. VIZIO’s products are found at Costco Wholesale, Sam's Club, Walmart, Target, BJ's Wholesale, and other retailers nationwide along with authorized online partners. VIZIO has won numerous awards including a #1 ranking in the Inc. 500 for Top Companies in Computers and Electronics, Fast Company's 6th Most Innovative CE Company of 2009, and made the lists of Ad Age’s Hottest Brands, Good Housekeeping's Best Big-Screens, CNET's Editor’s Choice, PC World's Best Buy and OC Metro’s 10 Most Trustworthy Brands among many other prestigious honors. For more information, please call 888-VIZIOCE or visit on the web at www.VIZIO.com.

The V, VIZIO, TruLED, Extreme VIZIO Technology XVT, VIZIO Internet Apps, 480Hz SPS, 240Hz SPS, Thin Line, Smooth Motion, Razor LED, Smart Dimming, Entertainment Freedom For All names, phrase and symbols are trademarks or registered trademarks of VIZIO, Inc. All other trademarks may be the property of their respective holders.

About the Rose Bowl Game

The Pasadena Tournament of Roses is a volunteer organization that annually hosts the Rose Parade® presented by Honda, Rose Bowl Game® presented by VIZIO and various associated events. The 122^nd Rose Parade presented by Honda, themed Building Dreams, Friendships & Memories, will take place Saturday, Jan. 1, 2011, at 8 a.m. (PST) featuring majestic floral floats, high-stepping equestrian units and spirited marching bands. Following the parade, the 97^th Rose Bowl Game presented by VIZIO will kick off at 2:10 p.m. and feature an exciting match-up between two of the top collegiate football teams in the nation.  For additional information on the Tournament of Roses please visit the official website at www.tournamentofroses.com.

About ESPN, Inc.
ESPN, Inc. is the world’s leading multinational, multimedia sports entertainment company featuring a portfolio of over 50 multimedia sports assets. The company is comprised of six domestic television networks (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNEWS, ESPNU, ESPN Classic & ESPN Deportes), ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU & ESPNEWS HD simulcast services, ESPN Regional Television, ESPN International (46 networks, syndication, radio, web sites), ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, ESPN The Magazine, ESPN Enterprises, ESPN PPV, ESPN Zones (sports-themed restaurants), and other growing new businesses including ESPN3.com (Broadband, formerly ESPN360.com), ESPN Mobile Properties, ESPN on Demand and ESPN Interactive.  Based in Bristol, Conn., ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc., which is an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company.  The Hearst Corporation holds a 20 percent interest in ESPN.

Project Finds Multiplatform Exposure Can Triple Sponsorship Performance

New York, NY –The 2010 FIFA World Cup marked the debut of the groundbreaking ESPN XP cross-media research initiative.  Today at the ARF’s 360 Media and Marketing Super Council, ESPN Research+Analytics unveiled findings from this project, which utilized data from 15 research suppliers to measure media usage and advertiser effects across all media platforms - TV, Radio, Internet, Mobile and Print. 

 “Our mission for ESPN XP is to move cross-platform measurement from custom project to standard practice. The quality and depth of data from this World Cup project has exceeded my expectations and is a major step towards this goal,” said Artie Bulgrin, senior vice president of ESPN Research+Analytics.

160 million Americans (55%) consumed World Cup content across all ESPN platforms during the month-long contest, providing a real-life lab to learn not only how consumers use multiple media platforms but also how advertisers can best use those platforms to convey their message.

Advertiser Effects

In analyzing the effects of cross-media campaigns for World Cup advertisers, ESPN Research+Analytics wanted to get beyond standard measures of reach and frequency, to isolate the contribution each platform makes to the overall impact of an integrated media campaign.  The World Cup project revealed that a coordinated multiplatform campaign produces better results on key performance metrics such as recall, brand attitude, purchase intent and brand affinity.

“A majority of our clients advertise across multiple ESPN screens, which was especially true of the World Cup,” said Barbara Singer, ESPN vice president of advertiser insights and strategy.  “The findings from this research project will help us bring smart platform packages to advertisers because now we know what combinations work better towards specific goals.”

The research explored what a sponsor must do to be effective in this era when media are being consumed in “New Markets of Time”, e.g., on a mobile device in line at the grocery store or on the sidelines of a child’s soccer game.  The ESPN XP analysis demonstrated that advertisers must have presence across all platforms to ensure not only exposure but also authenticity of sponsorship.  In fact, advertisers who put together the most cohesive story saw the greatest impact. 

ESPN XP studied campaigns for each of the participating advertisers.  Those specific results will be shared with the clients in the coming weeks.  Some of the key overall insights from the advertising portion of ESPN XP included:

Brand Recall increased progressively with platform exposure

In one case study, persons who were exposed to an advertiser on all five platforms had over three times the sponsor association as persons who were exposed only on TV.  These data show progressively higher effectiveness with exposure on more platforms.

Mobile emerged as a critical component in multi-platform campaigns

On certain key performance indicators, advertising on mobile alone performed as well as advertising on TV alone.  Mobile in combination with TV drove the highest branded word-of-mouth conversations for advertisers.  One case study showed that in a media mix, mobile combined with magazines worked as a powerful pair to drive interest in a new product. 

Multiplatform Insights:

During the World Cup, ESPN Research+Analytics calculated that out-of-home TV viewing and usage of non-TV platforms (Radio, Internet, Mobile, Print) added 1.5 million viewers per minute (46%) to the World Cup TV average audience.  They also identified a group of fans (7.2 million per day) who consumed the World Cup on TV and some other platform.  These multiplatform users represented 26% of ESPN's daily World Cup reach, but did nearly half of all daily World Cup consumption.

Further analysis revealed:

The multi-platform user is a multi-location user.

In a result that corroborates the “Best Available Screen” principle, ESPN Research+Analytics found that a users’ location largely determined the mix of media used. 

• An individual who only consumed World Cup content at home was much more likely to only watch TV. 
• Persons with only out-of-home consumption were almost four times as likely to use non-TV platforms only. 
• The multi-location user (both in-home and out-of-home) was most likely to be a multi-platform user.

 ESPN saw unprecedented use across its digital platforms — a total of 4.9 billion minutes, or 110,000 persons in the average minute.

Fans spent 4.9 billion gross minutes with ESPN.com and ESPN Mobile properties.  Translating that into the platform-agnostic metric of average audience, ESPN Research+Analytics found that 110,000 persons used ESPN digital media to consume World Cup content in the average minute.  That was greater than the audience for 23 cable networks over the 31 days of the event.  Broadband network ESPN3.com out-delivered 69 cable networks on the morning of June 23 when it achieved an average audience of 396,000, fueled by simultaneous streams of USA vs. Algeria and England vs. Slovenia.

The US fan base for International Soccer grew to record levels.

The percentage of Americans who said they were interested rose to 42% in July, a record high for the sport.  A similar peak in interest around the 2006 World Cup had a permanent effect, as fan levels rose from 24% before that tournament to 30% afterwards.  A similar effect is expected following this record-high figure.

Non-TV platforms added a million persons to ESPN’s average audience.

Internet use accounted for 61% of this usage, and Internet video, including record-breaking usage on ESPN3.com, represented a third of the total.  ESPN’s largest non-TV World Cup audience was 5.7 million persons on the afternoon of Tuesday, June 22, which more than doubled the in-home TV audience for a pair of Group Play matches (Nigeria vs. South Korea and Greece vs. Argentina).

Cross-platform offerings brought new exposure to ESPN brands.

22% of consumers of ESPN World Cup content said they tried an ESPN platform for the first time during the tournament.  The most frequently mentioned platforms were ESPN.com and ESPN Radio, followed by ESPN3.com.

Radio, Digital Media and Print extended ESPN’s reach.

Each day, 27.7 million persons used ESPN World Cup content.  10% of them did so solely on a non-TV platform, an incremental daily reach lift of 2.8 million persons.

18% of ESPN World Cup consumption was done out-of-home.

861,000 persons, or 18% of ESPN’s total average audience, consumed the World Cup in out-of-home locations.  44% of this usage was at work, 16% in cars, 15% in bars and restaurants, and 24% in other locations.  Peak out-of-home viewing (2.2 million persons) occurred on June 26 during the USA vs. Ghana match.

ESPN’s “beyond the ratings” lift averaged 46%, but was 56% on weekdays.

Monday through Friday, out-of-home TV viewing and usage of non-TV platforms lifted ESPN’s in-home TV audience by 56%.  Fans were more likely to be at work and other locations on weekdays, resulting in more out-of-home TV viewing and a greater reliance on radio and digital media. 

What’s Next for ESPN XP

ESPN Research + Analytics continues to mine an exhaustive amount of data collected during the World Cup.

“Our presentation at the ARF is really just the tip of the iceberg,” said Glenn Enoch, vice president of integrated media research.  “We’ve spent a busy summer analyzing an incredible set of data and evaluating innovative ways of measuring cross-media usage.  We will continue to search these data for insight in the weeks to come, as our attention shifts to the next project in our ESPN XP series, which will explore cross-media usage during football season.”

Details for the ESPN XP football project are forthcoming, but will include participation in the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) test of USA TouchPoints (previously introduced as part of the ESPN XP World Cup project) and a large-scale measurement project utilizing Knowledge Networks’ Total Touch, which began on September 24 and will end at the conclusion of the Bowl Championship Series in January, 2011.

Additional suppliers for the football project will be announced at a later date.

About the ESPN World Cup project

ESPN XP is a research initiative unprecedented in scope, to study consumer behavior around major sporting events.  It began with the 2010 FIFA World Cup.  The research collective, which includes 15 top-tier companies as well as the Wharton Interactive Media Initiative, measured media usage and advertiser effects across all media platforms - TV, radio, Internet, mobile and print. 

Affiliated research companies for the World Cup ESPN XP project included:  Ando Media, Disney and Media Ad Lab, GfK, Keller Fay Group, Knowledge Networks, MBI, MRI, Nielsen, Omniture, OTX, Pointlogic, Repucom, Vision Critical and Visible Measures, as well as the Wharton Interactive Media Initiative (WIMI).

ESPN, YouTube and AT&T Team Up to Showcase Amateur Athletes

ESPN and YouTube introduce Your Highlight, an innovative program that will provide amateur athletes nationwide the opportunity to showcase their sports highlights for a chance to be featured on ESPN’s SportsCenter and YouTube.  AT&T is the exclusive sponsor of the program, which will kick off on September 8 and run through December 16.

The entry process is simple. All fans need to do is upload their content to the designated Your Highlight section on YouTube at www.youtube.com/espn.  Producers from SportsCenter will highlight top clips each week, and then determine four finalists during the last week of the program.  Fan voting will help determine the winner, who will not only be featured on SportsCenter but also receive a VIP trip to Bristol, Conn., to watch a SportsCenter taping.

In a groundbreaking cross-platform collaboration between TV and online video the program will receive significant cross-promotional support from both ESPN and You Tube.  ESPN media support will include television, online and mobile screens, coupled with integrated promotions on YouTube, including a run-of site campaign and an assortment of high-profile placements.  

“This is a groundbreaking program that will allow us to engage with our fans on a whole different level,” said Ed Erhardt, president, ESPN Customer Marketing and Sales.  “Great amateur sports videos are a significant trend on YouTube, garnering millions of views.  By combining the scale and reach of our respective platforms, we’re reaching fans in a whole new way and giving select fans a chance to be a part of ESPN’s signature, marquee show.”

Added Chris Maxcy, head of content partnerships at YouTube, ”YouTube is the home for incredible sports moments from amateur athletes all over the world – from high school basketball buzzer-beaters to over-55 softball home runs and everything in-between. We’re thrilled to work with ESPN and AT&T to provide talented athletes of all descriptions with the opportunity to have their great sports moments amplified on SportsCenter and YouTube.”

Chris Schembri, vice president of media services for AT&T, said, “We’re always working to ‘rethink possible’ at AT&T, so supporting a platform that gives nonprofessional athletes the chance to show how they're pushing boundaries - rethinking possible in their sports - is a great fit for our brand.”

The ESPN channel on YouTube launched in July of 2009.  In that time the channel has featured thousands of clips of ESPN content, including highlights from major sporting events, original ESPN programming and breaking news.  SportsCenter Right Now -- a twice-daily capsule of top sports stories – is featured, as well as clips from Outside the Lines, E:60, Mike and Mike in the Morning, Pardon the Interruption and Around the Horn.  Special programming packages have also been created around events like the X Games and the ESPYs. 

About YouTube

YouTube is the world’s most popular online video community allowing millions of people to discover, watch and share originally-created videos. YouTube provides a forum for people to connect, inform and inspire others across the globe and acts as a distribution platform for original content creators and advertisers large and small. YouTube, LLC is based in San Bruno, CA and is a subsidiary of Google Inc.

About ESPN

ESPN, Inc. is the world’s leading multinational, multimedia sports entertainment company featuring a portfolio of over 50 multimedia sports assets. The company is comprised of six 24-hour domestic television networks (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNEWS, ESPNU, ESPN Classic, ESPN Deportes) and ESPN 3D, an event-based network.  ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPNEWS HD are simulcast services.  Other businesses include ESPN Regional Television, ESPN International (46 networks, syndication, radio, web sites), ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, ESPN3.com (broadband sports network) ESPN Mobile, ESPN The Magazine, ESPN Enterprises, ESPN PPV, and other growing new businesses including ESPN on Demand and ESPN Interactive.  Based in Bristol, Conn., ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc., which is an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company.  The Hearst Corporation holds a 20 percent interest in ESPN.

To Tweet This release:  http://es.pn/cxiPLc

The 2010 ESPYs Co-Presented by Capital One and Castrol EDGE to Be Televised Live Wednesday, July 14, at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN HD

 ESPN announces the sponsor roster for the 18th annual ESPY Awards presented by Capital One and Castrol EDGE.  The ESPYs will be hosted by "Saturday Night Live's" "Weekend Update" anchor Seth Meyers. Meyers will be joined by an all-star lineup of top athletes and entertainers to celebrate the best sports stories of the past 12 months, leading fans through the year’s best plays, biggest upsets and most outstanding performances across all sports.  The 2010 ESPYs will be televised live, for the first time since 2003, Wednesday, July 14, at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPNHD from Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles. Additional unique content will be available on a variety of ESPN multimedia platforms including ESPN.com, ESPN Mobile, ESPN Deportes and ESPN International.

 Co-presenting sponsors Capital One and Castrol EDGE will also serve as co-presenters of the nomination show and ESPY voting.  Each entity supports an individual award as well – the Capital One Best College Athletic Program (not included in voting; to be announced July 14) and the Castrol EDGE “Performance Under Pressure” award.

 Returning associate sponsors are EA SPORTS, Gatorade, Miller Lite and The Weinstein Company.  First-time associate sponsors include GMC, Hennessy, Old Spice, and Supercuts.  The Weinstein Company will promote the theatrical release of Piranha 3D and Miller Lite will serve as the presenting sponsor of the official ESPY Post Party.  Hennessy Black will be sponsoring ESPN’s Tuesday night pre-party - Fat Tuesday at the ESPYs.

 In addition to on-site hospitality opportunities, sponsorship benefits include media components across many of ESPN’s screens, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, ESPN.com and ESPN’s Mobile web site, as well as ESPN Radio and ESPN The Magazine.  Sponsors also participate in the ESPY Celebrity Golf Classic benefitting the Jimmy V Foundation.

 For the third year, Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes^® is sponsoring the 2010 ESPY Breakfast on July 14, where Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes^® will award one of six finalists the 2010 Youth Achievement Award.  Six finalists were nominated from the around the country.

 About the ESPY Awards

The ESPYs gather top celebrities from sports and entertainment to commemorate the past year in sports by recognizing major sports achievements, reliving unforgettable moments and saluting the leading performers and performances. The 2010 ESPYs will recognize both sport-specific achievements, such as “Best MLB Player” and “Best WNBA Player,” and best-in-sport winners, such as “Best Team” or “Best Female Athlete” that pit nominees from different sports against each other.  The ESPYs honor ESPN’s commitment to The V Foundation for Cancer Research, a partnership launched with the late Jim Valvano at the inaugural ESPYs in 1993. 

 Fans will determine the winners in all categories (except the Arthur Ashe Courage Award and other special awards) by voting online at www.espys.tv, on ESPN Mobile Web at http://espn.mobi and, for the first time, at www.facebook.com/ESPN starting June 24 through July 10. 

 * For the third time in several years, a limited amount of ESPYs tickets are available for public purchase through www.ticketmaster.com.  

 Official ESPYs photos are available here.

 -30-