ESPN

Television Subscription and International
1

ESPN has announced a new group of high-profile media personalities and current players to lead Wednesday’s launch of the Australian edition of its flagship global website ESPN.com, with the new site to include in-depth reporting, analysis and commentary of mainstream Australian sports in addition to its coverage of US and global sports.

Already the leading digital sports publisher in Australia for total audience engagement monthly, ESPN will expand its market-leading position with an Australia-focused edition of the award-winning site.

The ESPN.com Australian edition will provide dedicated and quality reporting of Australian sports including AFL, NRL, Netball and V8 Supercars alongside the best of ESPN’s comprehensive coverage of US and global sports including the NBA, NFL, rugby union, cricket, soccer, tennis, golf, baseball and international motorsport. The site will be also be closely integrated with ESPN’s other market-leading sports sites – ESPNcricinfo and ESPN FC – for the best in global cricket and soccer coverage.

ESPN’s new group of Aussie sporting stars includes cricket world cup-winning former Australia vice-captain Brad Haddin, current St Kilda AFL captain Nick Riewoldt, NRL premiership winner Brett Kimmorley and two-time AFL premiership winner Jude Bolton.

Veteran rugby writer Greg Growden, who joined ESPN in 2013, has extended and expanded his role, now covering additional sports. Australian sports broadcaster Stephanie Brantz has also joined the group of new ESPN contributors, all of whom will write exclusive columns and feature in videos.

The new Australian editorial team will be led by ESPN Australia’s managing editor Andy Withers, and also includes established ESPNcricinfo contributors Melinda Farrell, Daniel Brettig and Brydon Coverdale.

With the launch, ESPN’s Australia/New Zealand rugby union coverage — previously on the ESPNscrum website — becomes a new, dedicated rugby section on the new edition, delivering combined domestic and global coverage of rugby across ESPN’s Sydney, London and Argentina offices.

“Bringing an in-depth, multisport experience to sports fans any time, anywhere in Australia is central to our mission here at ESPN,” said Haydn Arndt, general manager of ESPN Australia/New Zealand. “Fans will enjoy not only what they have come to know from ESPN.com but they will now have the bonus of Australian sports coverage in a way only ESPN can deliver, with unmatched depth and the very best ‘game around the game’ expert analysis we are known for.
Utilising our global technology infrastructure while we program content and sell advertising locally is a powerful, winning combination.”

Helping build audience around the sport coverage on the new Australian edition of ESPN.com will be market-leading tipping site ESPNfootytips – with more than 800,000 registered active users participating in tipping games across AFL, NRL, EPL, Super Rugby, and many other sports.

“The launch of our Australian edition of ESPN.com is the latest evolution in a digital journey that began with our acquisition of ESPNcricinfo in 2007, our investment in ESPNfootytips in 2011 and continued with a localised ESPNscrum in 2013,” said Lance Peatey, director of digital products and partnerships at ESPN Australia/New Zealand. “With our leadership position already established and more fans consuming ESPN digital content than ever, we are not launching from a standing start. This new site brings fans a genuine alternative for local coverage, with authority, personality and a world-class technology backbone that will gradually allow us to deliver each Australian fan with a more personalised experience that helps them easily consume and discover the most relevant content for them.”

ESPN.com’s Australia edition launch will be supported by UBET. “Like ESPN, UBET is focused on digital innovation, so this is an ideal platform for us as ESPN expands content and builds on its already extensive US sports portfolio. The new Australian edition of ESPN.com is a natural extension to our existing collaboration on ESPNfootytips – the largest tipping site in the country,” said Penny Glasson, UBET general manager – brand.

Wednesday’s Australian launch is the ninth edition released by ESPN since the completely rebuilt US and UK editions in April 2014. The ESPN.com Australia edition comes just months before the launch of an India edition as part of the recent collaboration between ESPN and Sony in the world’s second-most populous country.

1 Like
2

The Australian reported on Monday that former sports journalist of The Age, Jake Niall, would also be part of ESPN’s new Australian team. But he was also named as chief AFL reporter for Fox Footy last week. Surely his Fox Footy bosses won’t allow him to work for a media rival.

3

Anyone tried WatchESPN via Foxtel login? What’s the PQ like?

The US version for the main ESPN channels on Apple TV is 720p60, it’s very good.

4

I don’t understand ESPN strategy of investing so heavily on local Australian content for their websites why on the other hand stripping all local content from their tv stations. Why are they still producing all this video content if its only watched by a handful of people rather than putting it to air on tv

5

Online is the way of the future/now. Fox Sports and to a lesser extent the commercial FTAs have the TV sports shows covered. Online space is a lot more up for grabs and easier for a new player to make their foot mark.

6

ESPN is showing the SF Giants Vs LA Dodgers on both channels, the only differance is the commentary teams - each channel is showing the home commentary for teach team. seems like something better served by the red button than letting a channel go to waste showing the same thing.

7

Were the on-screen graphics the same? I’m a baseball fan and the home and away broadcasts are vastly different in television presentation depending on the team and network responsible. Each team has local broadcasting rights separate from the national rights that Fox, TBS and ESPN have.

When Ten used to broadcast Major League Baseball, it was generally the home team’s broadcast that gets aired. ESPN should really be showing national feeds rather than local team feeds. However, I don’t think the casual sports fan would care if the broadcast was biased towards the home or away team.

Personally though, I wouldn’t want to be watching a Los Angeles Dodgers feed when I am a San Francisco Giants fan. :grinning:

8

nah - from memory one was TimeWarner Cable and the other might have been NBC’s CSN.

1 Like
9

Ah yes, the Dodgers broadcast is Time Warner Sportsnet LA.

The Giants broadcast is Comcast SportsNet Bay Area (NBC).

I think it would’ve been better to be a red button feature (as I said earlier, casual fans probably won’t notice the difference), but I guess ESPN wanted to show both teams broadcasts in HD?

10

didn’t want to hear the great Vin Scully?

the graphics shown above were not the same as the ones on here (obviously). they had a bug in the corner touting it as a “double play” broadcast and which feed you were watching.

1 Like
11

Usually I’d love to hear Vin Scully…except when it’s against the Giants. :wink: :joy: Kuip, Kruk, Miller and/or Flemming!

1 Like
12

The X-Games could come to Australia next year after Seven West Media struck a deal with ESPN according to The Australian today. ESPN will distribute coverage of the Australian X-Games internationally with 7mate to show the event in Australia.
I’ve seen bits and pieces of The X-Games on TV and online over the years and it is an exciting event, and should be a great vehicle for Seven to attract younger viewers.

13

Interesting…

ESPN pulled back on expansion of the X Games a few years ago

14

Those who watched Ten’s made-for-TV spelling bee last year might want to tune in to ESPN2 at 10 am today for this year’s live final of the U.S. National Spelling Bee and see what a real one is like. It will be replayed on ESPN at 6 pm.

15

ESPN and the NBA have announced an expansion of their existing broadcast partnership in Australia and New Zealand that will deliver a record number of live NBA games and programming to fans.

Under the expanded agreement, ESPN will televise more than 200 regular-season and playoff games each year, including a minimum of five, live regular-season games each week, NBA All-Star, the NBA Playoffs and The Finals. ESPN will also televise the NBA Summer League, and NBA studio shows including NBA Countdown, NBA Tonight, and The Jump.

“The NBA is one of the world’s most popular leagues, so we are thrilled to announce that ESPN’s coverage of the 2016-17 season will be bigger and better than ever,” Haydn Arndt, General Manager ESPN Australia/New Zealand, said.

“NBA fans have asked for more games, and we are excited to be able to deliver our biggest package in ESPN ANZ history. There are eight Australian-born players in the NBA whose stories we will showcase as we follow these Aussies in action. The multimedia combination of our TV, digital and social platforms will give fans more access to the NBA than ever beginning next season.”

Under the expanded agreement, ESPN will televise:

• Up to 188 regular-season games (up from 88 in 2015-16) including five Boxing Day games back-to-back

• Up to 53 playoff games (up from 45 games in 2015-16) including the entirety of the Eastern and Western Conference Finals and every game of the NBA Finals

• NBA All-Star, including the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge, State Farm All-Star Saturday Night and the NBA All-Star Game

• 20 NBA Summer League games

“Expanding our broadcast partnership with ESPN in Australia and New Zealand is part of our continued commitment to delivering live games, programming and localized content to our fans,” said NBA Asia Managing Director Scott Levy.

“With this new agreement, our passionate fans will be able to enjoy more NBA content than ever before through ESPN and its digital platforms.”

There were a record-tying eight Australians on 2015-16 opening night NBA rosters including Andrew Bogut, Matthew Dellavedova, Cameron Bairstow, Aron Baynes, Dante Exum, Joe Ingles and Patty Mills. New Zealand features one NBA player in Steven Adams.

ESPN’s coverage of the NBA continues on Tuesday morning [AEST] with the series-deciding Game 7 from the Western Conference Finals between Golden State Warriors and Oklahoma City Thunder.

The winner of that contest will then face Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, which will be televised live on Friday, June 3 at 11am

Huge news for NBA fans in Australia on the back of an historic regular season and exciting playoffs

1 Like
16

WatchESPN app lets Foxtel Subscribers binge on O.J.: Made in America

WatchESPN app offers early access to all 5 episodes of the documentary at the same time, ahead of the full linear broadcast

Foxtel today reminded its Foxtel Sports and Foxtel Platinum subscribers that the popular WatchESPN app is available as part of their subscription, at no extra charge*. The reminder comes as ESPN has started airing the acclaimed 30 for 30 documentary O.J.: Made in America.

O.J.: Made in America made its initial debut in January 2016 at the Sundance Film Festival to critical praise. The 10-hour documentary features five, two-hour episodes on ESPN starting from 8.30pm 21 June – 25 June; however, Foxtel Sports and Foxtel Platinum subscribers have early access to all five episodes, to binge on, via WatchESPN starting at 10.30pm, immediately following the first episode’s premiere on ESPN on 21 June.

The five-part documentary-event is the first by ESPN Films and explores themes of race and celebrity in the US, zeroing in on the rise and fall of O.J. Simpson, from his early days as a darling football hero and movie star; to his trial for the murder of ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman; his acquittal and eventual prison sentence for a subsequent crime.

WatchESPN streams of the best international sport on your PC, tablet or mobile device. Foxtel Sports Pack subscribers and Foxtel Platinum subscribers get access to a range of live international sports, online only events and matches simulcast with ESPN television including NFL, NBA, MLB, ESPN films and more at no additional cost.

The WatchESPN app is available from the App Store and Google Play for Apple or Android devices or via www.watchespn.com.au for desktop, tablet or mobile.

*You must be an existing Foxtel Sports customer to access content from WatchESPN. Existing subscription fees apply. Requires compatible smartphone, tablet, PC or Mac. Internet connection required. ISP and data charges apply.

17

ESPN has securing local broadcasting rights for the World Tennis Challenge in Adelaide, the WTA Hobart International and the Australian Open Juniors Finals for the next three years. The WTC and Hobart International are both part of Australian Open series warm-up tournaments but are not part of Seven’s broadcast deal with Tennis Australia.

18

ESPN has sacked 100 staff, including on-air television and radio presenters and online journalists.

19

ESPN has secured Australian and New Zealand broadcast rights to the US Open tennis tournament, in a five-year deal with United States Tennis Association. ESPN will have 150 hours of live television across ESPN and ESPN2, plus a record 1,300 hours streaming on WatchESPN with matches from up to 12 courts.

3 Likes
20

This is more than ever before. Tournament will also return to free to air TV on SBS

3 Likes