ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC to Distribute 21 Hours of Live X Games Content

Twenty-One Hours Live on ESPN 3D as X Games Celebrates 10 Years in Los Angeles

During X Games Los Angeles 2012, fans will be able to consume original X Games content on more platforms than ever before. ESPN will televise 21 hours of live HD programming on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN on ABC, June 28 – July 1 from Los Angeles, Calif. All 21 hours will also be televised on ESPN 3D. ESPN3 will stream 24 hours of live X Games coverage. In addition, X Center, the daily highlight show for the X Games, will also be shown in HD on ESPN2.

“The X Games brand has grown over the years and has become relevant to a wide audience across the globe and especially to youth,” said Scott Guglielmino, senior vice president programming and X Games.  “As always, our mission is to serve the fan whenever and whenever they want to consume X Games content.  So we’re making live X Games content available across multiple platforms and devices. We want to share the X Games experience with fans around the world and on whatever device they have with them.”

Television

Sal Masekela will host all 21 hours of the X Games on television.  ESPN analyst and pro snowboarder, Keir Dillon, and ESPN the Magazine’s senior writer, Alyssa Roenigk, will host X Center nightly in HD on ESPN2, and ESPN 3D will telecast all 21 hours of X Games Los Angeles live.

A prominent collection of action sports legends will join Masekela on the air. Tony Hawk, Jeremy McGrath, Dennis McCoy, and Kevin Robinson return to the telecast this year as analysts for the Skateboard, Moto X and BMX Freestyle competitions, respectively.

Digital

• ESPN3 will carry 24 total hours of coverage, including three exclusive hours. In addition, ESPN3 will allow users to partake in a live ride along during Rally Car seeding on Saturday, July 30with exclusive in-car camera coverage.  The live multi-screen network is accessible online at WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app and through ESPN on Xbox LIVE.
• XGames.com will provide comprehensive on-site coverage, delivering live results, live athlete chats, cross-platform schedule information, breaking news, top X Games moments and written and video event recaps. ESPN’s official website of X Games Los Angeles will also feature enterprise reporting around marquee events and athletes of the event, daily full-bleed photo galleries shot by the best creative talent in the action sports industry, video from every medal run at the event, daily highlight video and behind-the-scenes, high-access original video.
• XGames.com/realstreet will be the on-line home of X Games Real Street. For the third year of Real Street, 16 of the world’s best street skateboarders submitted 60-second video parts for a shot at $50,000 and an X Games gold medal. A panel of judges will pick the winning part after the videos air on ESPN2 on Sunday, July 1. The skater who gets the most fan votes will also receive $50,000. The fan favorite will be announced on the website on July 1.
• ESPN.com/Playbook: Playbook will highlight coverage of the celebrities and musicians attending X Games through the weekend and the hottest fashions.
• X Cast: X Cast will offer fans a digital companion screen experience through Livestream with greater access to what is happening on site at X Games Los Angeles 2012. X Cast will feature compelling and unique content including, live athlete chats, reporters providing behind-the-scenes commentary, head judge commentary, and an overall deeper experience for all things X Games. It will also be a platform to access on-demand event highlights almost immediately after they happen during the telecast. Starting with the official X Games Los Angeles 2012 Press Conference and X Games FILM Red Carpet event on Wednesday, June 27, X Cast will continue live during all telecast windows throughout the entire event.
• Facebook: Facebook will offer fans X Cast, feature compelling and unique content, live athlete chats, behind-the-scenes commentary, head judge commentary and an overall deeper look at everything X Games Los Angeles 2012. Exclusive video and photo galleries will be posted daily along with telecast and event information. The X Games Facebook page currently has more than three million fans.
• Twitter: Twitter coverage will offer fans instant event updates, results, scavenger hunts and a behind-the-scenes look at X Games Los Angeles 2012. Have something to say? Use #XGAMES or @XGames in your tweet. The X Games Twitter page currently has more than 170,000 followers.
• WatchESPN: Fans will also be able to watch live coverage of every event on ESPN and ESPN2 through their computers, smartphones or tablets via WatchESPN.  WatchESPN delivers live access to ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN3 and ESPN Buzzer Beater/Goal Line on PCs, smartphones and tablets to fans who receive ESPN’s linear networks as part of their video subscription from Time Warner Cable, Bright House Networks, Verizon FiOS TV or Comcast Xfinity TV.
• espnW: Throughout X Games Los Angeles, espnW.com will recap women’s events.  Athletes to watch include: Elissa Steamer (Skate), Marisa Dal Santo (Skate), Alexis Sablone (Skate), Lacey Baker (Skate), Ashley Fiolek (Moto), Sara Price (Moto) and Tarah Gieger (Moto).
• ESPNLA.com: ESPNLA.com will cover the 10-year anniversary of the X Games in Los Angeles, as well as the cadre of LA-based skateboard, BMX, Moto X and Rally athletes competing in 2012.
• ESPN Mobile TV will carry 17 hours of live coverage, plus all four X Games Los Angeles late night highlight shows.
• The New X Games App for iPhone, iPad and Android is packed with tools and features to enhance the X Games experience for fans watching from home, watching on their device or attending the event in person. In addition to video highlights, instant results, personalized schedules, streaming X Cast and WatchESPN integration, the new app has an interactive timeline, Real Street voting and handy notifications for users’ favorite events, athletes and results.
• ESPN On Demand will carry all four X Games Los Angeles late night highlight shows, plus best of discipline and X Games Classix programs.

 

International

In addition to all the content on ESPN’s U.S. based media platforms, X Games Los Angeles will be televised on ESPN networks in 206 countries and territories to more than 234 million homes, including coverage in Africa, Asia, Australia, Brazil, Caribbean, Central America, Canada, Europe, India, Israel, Mexico, Middle East, New Zealand and South America. Furthermore, the event will be syndicated to 46 countries around the world, reaching more than 58.2 million homes with 10 one-hour syndication shows to air following the event.

More than 20 hours of X Games Los Angeles will also be simulcast on ESPN’s international broadband platforms in Australia, Europe, Africa, Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean.

Music

iTunes: iTunes will feature an X Games landing page, with new X Games Los Angeles content, plus all previous events, music, apps and films. In addition to iTunes, new content will also be available on Sony and Microsoft platforms for electronic sell through.

 

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