Published January 11, 2006
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ESPN VP/Strategic Business Planning & Development Bryan Burns is among the participants
in a roundtable on the state of HD conducted by CABLEWORLD’s Simon Applebaum.
Burns said ESPN’s “popular HD sports programming mirrors the ratings and viewing
for SD. The highest-rated cable program often is ‘Sunday Night Football.’ That
will be ‘Monday Night Football’ this fall on ESPN. Our major sports coverage does
the best. However, we are trying to diversify the HD lineup. ... We’re trying
to do different things, but the staples — college basketball, NFL, [MLB]
— that people watch in SD they watch more in HD.” Burns, on whether sports
with concentrated HD marketing campaigns, such as the Olympics, draw new subscribers:
“I look at those as one-trick ponies. ... We try to go for consistent, predictable
programming like a live Saturday-night college football game in the fall. ...
We’ll take the big event if we can get it, but our staple is predictable scheduling
for consumers.” When asked about the HD promotion around “MNF” when it moves to
ESPN this fall, Burns said, “There is going to be daylong HD extravaganza every
Monday this fall on both ESPN HD and ESPN2 HD. ‘Monday Night Countdown’ before
the game will be on-site every week in HD. We have big plans there” (
CABLEWORLD,
1/9 issue).
