ESPN will bid on EPL rights when the league's current deal with NBC Sports ends after two more seasons. During an impromptu press conference following ESPN's annual upfront presentation to advertisers yesterday, ESPN President John Skipper said he expects negotiations for the EPL's next deal to start next spring. Skipper said, "We'll be interested in it. We love the English Premier League." ESPN almost certainly would partner with another media company, like Fox Sports, on a bid. Skipper: "What we do is try to spread the rights around a little bit. I don't know that we could do an all-in deal." He said ESPN would likely partner on a bid because it has too many commitments to other sports on its channels during the EPL season. EPL matches conflict with the channel's college football and college basketball programming during the fall and winter on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU, for example. Skipper also praised NBC Sports Group's production quality following its first season carrying EPL games, culminating with NBCUniversal running season-ending matches across 10 networks. Skipper: "NBC has done a great job. I watched Sunday. We could do that. But what they do on Saturday, we don't have the windows for. We could not do all those games."
WHO DOES NO. 2 WORK FOR? ESPN highlighted ESPN2 and a revamped "SportsCenter" at its upfront yesterday. Sports stars, including new ESPN on-air talent Tim Tebow, Knicks F Carmelo Anthony, Vikings RB Adrian Peterson and Mets P Matt Harvey, along with an assortment of mascots, attended the event at the Minskoff Theatre on Broadway. Presenters positioned ESPN2 as the home to some of ESPN's biggest studio personalities, with "Mike & Mike," Keith Olbermann, Michelle Beadle and the "First Take" crew presenting at the event. Olbermann said, "All this time, ESPN has been the number one sports network, the number one brand in sports. And the number two sports network? The number two brand in sports? ESPN2." On the "SportsCenter" front, ESPN announced that it will begin producing from new digital studios at the end of June during the FIFA World Cup. The new set will include a working newsroom, integrated social media feeds and more video and graphics. ESPN Senior VP/SportsCenter & News Rob King said, "It's all to enhance our storytelling. I can tell you that what we are doing is really influenced by the digital experience" (John Ourand, Staff Writer).
A LOOK AT THE COMPETITION: The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER's Marisa Guthrie wrote Skipper has taken FS1 and FS2 "seriously." While Skipper vowed yesterday "not to say anything 'snarky' about the competition, he did allow that studio shows aside, cable sports networks live and die on the games." Skipper: "The live rights are pretty paramount. And it is pretty close to impossible to launch studio shows without lead-ins. I think our new competitors are learning that" (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 5/13). In L.A., Joe Flint notes despite increased competition from Fox and NBC, ESPN said that it has "not seen its piece of the sports advertising pie get any smaller." ESPN President of Global Customer Marketing & Sales Ed Erhardt: "I can't say we sense they are taking dollars from us in particular" (L.A. TIMES, 5/14).
PRODUCTION NOTES: VARIETY's Brian Steinberg wrote ESPN yesterday took some time to "cheer about its presentation of sports as a central facet of life, burnishing not only the content it provides but the way in which it distributes it." Skipper said that ESPN had "launched 80 different programs and products in the last year or so -- a testament to the company's determination to continue providing new ways of covering sport" (VARIETY.com, 5/13). In Miami, Barry Jackson notes ESPN yesterday announced there "will be a sequel" to "The U," which was part of the net's original run of "30 for 30" documentaries in '09. The net said that it will "not offer any details or a timetable for production" (MIAMI HERALD, 5/14).
FOR THE FANS: In N.Y., Carter & Elliott note ESPN "discussed details of a collaboration with ABC ... which is planned for next year in the form of a promotional initiative, 'Fan For Life,' that advertisers will be encouraged to sponsor." The effort -- scheduled to start on Mother’s Day '15 and run through Father’s Day -- is "intended to celebrate parents and the roles they play as their offspring take part in sports." “Fan for Life” will include a "series of video vignettes, bearing the ABC and ESPN brands and featuring on-air personalities from both Disney divisions; the vignettes are to appear on ABC shows like 'Good Morning America' and ESPN programs like 'SportsCenter.'” Elements also will "extend beyond broadcast and cable television into digital, print and social media." Meanwhile, Univision has "played up its Spanish-language World Cup coverage, through properties like the Univision Deportes Network cable channel." Univision Sports President Juan Carlos Rodriguez said, "I freaking love sports. I am a fanatico" (N.Y. TIMES, 5/14).
