While ESPN "remains the dominant sports outlet on TV and the Web, and the single biggest profit contributor" at Disney, "competition is eating into its audience," according to Smith & Shaw of BLOOMBERG NEWS. To adapt, the company "is reinventing 'SportsCenter' for mobile viewing and online sharing, adding new late and early morning editions." One "big change is set for February, when ESPN introduces" a 7:00am ET edition of “SportsCenter.” ESPN Senior VP/"SportsCenter" & News Rob King said that the net "will try to attract viewers on their way to school or work by encouraging them to watch on mobile devices." Smith & Shaw noted Scott Van Pelt in September "took over as anchor" of a new late edition of “SportsCenter," and the show is "experimenting with new segments, including one that shows highlights of plays that would be of keen interest to bettors." ESPN said that live editions of “SportsCenter” are down 10% this year in total viewers, while "Sunday NFL Countdown" is down 13%. Overall, viewership "has fallen" 10% in '15. ESPN execs said that it is really 4% "excluding World Cup and NASCAR events that didn’t air this year." ESPN Senior VP/Global Research & Analytics Artie Bulgrin said that in primetime, which is dominated by live sports, ESPN’s audience "is up slightly over the past two years, 'which is great in today’s TV world.'" Network execs said that they "are prepared for the changing TV landscape and are faring better than some entertainment-oriented channels." The net’s digital audience, which "isn’t counted in the ratings, is growing," with the WatchESPN app adding 1.5% to ESPN’s “MNF” audience. Earlier this month, the net "unveiled live streaming on its main app." King said that it makes it "easier to alert mobile viewers 'when something great is happening on ‘SportsCenter’” (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 12/16).
