Wambach (pictured with Larry Fitzgerald) will headline a six-part interview series through Yahoo SportsGETTY IMAGES
Verizon subsidiary Oath last night touted several sports-related initiatives at its debut NewFront presentation in N.Y., including its new deal with the NFL to live stream in-market and most national games on mobile through Yahoo Sports, regardless of carrier. Yahoo Sports also unveiled several new mobile-based video series, including a daily show “The Rush” that will be hosted by Jared Quay focused on must-see moments. There also are plans for an analysis-based series called “The Spin” that will feature Yahoo Sports’ original reporting and a six-part interview series with former USWNT F Abby Wambach called “Soccer Mom” that will explore athletes’ transitions from their own stardom to parents and caregivers. Oath has also aligned with the LeBron James Family Foundation beginning this summer to chronicle the first year of the I Promise School in Akron, supported in part by the foundation. James will produce the documentary. Oath VP & GM of Sports Geoff Reiss said, “We want to more aggressively wear our fandom and lean more readily into our own unique voice." Oath, meanwhile, has also struck a deal with Samsung to preload several of its mobile apps, including Yahoo Sports, on Galaxy S9 and S9+ phones, immediately giving a sizable boost in the installed base for those apps. Samsung and Oath will share ad revenue generated from content appearing through the apps.
FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING: ESPN today at its first-ever NewFront presentation will outline a series of planned digital initiatives, including a daily edition of "SportsCenter" for the ESPN mobile app. The video series, hosted by Scott Van Pelt, will be a curated look of top events and plays in sports. ESPN also detailed its expanded relationship with Twitter, first disclosed by the social media network on Monday, that will include a version of "SportsCenter" for that platform, daily live streams of the Fantasy Focus Live podcast, an NBA-focused show “Hoop Streams” hosted by David Jacoby and Ryen Russillo and several other planned programming collaborations. ESPN has also developed a new weekly late night digital show with Katie Nolan, “Always Late with Katie Nolan,” that will feature interviews, commentary and produced segments.
