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February 13, 2007
ESPN WINTER X GAMES 11 SETS RECORDS FOR REACH AND EXPOSURE ACROSS MULTIPLE OUTLETS
RECORD TV VIEWERSHIP, ON-LINE ACTIVITY AND MORE
A record number of fans consumed the extensive Winter X Games 11 content featured across the many global ESPN and ABC distribution platforms, including television, Internet, iPods and more. The unprecedented multi-media offerings were designed to provide coverage of the world's leading winter action sports competition, held January 25-28 in Aspen, Colo., to fans everywhere.
"Our goal is to serve action sports fans wherever, whenever and through whatever platform or device they wish," said Rick Alessandri, managing director, X Games franchise.
Following are some of the specifics regarding the global distribution:
- Television: Across ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2, Winter X Games 11 was the most-viewed ever among several key demos, including Men & People 12-24, Men 12-17, Men 12-34, and Men 18-34. In addition, ESPN averaged 734,000 households in prime time - its most-viewed Winter X average ever. Also, Men 18-24 displayed the biggest growth in impressions among all demos from 2006, up 64%.On the final day of Winter X Games 11, the Sunday primetime telecast (1/28/07) was ESPN's most-viewed telecast in Winter X Games history with 925,377 households and the highest-rated Winter X Games telecast since 1997.
- Internet: On ESPN.com, ESPN360 and the newly enhanced EXPN.com fans viewed a record number of Winter X Games videos online, more than two million highlights, interviews, and original features viewed in the week from Wednesday, January 24 through Monday, January 29 - more than doubling 2005. Additionally, fans logged more than three million page views on EXPN.com alone over the same period.
- Live ESPN360 Coverage: ESPN's customizable broadband service offered a showcase channel devoted to the Winter X Games, featuring exclusive live event coverage and on-demand programming including medal-winning runs, event recaps, expanded highlights, athlete commentary and original music videos.
- ESPN.com Podcasts: ESPN's action sports podcast - found at ESPN's PodCenter on ESPN.com - logged thousands of downloads a day during the X Games.
- ESPN International: Winter X Games coverage is being distributed to International networks to more than 121 countries and territories in Latin America, the Pacific Rim, Middle East, Africa and Israel.
- iTunes Store: ESPN, the first major sports content providers to the iTunes Store (www.itunes.com), presented Winter X Games video content including daily highlights and "Winter X Games Classix" content featuring the best of past Winter X Games.
- ESPN On Demand: The service presented daily expanded highlights as part of its content offerings.
- Attendance: The 76,150 spectators was the highest in the event's six-year history in Aspen and a 110 % increase from 2002 (the first Winter X Games in Aspen) where there were 36,300 spectators.
- Merchandise Sales: Fans purchased record amounts of exclusive X Games event apparel both on-site and online at EXPN.com.
Team ESPN: Thousands of fans visited the Team ESPN booth where several initiatives were featured this year including The V Foundation for Cancer Research, Boarding for Breast Cancer (B4BC), The US Forest Service, the Women's Sports Foundation and the Snowboard Outreach Society.
Posted by Dina at February 13, 2007 07:47 AM
