ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC to Distribute 25 Hours of Live X Games 17 Content

X Games Everywhere on July 30 to Provide Wide Offering of Simultaneous Live Content

During
X Games 17, fans will be able to consume original X Games content on
more platforms than ever before. ESPN will televise 25 hours of live HD
programming on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN on ABC, July 28-31. In addition to
the nine live competition shows, X Center will air nightly on ESPN2. ESPN 3D will televise 21 hours of X Games 17 live. ESPN3.com will stream 29 total hours, including more than six hours of original X Games content. The event will also be televised in more than 192 countries and territories to more than 232 million homes.

 

This
year, viewers will be able to connect with the X Games in unprecedented
ways. Content will be available via television, smartphones, tablets
and online through digital and social media platforms. On Saturday, July
30, from 2 – 6 p.m. ET, ESPN will debut X Games Everywhere with unique live content simultaneously projected across every platform and device. The
new content initiative will also enhance, add dimension and establish a
two-way conversation between ESPN, athletes, fans on-site and those
viewing the competition with a companion screen through XGames.com 

“The X Games is a truly unique brand that is relevant to a wide audience around the world and especially to youth.  Applying
our best available screen approach to the production and distribution
of X Games content is the perfect way to demonstrate this relevance and
provide unique experiences for fans at the event and around the world.“
said Scott Guglielmino, senior vice president programming and X Games
Franchise. ”Our content strategy around X Games 17 will provide exciting
ways for fans to interact with the event, the athletes and sponsors
like never before.”   

Television

X
Games 17 will be hosted by Sal Masekela for all 25 hours of live HD
coverage on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN on ABC. ESPN anchor Dana Jacobson will
return to host X Center nightly on ESPN2. ESPN 3D will telecast 21 hours of X Games 17 live.



A prominent collection of action sports legends will join Masekela on
the air. Tony Hawk, Jeremy McGrath and Dennis McCoy return to the
telecast this year. New additions to the team include Kevin Robinson,
Toby Moody and Emile Bouret. Moody will serve as the play-by-play
commentator for the Rally Car events while Hawk, McGrath, McCoy,
Robinson and Bouret will be analysts for the Skateboard, Moto X, BMX
Freestyle and Rally Car competitions.

Online

·     ESPN3.com will carry 29 total hours of coverage, including more than six hours of exclusive coverage.  In addition, ESPN3.com will allow users to partake in a live ride-along during Rally Car Racing on Saturday, July 30^th with exclusive in car camera coverage.

·     XGames.com
will provide comprehensive on-site coverage, delivering cross-platform
schedule information, instant results, breaking news, event recaps and
live commentary with analysis by sport experts during select events.
ESPN’s official website of the X Games will also have enterprise feature
reporting around the marquee events and athletes of the event, as well
as daily full bleed photo galleries shot by the best creative talent in
the action sports industry. XGames.com
will also feature video from every medal run at the event, along with
daily highlight video and behind-the-scenes, high-access original video.

·      XGames.com/realstreet will be the on-line home of X Games Real Street.  With
the return of Real Street, 16 of the world’s best street skateboarders
submitted 60-second video parts for a shot at $50,000 and an X Games
gold medal. A panel of judges will pick the winning part after the
videos air on ABC and ESPN on Saturday, July 30. The top four judges’
picks will also be invited to Los Angeles to compete for another X Games
medal and $5,000. The winners will compete in the Game of SK8
competition, airing live on ESPN on Sunday, July 31. But first, fans can
vote in a tournament-style bracket for their favorite real street
video. The skater who gets the most fan votes wins $10,000. The fan
favorite will be announced on the website on Saturday, July 30.

·         X Games Everywhere: Saturday, July 30, 2011 from 2-6 p.m. ET

ESPN / ESPN3.com / Mobile TV / Watch ESPN App (2-6 p.m. ET)

·         BMX Freestyle Park

·         Skateboard Street Women’s

·         Rally Car Racing

·         Rally In-Car Cameras & Driver Audio (ESPN3.com Exclusive)

ESPN 3D (2-6 p.m. ET)

·         BMX Freestyle Park

·         Skateboard Street Women’s

·         Skateboard Street Men’s

ABC (4-6 p.m. ET)

·         Skateboard Real Street

·         Skateboard Street Men’s

XGames.com (2-6 p.m. ET)

·         X Cast Companion Screen

·         X Cast: Hosted by Kier Dillon, X Cast
is a live X Games webcast that will be simultaneously streamed during
the telecast windows on Saturday, July 30. As increasing numbers of fans
now watch live sporting events while concurrently connected to the
internet, X Cast will offer viewers a companion screen experience with greater access to what is happening on site and during the event. X Cast
will feature compelling, original and unique content, live athlete
interviews with viewer’s questions through X Games on Facebook, Twitter,
reporters providing behind the scenes pieces and upcoming event
previews, head judge commentary and much more.  X Cast will be available on Saturday, July 30 from 2-6 p.m. ET on XGames.com.

·         Inside X: A five-week webcast, leading up to and during the X Games, will be streamed live on the X Games Facebook page. Inside X will air every Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET from June 28 through August 2.  After the kickoff of  the X Games, Inside X will transition to daily morning preview and afternoon recap shows that will stream during the event dates.

Brandon Graham, host of ESPN 710 Radio’s Late Night Action, will host the show with help from special athlete guests each week.  Inside X
will feature previews and recaps of the action with exclusive athlete
interviews, behind-the-scenes content, real-time fan interaction and
first looks at courses. 

·         Facebook: Live Inside X
webcast including athlete chats, daily preview and recap show,
competition highlights, and course overviews. Exclusive video and photo
galleries posted daily along with telecast and event information. The X
Games Facebook page currently has more than two million fans.

·         Twitter: ESPN X Games’ twitter feed will feature instant event updates, breaking news, results, scavenger hunts and a behind the scenes look at the event.

·         ESPN.com Page 2: ESPN.com Page 2 will
talk about athletes away from the Games, the fans who cheer on their
stars, a look at the onsite trade expo and the sights and sounds you
will hear during the Games.

·         espnW: Throughout the X Games, espnW.com will recap the women’s events and provide interviews and features.  Athletes
to watch will be highlighted, including profiles of Elissa Steamer
(Skate), Marisa Dal Santo (Skate), Alexis Sablone (Skate), Lacey Baker
(Skate), Ashley Fiolek (Moto), Sara Price (Moto) and Tara Gieger (Moto).

·         ESPNLA.com:
The site will feature stories on skating downtown Los Angeles, building
the X Games 17 Big Air ramp and what it is like to ride shotgun in an X
Games Rally Car. ESPNLA.com will also display a tilt-shift photography wrap-up of the X Games experience.

Mobile

ESPN Mobile TV will carry 23 hours of live coverage, plus four hours of simulcast coverage of X Center. All four X Games 17 late night highlight shows will also be available.

X Games app
for iPhone and Android will feature dynamic tools to enhance the X
Games experience. The app features include: instant results, live news,
full schedules, highlight videos, athlete bios and photo galleries. Fans
can download the app for free from the iTunes store and Android market.

ESPN On Demand will have X Games Classix
available leading into the new season, and will also make available
highlight shows from all four days of the event. ESPN On Demand will
also feature “Best of” discipline shows from BMX, Skate and Motor
sports.

International

Outside
the United States, the X Games will be delivered to more than 232
million homes and will be telecast live to 192 countries and
territories, including Africa, Asia, Australia, Brazil, Canada,
Caribbean, Europe, Israel, Latin America, Mexico, Middle East and New
Zealand.

In
addition, the event will be syndicated to 41 countries around the
world, reaching more than 67 million homes. ESPN will produce 10
one-hour syndication shows for networks to air following the event.

The X Games will also be simulcast on ESPN's international broadband platforms in 13 countries.

More than 27 hours of live coverage will air on ESPN’s broadband platforms in Australia, Europe and Latin America.

ESPN Deportes will air two live hours of competition coverage and eight total hours of X Games content.

Music

A full X Games music page will be featured on ESPN.com. Fans can access the page by logging on to ESPN.com/music.

The X Games 17 telecast will feature music from LMFAO, Far East Movement Rise Against, Blink 182, Cold War Kids, All American Rejects, 50 Cent, TV On The Radio and many more.

iTunes: iTunes will have a splash page available at www.itunes.com/xgames
for everything X Games past and present. Sony & Microsoft will have
all daily highlights and discipline highlights from X Games 17
available for purchase.