ESPN Winter X Games 12 Sets Records For Exposure Across Multiple Outlets Record TV Viewership, On-line Activity and More

February 7, 2008 -- A record number of fans consumed the extensive Winter X Games 12 content featured across ESPN’s many global ESPN and ABC distribution platforms, including television, Internet, iPods and more. The unprecedented multimedia offerings provided complete coverage of the world’s leading winter action sports competition, held January 24-27 in Aspen, Colorado, to fans everywhere.

“The X Games continues to be the definitive action sports franchise as evidenced by the incredible growth and reach delivered this year for our fans, sponsors and athletes,” said Rick Alessandri, managing director, X Games franchise. “Our goal is simple: to deliver the most compelling action sports content to fans on whatever platform or device they wish.”

The events success this year included:

* Television: Winter X Games 12 was ESPN’s most-watched in history. The eight telecasts averaged 863,000 homes, up 17% from 2007. Many key demo groups (Men and Persons 18-24, 18-34, 18-49, and 25-54) also delivered their most-viewed Winter X Games, all up double-digits across the board from Winter X Games 11. Of the eight Winter X Games 12 telecasts, six were among the top ten most-viewed in Winter X history, including the most-viewed Winter X telecast ever -- the last night, Sunday (1,117,000 HHs, based on a 1.2 rating). ABC's Winter X Games 12 telecast on Saturday afternoon delivered a 1.3 household rating and 1,424,000 HHs, up 9% and 10% respectively from Winter X Games 11. Overall, ABC was up across the board among all people and male demos, with Men 18+ up 29% from last year. Winter X Games 12 marked the first time the coverage was in high definition.

* Internet: EXPN.com and ESPN360.com offered more than 40 hours of live online programming and featured a combination of Web-exclusive and simulcast coverage from ESPN and ESPN2. EXPN.com grew its daily unique visitors by 288% over the audience recorded during the 2006 Winter X Games. Hundreds of thousands of fans viewed the live coverage on EXPN.com and ESPN360.com. During the course of the four days, EXPN.com’s Live Chat featured more than 10 athletes, including Ryan Scheckler, Jake Brown, Andreas Wiig, TJ Schiller and Blair Morgan and generated tens of thousands of questions from fans.
* Mobile - ESPN Mobile TV and ESPN MVP: ESPN Mobile TV offered 25 hours of live Winter X Games 12 coverage. Additionally, ESPN’s award-winning ESPN MVP mobile application (available to Verizon Wireless customers) delivered complete editorial coverage, including news, features, results, alerts and video highlights. ESPN Mobile Publishing provided a comprehensive X Games experience by engaging fans by text votes in the outcome of Ski Big Air and Snowboard Big Air.

* ESPN International: Winter X Games 12, for the first time, aired live in Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Africa and the Middle East. The event was also tape delayed in Norway, Sweden, U.K., Spain, Russia, France, Latin America and on ESPN Star Sports in Asia and appeared on ESPN’s International networks in more than 121 countries and territories in Latin America, the Pacific Rim, the Middle East and Africa.

* iTunes: Winter X Games premium video content was available for purchase on Apple’s iTunes Store, including nightly X Center content– providing a full rundown and highlights of the days action - as well as a Best of Ski, Best of Snowboard and Best of Snocross compilation following the games. Additionally, ESPN’s free nightly video podcast was ranked #53 in iTunes Top 100 videos during the week of Winter X Games.

* Interactive Television – ESPN and DISH Network: Beginning on January 24, six channels of Winter X Games coverage were made available via an ITV mosaic application to 13 million DISH Network subscribers on channel 100. The programs were looped continuously through January 27. The six channels included: Snowboard and Skiing; X Course Races; Snowmobiles, X Games air shows; X Centers (live and re-airs) and Best of Winter X archives. Viewers were able to view the mosaic, or select individual sport programs through interactive television and view all coverage of each particular discipline.

* X Box Live: Gamers on the X Box Live platform had the option to stay connected to Winter X Games 12 in real time. ESPN delivered downloadable content directly to the X Box Live platform, including a nightly X Center – providing a full rundown and highlights of the days action - as well as a Best of Skiing, Best of Snowboard and Best of Snocross compilation following the games.

* Team ESPN: Thousands of fans visited the Team ESPN booth where several initiatives were featured this year including The V Foundation for Cancer Research where Team ESPN hosted the second annual “Don’t Give Up” snowboard auction that raised funds and awareness for The V Foundation for Cancer Research. Blank snowboards, donated by O-Matic Snowboards for a second consecutive year, were designed by professional athletes and highly acclaimed artists that were auctioned in conjunction with Winter X Games 12.

Source: ESPN

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