ESPN, The Masters Reach Agreement for Expansive Digital Media Coverage of 72nd Masters Tournament

- ESPN Telecasts Also Live on ESPN360.com
- “Amen Corner” live on Masters.org
- ESPN.com, Golf Digest Collaborate For News, Analysis

February 26, 2008 -- ESPN and the Masters have reached an agreement that will bring expansive coverage of the 2008 Masters Tournament to fans across ESPN.com, ESPN360.com and masters.org. The agreement is highlighted by live streaming of all ESPN event telecasts on ESPN360.com, live streaming of “Amen Corner” and “Masters Extra” on masters.org, live “look-ins” and extensive highlights on ESPN.com, an original online Putting Game, fantasy and trivia games and more.

Additionally, ESPN.com and Golf Digest Companies will again collaborate for extensive online editorial coverage of the Masters, including complete ESPN.com news and information coverage, contributions from Golf Digest and Golf World, ESPN podcasts, live chats and more.

This marks the sixth straight year that ESPN has collaborated with the Masters for digital media coverage, expanding their coverage each year.

“The Masters is one of world’s great sporting events and according to the Sports Business Journal, the most prestigious,” said John Kosner, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Digital Media, ESPN, Inc. : "The work we do digitally with the Masters can serve as an important element in assisting the Tournament in its goal of growing the game internationally and reaching a younger audience."

The agreement follows the recently announced agreement that provided ESPN exclusive U.S. television rights to the first two rounds of the Masters Tournament and the Par 3 Contest beginning in 2008.

ESPN’s expansive digital media coverage of the 2008 Masters Tournament will include:

ESPN360.com

* Live broadband streaming of Wed - Friday ESPN coverage on ESPN360.com, includes:
o Par 3 Contest (Wed. 4/9, 3-5 p.m. ET);
o Simulcast of ESPN’s television coverage of the first two rounds of the tournament.
* On demand coverage of the Putting Green ceremony Sunday on ESPN360.com (and masters.org).

ESPN.com Video

* One-click link access to masters.org coverage from “Amen Corner,” hole Nos. 15 and 16, player interviews, as well Masters Extra;
* Live “Look-ins” on ESPN.com, providing fans with quick hits of live coverage of the Par 3 Contest and the 72nd Masters Tournament on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday;
* Extensive video highlights from the Masters on a daily basis via ESPN.com’s video hub - sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/ ;
* Original ESPN feature and analysis video;
* Historical highlights from past Masters Tournaments;
* Course Walking Tour in conjunction with masters.org.

ESPN.com Editorial

* Live leader board link to masters.org;
* ESPN.com coverage led by national columnist Gene Wojciechowski, ESPN.com golf writer Bob Harig and ESPN.com golf editor Jason Sobel;

* Live ESPN.com Masters blog;
* Live audio updates and interviews on ESPNRadio.com;
* E-Ticket multimedia feature package from ESPN.com and ESPN The Magazine;
* Insights and analysis from ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt and Andy North;
* Contributions from Golf Digest and Golf World writers and reporters;

* ESPN audio slideshows and photo galleries;
* Live chats with ESPN, Golf Digest and Golf World analysts and reporters;
* ESPN SportsNation polls;
* Scores, analysis and information via ESPN.com’s industry-leading WAP site.

Online Video Games

* “Putting at Amen Corner” -- a custom-built ESPN Arcade game available on both masters.org and the ESPN Arcade (espnarcade.com ), giving fans a photo-realistic opportunity to putt the famed greens of the 11th, 12th and 13th holes. For each day of the Tournament, the game will reflect the actual pin placement on that day.

Fantasy Games

* ESPN.com’s Masters Best Ball fantasy game, allowing fans to select a lineup of golfer’s for each round of the Tournament, and compete with other fans based on actual scores;
* Fans will be invited to play against, and try to beat, ESPN commentators and analysts.

Web 2.0, Widgets

* ESPN will extend news and information about the Masters across the Web through event-specific news, information, video and scoring widgets that can be included in popular social networking, blogging and personalization platforms (Facebook, MySpace, iGoogle, etc.).
* Fans can find ESPN widgets at the ESPN Widget Center: widgetcenter.espn.go.com/

Podcasting

* A daily ESPN video podcast featuring coverage of the Par 3 Contest, daily coverage of Tournament play on Thursday and Friday, highlight coverage of all four rounds, the Walking Tour, and the Green Jacket and Putting Green ceremonies;
* Multiple audio podcasts during the week of the Tournament, featuring ESPN coverage and analysis;
* Podcasts will be available via the ESPN PodCenter, Apple’s iTunes Store and via the X Box Live platform.
* ESPN PodCenter: espnradio.espn.go.com/espnradio/podcast/index

Source: ESPN

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