ESPN Seeks Simpler Web Site
George Bodenheimer Speaks at Deutsche Bank Media Conference
By Michael Malone -- Broadcasting & Cable, 6/10/2008 10:54:00 AM
New York -- When the redesigned ESPN.com debuts in late summer or early fall, it’ll have a cleaner home page and likely Web-only versions of programming staples like SportsCenter.
ESPN president George Bodenheimer shed some light on the Web overhaul at the Deutsche Bank Media Conference here Tuesday. But with Web traffic up 40% in April (140 million page views) compared with the previous April, the site is hardly foundering.
“[The redesign] is not a sign of weakness,” Bodenheimer said. “It’s a sign of strength.”
Bodenheimer suggested having SportsCenter and Pardon the Interruption on the Web, but stressed that simply streaming the TV versions online would not work.
He also said the sports giant would continue to acquire the rights to major sporting events around the world -- ESPN recently grabbed the U.S. Open tennis tournament from its longtime cable partner, USA Network, and Bodenheimer said he was kicking the tires on the United Kingdom’s soccer Premiership -- and would also court more high-profile sportswriters (longtime Sports Illustrated scribe Rick Reilly recently had his debut in ESPN-The Magazine).
Bodenheimer was also bullish on the high-school crowd, particularly females. ESPN recently acquired the publication Rise and rebranded the school-sports-themed outfit ESPN Rise. “Our goal is to attract more high school-age girls … and boys … to our products,” he said. “Our bread and butter is young fans.”
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