ESPN Looks to Attract the Skater Set
EXPN.com to be rebranded ESPN Action Sports.
By Alex Weprin -- Broadcasting & Cable, 7/30/2008 7:14:00 AM
ESPN is rebranding its online site for action sports, EXPN.com, as part of a larger move to reach adrenaline junkies.
The new site will be dubbed ESPN Action Sports, and it will be the centerpiece of the ESPN Action Sports Network series of sites. The network will be comprised of a series of verticals, including non-ESPN sites surfer hub Surfline, skater-apparel site Vans.com and extreme-sports store Active Ride Shop.
“We have been building toward this vision for more than one year, piece by piece, and this marks a new starting point for the next stage in the evolution of what our digital-media assets will deliver to athletes and enthusiasts around the globe,” said Dave Finger, senior director of action sports for ESPN Digital Media, in announcing the rebrand.
The site will still be the focal point of ESPN’s X-Games coverage online, and it will continue to have feature writing.
ESPN Action Sports will expand its original video content, developing original broadband programs featuring action-sports footage and showcasing user-generated videos.
The site will also incorporate ESPN.com’s social-media features and will distribute content on mobile devices via ESPN’s mobile platforms.
ESPNews will also launch a weekly five-minute segment, ESPN Action Sports Report, to coincide with the launch of the new site this fall.
