For Immediate Release
ESPN PR
November 27, 2007
860-766-2000

ESPN HD Goes Big With Winter X Games 12
And X Games 14

ESPN and ABC Combine to Televise 15 Hours of Live
Event Coverage For The First Time Ever In High Definition

ESPN HD and ABC HD will continue to expand their programming line-ups by offering all 15 hours of Winter X Games 12 in high-definition, January 24 through January 27, 2008 live from Aspen, Colorado.  X Games 14 will also be presented entirely in HD and will air in early August, 2008. XCENTER, the daily highlight show for both the X Games and Winter X Games, will also be shown in HD on ESPN2 HD.

The annual Winter X Games is the premier winter action sports event featuring more than 250 of the world’s best athletes competing for medals and prize money in Skiing, Snowboard and Snowmobile competitions.

“Offering Winter X Games 12 in high definition raises the bar and allows us to further enhance the experience for our viewers and all action sports fans,” said Rick Alessandri, senior vice president, ESPN consumer products and X Games managing director. “Winter X Games 12 is the first ever multi-sport winter action sports event to be presented in HD. This move and our collaboration with Olevia as the HD sponsor of Winter X Games 12 further demonstrates why ESPN is the leader in HDTV.”

Buttermilk Mountain at Aspen/Snowmass will continue to host the Winter X Games through 2010. The event includes day and evening competitions and is free to the public.

 

WINTER X GAMES 12 BROADCAST SCHEDULE BY DAYAll times listed below are Eastern Time (ET)

Thursday, January 24, 2008

9:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.           ESPN HD         Snowmobile Speed & Style Final

                                                   Skiing SuperPipe Men’s Final

 

Friday, January 25, 2008

10:30 p.m. – 12:30 a.m.       ESPN HD            Snowmobile SnoCross Round 1

                                                                                Snowboard SuperPipe Women’s Final

                                                                                Skiing Big Air Final

 

Saturday, January 26, 2008       

2:15 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.            ABC HD              Snowboarder X Men’s & Women’s Finals

                                                                              Snowboard Slopestyle Men’s & Women’s Final  

                                                                              Snowmobile SnoCross Round 2                                

 

8:15 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.             ESPN HD            Snowboard SuperPipe Men’s Elimination

                                                                                    Snowmobile SnoCross Final

                                                                                    Snowboard Big Air Final

 

                                                                                                 

Sunday, January 27, 2008

1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.              ESPN HD            Skier X Men’s & Women’s Finals

                                                                                  Snowmobile Freestyle Elimination

                                                                                  Skiing Slopestyle Elimination & Final

                                                                                  Mono Skier X Final

9:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.          ESPN HD            Snowmobile Freestyle Final

                                                                                 Snowboard SuperPipe Men’s Final

This schedule is subject to change. Please visit www.espneventmedia.com for the most updated schedule.

About ESPN’s X Games Franchise

ESPN first developed its X Games franchise in 1995. As part of ESPN Content Development, the X Games, Winter X Games and All Access are just some of the original action sports programming currently shown on ESPN and ESPN2. In addition to the two U.S.-based events, ESPN has held X Games competitions and demonstration events around the world, including Dubai, Thailand, Brazil, Mexico, Korea, Malaysia, China and Spain.  The global franchise has also expanded its reach to EXPN.com, the definitive site for action sports fans, and to consumer products such as X Games bikes, protective gear, skateboards and DVDs.

ESPN HD and ESPN2 HD

In 2007, ESPN HD and ESPN2 HD will deliver more than 10,000 hours in high definition including all of ESPN’s NASCAR coverage, NBA telecasts, MLS telecasts, MLB telecasts, college football telecasts, National Hot Rod Association races and coverage of NFL Monday Night Football.  100 percent of ESPN and ESPN2’s Bristol-based studio programming originates in high definition, including SportsCenter, NFL Countdown, NFL Monday Night Countdown, NFL Live, Monday Night Countdown, Baseball Tonight, Mike & Mike in the Morning and First Take.  In addition to live sports programming, ESPN HD and ESPN2 HD produce individual programs, movies and series.  ESPN will launch its third HD service on March 30, 2008, when ESPNEWS begins telecasting in high definition

Currently, ESPN HD reaches about 15 million subscribers and is available to more than 91 million homes and ESPN2 HD reaches approximately 10 million subscribers and is available to more than 76 million homes.

 

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