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| For Immediate Release |
ESPN PR
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| June 19, 2008 | 860-766-2000
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UEFA European Football Championship Boosts ESPN Audience on Television and Digital Media PlatformsNew Production Technology for Euro 2008; Schedule for the Quarterfinal StageESPN’s unprecedented coverage of the UEFA European Football Championships (Euro 2008), which began Saturday, June 7, continues to deliver ratings and viewership increases across the company’s linear television and digital media platforms. Highlights: ESPN2 Through 15 matches (through Tuesday, June 17), ESPN2 is averaging a 0.5 rating (521,000 homes), up 67% and 64%, respectively, compared to the time period – 12 – 5 p.m. ET – average in 2007 (0.3 rating and 318,000 homes). The network has averaged 655,000 viewers, up 81% from 362,000 over the same time period last year.
ESPN Deportes On ESPN Deportes, live Euro 2008 matches are averaging a 2.1 Hispanic coverage rating, representing 74,000 Hispanic homes. The highest-rated match thus far was Portugal vs. Turkey Saturday, June 7, which delivered a 3.5 rating, 123,000 Hispanic cable homes. In addition, ESPN Deportes has been the most-watched Spanish-language cable sports network for 11 consecutive days since the kickoff of Euro 2008. Through Tuesday, June 17, the total day average for ESPN Deportes has been 28,000 Hispanic homes, an 0.8 Hispanic coverage rating. ESPN Digital Media ESPNSoccernet.com has averaged more than one million daily visitors, and has seen an 82 percent increase in daily visits to the site when compared to the same period during Euro 2004. It has also seen visits increase by 216% over June 2007 and has seen page view increases of 239% and 29%, compared to June 2007 and Euro 2004, respectively. ESPNdeportes.com is pacing to have its biggest month ever – on pace to see a 139% increase in page views and breaking traffic records set just last month. Euro 2008 is also anchoring what will be ESPN360.com's most-watched month since its relaunch as a live sports broadband network. The broadband network has provided live and replay coverage of every game through the Group stage. Euro 2008 has accounted for several of the services Top 10 most-watched single events and is on pace to be the most-watched multi-event tournament (excluding college football and basketball regular season). ESPN’s Euro 2008 Coverage Features New Soccer Production Enhancement “ESPN Axis,” an innovative graphic enhancement developed by the Swiss company LiberoVision with additional elements by ESPN's production enhancement team, is being introduced this month as part of ESPN's unprecedented coverage of the 2008 UEFA European Championships. “ESPN Axis” creates "virtual" replays using video captured by cameras covering the live action event. Images fed from the game cameras are calibrated and seamed together to create virtual freeze-frames from multiple angles. The angles of view may be tilted upwards by 90 degrees -- from pitch level to direct overhead shots -- creating three-dimensional, birds-eye views of key plays from multiple vantage points. Within the three-dimensional frame, ESPN analysts use graphic telestrations to highlight the locations and movements of players on the field to better explain how plays develop and what leads to scores, offsides and other key events during matches. ESPN analysts also highlight players and graphically move them on the screen to demonstrate a play or series of plays in the match. Click this link http://www.espnmediazone.com/mediacenter/mediacenter.html to watch the application of “ESPN Axis” in Euro 2008 coverage. Euro 2008 Quarterfinals ESPN’s unprecedented coverage of Euro 2008 continues with the quarterfinals today, Thursday, June 19, through Sunday, June 22, with six of the eight quarterfinal teams ranked among the top 13 teams in the FIFA World Rankings. Highlights:
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