ESPN's Digital Platforms Makes X Games 13 More Accessible

When X Games 13 begins from Los Angeles, Calif. on August 2, fans around the world will have more ways than ever to experience all of the action. In addition to comprehensive television coverage on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC, ESPN is utilizing all of its digital platforms to allow fans anywhere, with any device, the ability to follow action sports’ top athletes perform on the premier competitive stage. Fans will find extensive X Games 13 content on EXPN.com, ESPN360.com, ESPN mobile platforms (including ESPN Mobile TV and ESPN MVP), Apple’s iTunes Store, and via DISH Network’sTM interactive TV (ITV) application on DishHOME channel 100.

“Digital media and the X Games are a natural combination,” said Rick Alessandri, Managing Director, X Games Franchise. “Like the athletes, the fans of X Games are active and on the go. These media platforms are, in many ways, as important to them as traditional television coverage.”

ONLINE LIVE VIDEO – EXPN.com and ESPN360.com
EXPN.com and ESPN360.com will offer more than 40 hours of live programming – a combination of web-exclusive and simulcast coverage from ESPN and ESPN2

Full schedule follows (all times ET):

Tues., July 31
2-4 p.m. BMX Freestyle Vert Practice
4-7 p.m. Men's Skateboard Vert Practice
7-9 p.m. Women's Skateboard Vert Practice

Weds., Aug. 1
2-4 p.m. BMX Freestyle Vert Practice
4-7 p.m. Men's Skateboard Vert Practice
7-9 p.m. Women's Skateboard Vert Practice

Thurs., Aug. 2
1-4 p.m. Moto X Freestyle Practice
4-7 p.m. Men's Skateboard Vert Practice
7-8 p.m. Amateur Skateboard Vert Practice
8-9 p.m. Skateboard Big Air Final
9-11 p.m. ESPN Simulcast

Fri., Aug. 3
2-3:30 p.m. BMX Freestyle Practice
3:30-5:30 p.m. Men's Skateboard Street Final
5:30-6 p.m. Women's Skateboard Vert Practice
6-7:45 p.m. Women's Skateboard Vert Final
8-9 p.m. BMX Freestyle Big Air Final
9-11 p.m. ESPN Simulcast

Sat., Aug. 4
2-5 p.m. Men's Skateboard Vert Practice
5-6:30 p.m. BMX Freestyle Vert Final
6:30-7 p.m. Moto X Freestyle
7-9 p.m. ESPN2 Simulcast
9-11 p.m. ESPN Simulcast

EXPN.COM COVERAGE
The newly re-designed EXPN.com will include comprehensive coverage from the event, including:
• Skateboard Street Best Trick presented by Element – first fan-determined contest in X Games history; voting opens immediately after webcast of the event on Fri., Aug. 3 at 10 p.m. PT (Aug. 4 at 1 a.m. ET);
• Exclusive multimedia coverage of each final – live results, video recaps, photo galleries, insider information and features;
• Exclusive multimedia coverage of each qualifier – including a special look at ‘dark horse’ contenders;
• Blogs and vlogs from Moto X rider Brian Deegan and skateboarder Danny Way. These X Games gold medalists will discuss practice sessions and competition preparations;
• X13 Podcasts – video and audio podcasts available via the ESPN Podcenter, EXPN.com and iTunes;
• Page 2 – Mary Buckheit, from ESPN.com’s award-winning Page 2, will file all-access stories from behind-the-scenes at X Games 13;
• X13 Surf Webcast – free replay of the X games 13 surfing competition held July 3-6 in Puerto Escondido, Mexico. Webcast features complete user integration; simultaneous leaderboard, chat transcript, polling and video highlights;
• Rally Rider – exclusive X Games online video game lets users to create their dream rally track and set their driver loose on an original creation.

THE iTUNES STORE

iTunes (www.itunes.com) is the exclusive source for downloads from X Games 13 and will have a dedicated section featuring free and premium content that includes music of the X Games, videos, podcasts and athlete celebrity playlists. X Games gold medalists Ricky Carmichael (Moto X) and Kevin Robinson (BMX) will provide their own personal playlists, including their favorite 12-15 songs and commentary on the selections.

Free X Games video content on iTunes will include top X Games moments and video recaps of the events. X Games content available for purchase and download on iTunes will include 14 exclusive long-form video packages from before, during and after the event, varying in length from 20-45 minutes. These videos can be purchased individually for $1.99 or as a “Season Pass” for $19.99.

MOBILE - ESPN Mobile TV and ESPN MVP
ESPN and MediaFLO USA, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of QUALCOMM Incorporated, will team up to offer eight hours of live X Games coverage daily, from August 2-5, on EXPN — a special mobile TV channel dedicated solely to the X Games, a first on MediaFLO USA’s FLO TV™ mobile television service. Viewers will be able to watch everything from practices, qualifying events and finals beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET on Thurs., Aug. 2 and concluding at 6 p.m. ET on Sun., Aug. 5. Highlights of previous years’ X Games will be shown on the channel through Aug. 1, and “Best of the X Games” and X Game 13 replays will air through Aug. 6-7. Mobile coverage will include an innovative ‘double box’ segment, allowing viewers inside the car to see two rally car drivers compete side-by-side via in-car cameras. FLO TV is currently available through Verizon Wireless as V CAST Mobile TV. The dedicated X Games channel will supplement live coverage of the X Games on ESPN Mobile TV, one of the eight regular channels available on FLO TV.

ESPN MVP, ESPN’s signature mobile service available exclusively through V CAST on Verizon Wireless, will feature a dedicated content area, giving users one-touch access to all the best ESPN multimedia content from X Games 13.

INTERACTIVE TELEVISION – ESPN and DISH Network
Beginning Aug. 2 at 8 p.m. ET and continuing through the end of X Games 13 telecasts on Aug. 5 at 6 p.m. ET, ESPN, DISH Network™ and X Games are putting fans in control with the ESPN Interactive X Games. The interactive channel – available on Channel 100 – will enable fans to enjoy six X Games channels on one screen. There will be channels for X Games 13, the Best of X and four sport dedicated channels – Skateboards, BMX, Surfing and Engines. Fans can select the channel they want and view it in normal full screen television format.

NETWORK TELEVISION COVERAGE – ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC
In total, ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC will offer 14.5 hours of X Games coverage.

Full schedule follows (all times ET):

Thurs., Aug. 2, 8:30 - 11 p.m. ESPN
Skateboard Big Air Final
Moto X Best Trick Final

Fri., Aug. 3, 8:30 - 11 p.m. ESPN
BMX Freestyle Big Air Final
Moto X Step Up Final

Sat., Aug. 4, 3 - 6 p.m. ABC
BMX Freestyle Park Final
Surfing Men's Final
SuperMoto Final

Sat., Aug. 4, 7 - 8:30 p.m. ESPN 2
Moto X Freestyle Elimination
BMX Freestyle Vert Final

Sat., Aug. 4, 9 - 11 p.m. ESPN
Moto X Racing Final
Surf Women's Final
Moto X Freestyle Final

Sun., Aug. 5, 3 - 6 p.m. ABC
Skateboard Vert Final
Skateboard Street Men's
Rally Car Racing Final

--Press Release