ESPN expands X Games coverage to mobile

By Gabrielle Kalika

July 18, 2008

Ramping up

Sports cable network ESPN and mobile television provider MediaFlo USA teamed up to bring the X Games 14 in Los Angeles to action sports fans' mobile phones.

MediaFlo and ESPN are offering EXPN, a dedicated X Games video channel that launched July 16 and will run until Aug. 8. MediaFlo will also offer live coverage and other features to AT&T Mobile TV with Flo subscribers, as well as Verizon Wireless V Cast Mobile TV users.

“Flo TV is the only service that provides the immediacy of live sports direct to mobile phones,” said Jonathan Barzilay, senior vice president of programming and advertising at MediaFlo USA, San Diego.

“Our dedicated EXPN channel, provided by ESPN, delivers action sports 24/7, from past X Games through live coverage of this year’s X Games in Los Angeles,” he said. “With its Flo TV service, MediaFlo USA is committed to bringing consumers the sporting action they crave on their mobile phones live, as it happens."

A combined 31 hours of live X Games 14 coverage, from July 13 to Aug. 3, will be available to AT&T and Verizon Wireless customers subscribed to the MediaFlo mobile channel.

Action sports fans will be able to shout themselves extreme while following the trail of broken bones from the early practice rounds to the finals, all via the mobile EXPN channel.

The X Games 14 events will feature the BMX Freestyle, Moto X, Skateboard and Rally Car Racing, all broadcasted live, along with additional ESPN-produced segments.

The EXPN channel will offer sports fans the chance to catch-up on missed action or re-watch that epic bail with overnight re-runs of the day’s events.

The channel will also feature a "Best of the X Games" program, showing clips of previous games and pumping fans up into extreme oblivion. The program began July 16 and will run until the end of the month. Thereafter, a new program will air Aug. 4-8, featuring the highlights of X Games 14.

“The EXPN channel, like other event-based channels we have delivered, helps to demonstrate the excitement and value of our service,” Mr. Barzilay said.

“In addition, action sports fans love the X Games, but without our dedicated EXPN channel they might not be able to follow it while they're out and about, or on break at work or school," he said.

"Now, if they subscribe to AT&T Mobile TV from AT&T or V Cast Mobile TV from Verizon Wireless, they can catch all of the action live whatever they're doing and wherever they are.”