BRISTOL, Conn. — ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro sees a world where sports fans can open his company’s app and see a personalized version of SportsCenter tailored to their individual interests. In fact, he said Wednesday, that world could come as soon as next year, when ESPN launches a new direct-to-consumer service.
ESPN staff are currently “going full steam ahead” preparing the new product, Pitaro said, which will offer access to ESPN’s traditional linear network programming as well as its digital-only feeds for one price. During a media event in Bristol, Connecticut, Pitaro highlighted new features that will be introduced alongside the offering next year, including enhanced personalization options. The strategy is designed to help ESPN maintain its dominance in sports media beyond television.
ESPN has also spoken with leagues and other leading media companies about distributing local games in markets across its growing platforms.
“We believe reach is a very valuable asset for the leagues. If they’re focused on attracting or speaking to as many of their fans as possible, why wouldn’t they (make it available in the ESPN ecosystem),” Pitaro said. “We don’t ask for or demand exclusivity at all. … Let’s take advantage of the fact that we’re the starting point for sports fans.”
Numerous teams have launched their own direct-to-consumer services as the number of cable subscribers continues to dwindle. ESPN has already struck deals with NESN and Monumental Sports to create links to their digital platforms. In theory, future partnerships could include the ability for fans to authenticate these types of subscriptions in the ESPN app.
Such deals could also occur at the league level, for example if the MLB or the NBA take on certain tasks in the area of local media distribution.
“We want to at least be part of the solution here,” Pitaro said. “If you’re in the ESPN environment, we can target you geographically, recognize where you are and give you local games in your market. And that’s why we’ve made it clear to various leagues – the various commissioners – that we’re very interested in getting involved here.”
By next year, ESPN’s app is expected to include features such as the ability to watch multiple games at once (this option is currently limited to Apple TV devices) or keep an eye on ESPN Bet betting alongside the live feed.
Both the personalization features and potential local game rights suggest that ESPN is evolving from a single international cable broadcaster to a cross-platform “ecosystem,” as Pitaro puts it. In the future, ESPN wants to fit into the routines of different sports fans in new ways, anchored by the company’s signature games and studio content.
“We know it can’t be as simple as just flipping the switch,” Pitaro said of the launch of the new service, which does not yet have a public name or price. “We also know our product needs improvement.”
