ESPN previews new SportsCenter set/graphics for 2014

[d247 43]

Tuesday at ESPN's Upfront presentation, the Mothership released a preview of a new look and set for SportsCenter, to be built at the upcoming Digital Center II in Bristol. It will debut in 2014.

 

Video is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bX0JfXzwAlk

[24994J 5280]

My, my, that is pretty snazzy...they'll probably find a way to screw it up.

[Jess 1110]

okay... that... how is it possible to build that and make that an actual thing?

 

They probably have the Imagineers that create the attractions for the Disney parks doing this. I know the current set came from Imagineering.

[Mrtraveler01 737]

I take it that this refresh has to do in part with them getting more competition in the form of Fox Sports 1 (to launch in August).

 

ESPN has gotten to complacent with their sports coverage so hopefully Fox might be able to inject some competition between the two.

 

(NBC doesn't count since they don't bother to try outside of their NHL and soccer programming)

[Jess 1110]

I take it that this refresh has to do in part with them getting more competition in the form of Fox Sports 1 (to launch in August).

 

ESPN has gotten to complacent with their sports coverage so hopefully Fox might be able to inject some competition between the two.

 

(NBC doesn't count since they don't bother to try outside of their NHL and soccer programming)

ESPN actually said they were planning this before FS1 was announced, and they were more concerned with making SportsCenter look totally different from its existing look and feel than competing with Fox Sports 1. I'd say they sort of accomplished that - it still looks like SportsCenter, and SportsCenter right now is absolute garbage, so yeah.

 

I think that if anyone can top ESPN, it's Fox. Because Rupert Murdoch.

 

And also because they're very good at what they do, and their sports coverage has actually been quite good when you think about it (questionable commentating aside). I think they made the extremely smart move of targeting SportsCenter right off the bat, but they have to be an alternative to SportsCenter. ("Actually Good" would be an alternative to SportsCenter at this point.)

 

Plus, they have the rights. You're going to see baseball on FS1 starting next year, there's going to be a significant UFC presence, and they have NASCAR. Plus, they have whatever soccer rights are left over from Fox Soccer Channel, including Champions League. I think there's a decent shot of them making some inroads against The Mothership.

 

Also, I wouldn't say NBC "isn't trying", more that they're trying an alternative strategy. They're not going to beat ESPN at their own game, so they're counter-programming with smaller sports that have passionate fanbases - you know, the stuff ESPN used to show before they filled their air with endless hours of SportsCenter and First Take. NHL is the perfect example - I'd say they've benefitted far more with NBC than they ever would have with ESPN. They have Formula One, which I think is better than NASCAR (look, ACTUAL COURSES, NOT OVALS!). Plus they're getting the Premier League this August, and as an unabashed soccer fan I am absolutely drooling over the amount of coverage they're going to offer. I think the path NBC is taking is the right one, to be honest.

 

I think the key to both is "don't be ESPN". Which I'd argue is advice I'd give to any outlet, sports or not. The practices ESPN has advocated over the last few years have been as damaging - if not more so - to the fundamentals of journalism than anything that airs on Fox News Channel or MSNBC.