ESPN Breaks Into Microsoft's Xbox
On-Demand Content Includes College Football and Basketball, Original Fare
By Todd Spangler -- Multichannel News, 11/5/2007 3:06:00 AM
ESPN will offer a range of game replays and programming for sale to users of Microsoft’s Xbox 360 game console, adding a second online distributor for on-demand content along with Apple’s iTunes Store.
ESPN fare slated to be available for purchase via the Xbox Live Marketplace this week includes replays of full-length NCAA football and basketball games, Summer X Games and episodes of ESPN originals like The Contender, Madden Nation and The World Series of Poker.
Pricing for college football and hoops action, available without commercials within 48 hours after a game airs, will be available for $3 in the standard-definition format and $4.50 in high-definition; pricing for ESPN’s shows are $2 per SD episodes and $3 for HD versions.
ESPN’s primary live-programming online initiative is ESPN360.com, which the programmer relaunched in September. The sports portal will offer 267 live sporting events this month, including live games and events from the National Basketball Association, college football and basketball, FIFA World Cup beach soccer and NASCAR.
