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Microsoft buys out SportsCenter ad space, for a night [update 1]
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Microsoft_buys_out_SportsCenter_ad_space_for_a_night'; Tonight's edition of ESPN's SportsCenter (11pm EST/8pm PST) will feature Microsoft as sole advertiser. Viewers sticking around for commercial breaks will be force-fed a full seven minutes of Xbox 360 advertising, topped with spots like "Cops & Robbers" and "Mad World." The ads tie into a contest sweepstakes that asks viewers to answer questions about the commercials in order to enter (don't worry, each clip is also viewable on the entry page). In case you're lazy, here are the answers: What does Marcus Fenix find in the puddle? (Answer: Cherub) What's the name of the person who starts the game? (Answer: Geoff) How many steering wheels are in the final scene? (Answer: 2) What's the first game to get jarred loose? (Answer: Gears of War) Which of the following titles are referenced on the cars' license plates? (Answer: Gears of War, Halo 3, Forza 2) [Update: Microsoft just sent us a note that the original announcement contained some errors. They've updated the official sweepstakes website with the following corrections: 1) People are not automatically entered into the sweepstakes; they have to get 3 out of the 5 questions correct to be in it. 2) People do not win a free trip to Bristol, Connecticut to visit the set of SportsCenter, but will win "a trip to New York, including a tour of the ESPN Studios." 3) The date that the sweepstakes ends is December 19 and not December 18.]
Disney prepping content for streaming video iPod?
By now we're fairly certain that Apple and friends just do these patents for their own entertainment, to keep rumor mongers like us guessing and to publish uninteresting doodles to a mass audience, but they've got a new one for our dissection, and there's no use us quitting now. This time around it's nothing incredibly impressive, but a patent in regards to ESPN's mobile services has been unveiled, and it specifically makes mention of the iPod as a possible streaming delivery platform of sport scores and videos. Of course, this could just be ESPN covering all of its bases before the launch of its (ill-fated) Mobile ESPN, but with the incredible level of chumminess between Apple and Disney these days, we wouldn't put such a thing past 'em -- and if we can squeeze a WiFi iPod rumor out of the sitch, all the better.[Via AppleInsider]
Mobile ESPN: US out, India in
Disney's sports-oriented MVNO sitting atop Sprint's airwaves, Mobile ESPN, is nothing more than a memory for US customers. Having taken less than one full year to go from hot prospect to spectacular implosion, you might think that the folks in charge would've been left a bit too traumatized to even think about another launch. Alas, the service is getting a second chance at success in mobile-hungry India, though it'll take on less of an MVNO feel this time around. In fact, it's been relegated to nothing more than a WAP-based service offered through a variety of India's carriers, costing anywhere from Rs 50 to Rs 99 (a buck or two USD) per month. Good luck and godspeed, ESPN; we know you mean well.[Via MocoNews]
ESPN hops on the Sony thumbs-up wagon, says silly stuff
"The glory days of Intellivision football seem like they happened about 2,500 years ago." This is a quote from Bill Simmons over at the ESPN website. We recommend hitting ctrl+F and type in Playstation to find the snippit about the PS3 release party he "weaseled" his way into. What was his expert take on it? He says: "buy Sony stock." Guess he was impressed. Even so, the expert comment was sarcastic because, well, he's not exactly an authority on gaming.If you like basketball, you'll probably get this quote (it went right over my head): "As they were giving me the virtual tour, I kept laughing and making orgasmic noises, kinda like the way Tommy Heinsohn sounds when Rajon Rondo makes one of his three spectacular plays per game for the Celtics." Essentially, the common man (albeit a high-profile ESPN fellow) was thoroughly impressed by the PS3 and, come November 17th, we might be too. Or our parents will be. We thought this was a pretty funny tip submission, so extra thanks to Jason for bringing a smile to our faces.[thanks, Jason!]
MobileESPN, R.I.P: 2005 - 2006
Whoa Nellie. The folks who scooped Disney's ESPN-branded cellphone service -- MobileESPN -- are now calling for "big changes" in the MVNO. According to Rafat Ali and Staci Kramer who cite "numerous sources," the doomed MobileESPN MVNO is set for "a phased winding down/transition, or getting sold" outright this week, just before Disney's fiscal year draws to a close. A spokeswoman for MobileESPN confirmed an announcement was coming, most likely on Thursday, and that staff would not be laid off this week contrary to rumors. Merrill Lynch already asked Disney to pull the plug in a research note published back in July estimating that MobileESPN had only snagged 30,000 of the 240,000 anticipated subscribers since its Superbowl launch representing a loss of some $135 million for The Mouse. All this is potentially bad news for the likes of Amp'd Mobile and Helio who may be in for an MVNO backlash on The Street where investor sentiment is already pretty low. Oh BJ, not you and the Bear too? Update: Just minutes after we posted the article above, Disney officially dropped the ax on MobileESPN, and the happiest place on earth is just a little bit gloomier today. According to an open letter on the MobileESPN homepage, cellular service will stop as of December 21st, although all that great content that you handful of subscribers have come to enjoy day in and day out will soon be available through one of the major carriers. Meanwhile, existing customers are free to drop the service anytime before the end of the year without penaltly, and once your bills are all paid up, the soon-to-be-defunct MVNO will refund the full cost of your handset. Epitaph: MobileESPN, we had such high hopes for ye, but your glass jaw made a first round KO inevitable. R.I.P, sweet, failed telecom experiment.[Via GigaOM]
Hockey showdown brings back the memories
The current hockey demo showdown (NHL 07 vs NHL 2K7) on XBLM is bringing back fond memories of EA vs. 2K rivalries of yore. For many grid iron gamers, that old football favorite, ESPN NFL 2K5 for Xbox, still compares favorably with the latest Madden in several respects, especially presentation (Half-time highlights with Chris Berman!). Would Madden 07 really be a better game if EA didn't have a monopoly over the NFL license? How do you think the NFL 2K series would have developed given the chance?
Wal-Mart to advertise HDTVs on Monday Night Football
When the HDTV buying bug comes around and bits ya, do you think "Man, I need to head down to Wal-Mart to check out the latest HDTVs -- plus, they have my favorite fruit snacks on sale." Wal-Mart is hoping that with a little bit of advertising targeting the Monday Night Football crowd that eventually someone will. The big giant massive box retailer is going to try to throw their giant weight around and force their way into the HDTV arena currently owned by Best Buy and Circuit City. Will it work? Yup. They did the same thing a few years ago when they over took Toys-R-Us as the number one retailer of children's toys. We don't think many of our readers descend down to the sub-culture of Wal-Mart to buy an HDTV but many of their current shoppers will.Would you buy an HDTV at Wal-Mart?
New device captures rodeo bull physics
As badass as most rodeo events seem -- except for barrel racing, that's just lame -- we're about as clueless when it comes to judging most bull rides as we are at judging figure skating. Luckily, rodeos are about to become privy to new technology advancements, similar in spirit to those yellow first-down lines and the much-maligned glowing hockey puck of yore. Winnercomm, largest independent provider of programming to ESPN, has developed a new gadget that can be glued to the back of a bull and provide a "master's thesis on physics" in data about each ride. This can allow the bumpkin or clueless hipster watching at home to know just how fast and hard the bull is buckin', and we're hoping cowboy hangtime and vertical ascent can be measured as well. We're sure there will be purists who will decry the distillation of rodeo action into simple numbers, but we say bring it on.
ESPN Mobile to offer full-length college football games
Mobile ESPN might not have attracted quite the following they'd have hoped for so far, but that's certainly not to say they won't keep on keepin' on. In a deal with potentially broad-reaching implications for 3G data, MVNOs, and mobile entertainment in general, the sports-oriented carrier has announced plans to broadcast live college football games to their handsets, with as many as 25 planned for the 2006 season. Details are slim for the picking -- including the all-important question of pricing -- but if they can get this feature out the door for little or no additional cost on top of their basic service plans, we can definitely see this winning a few converts (not to mention flooding Sprint's EV-DO pipes in the process).[Via Moco News]
Time Warner to get ESPN2HD & ESPNU soon; NFL Network, not so soon
We have great news for college football and NHRA fans alike, but bad news for NFL fans on Time Warner Cable. First, the good news, Time Warner should have ESPN2HD and ESPNU up and running real soon. A spokesman from the cable company is indicating anywhere from 30-60 days that the stations will launch. Now for the bad, don't expect NFL Network anytime soon. The court battle that has been raging for a few years just ended and NFL fans everywhere won as Time Warner will need to carry the channel but the negotiations are just starting. These things take time. But hey, ESPN2HD is a lot better then nothing.[Thanks, Danny]
EA & ESPN get greedier, offering Madden pay-per-view preview
EA and ESPN are inviting you to plunk down $20 and watch a pay-per-view preview of Madden NFL 07 beginning on August 4, 18 days before the game's official release. Anyone who's actually planning to pay the price of admission please do us a favor ... smack yourself! 'Nuff said.
ESPN live in next-gen NBA Live
EA is collaborating with the ESPN network to include real world sports coverage in NBA Live 07 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Aside from SportsCenter updates every twenty minutes, gamers will also have access to live streaming podcasts, including The Dan Patrick Show and Mike & Mike in the Morning. In addition, downloadable highlights from around the sport's world will be updated every hour. Here's to hoping Madden will get the same treatment.
EA finally putting ESPN license to good use
In a welcome shift from their standard corporate policy, EA is finally putting their expensive partnership with ESPN to good use:At EA Studio Showcase, the next level of ESPN integration was displayed in NBA Live 07 for the Xbox 360, and it is finally something worth all the cash EA paid for this 15 year partnership. When online, not only will you have the ESPN ticker at the bottom of the screen updating you on the latest news and scores, but you will be able to listen to streaming podcasts of ESPN Radio, including Mike & Mike and The Dan Patrick Show.But that's only the beginning.ESPN Original Programming is also in the mix, enabling you to back out of your game and watch shows like the latest Pardon the Interruption, all within NBA Live.Play your Dynasty, watch for the big news to hit the ticker, then after your game check out Tony Kornheiser and Mike Wilbon as they debate the hot topic, only to go right back into your season.Sure beats a logo slapped in the corner of the screen. Will this kind of stuff convince anybody to buy NBA Live 07?[Thanks Matt T]
Madden 07 Hall of Fame edition announced
On August 22, PS2 and Xbox 360 owners will be able to throw down $60 and $70 respectively for a Hall of Fame Edition of Madden 07. For $10 more than the standard editions, EA Sports is offering a John Madden career retrospective, the first season of Madden Nation, and production featurettes with ESPN's Trey Wingo and bands featured in the game's soundtrack. No horse armor?Seriously, what extras would you like to see in this special edition that would justify the extra cash? Some Dallas Cowboy cheerleader or Oakland Raiderette videos might be a step in the right direction.
EA and ESPN integrate real sports into our fake sports
Some new information about the EA/ESPN integration has popped up at IGN regarding NBA Live '07. EA and EPSN had signed a 15-year partnership agreement and this is the first worthwhile use of that. What was displayed was the ability to have a running ticker at the bottom of the screen of your game displaying real world news and scores. If you'd rather hear it than passingly read it, you can vie for the live podcasts of ESPN radio. Or if you want a break from gaming, you can watch ESPN original shows. Cool.This was shown using the XBox 360, but we were told the same abilities and technologies will be available for the Playstation 3. Is there any other sort of integration we'd like to see? Perhaps an online tournament covered by an actual ESPN show -- so you feel like you really are coaching the next champs. Think about it: a live ticker of all the current tourney matches, commentary by famous ESPN fellas (if they can take it seriously), recaps, etc. That would be really cool, but mixing reality with gaming like this is an excellent first step.
Chicago Comcast subscribers getting new high-def stations?
Rob H. just dropped us a note indicating that he is now getting MHD (MTV's high-def station) and ESPN2HD on Comcast. He lives in the Chicago area so we are wondering, did anyone else just get these station too? Rob indicated that the programming guide doesn't seem to be totally downloaded so if you are running through your guide, you might want to look out for "Promotional Programming." Now we are hoping that the word "promotional" does not mean that this is just a tease. We hate it when Comcast does that.So everyone check out their Comcast line-up once again and look for MHD. Most of you should have ESPN2HD by now but if not you may want to check for it too.[thanks for the tip Rob]
US Open: Worse HD coverage than the World Cup
Did anyone catch the US Open over the weekend? It was a great sporting event that was butchered by piss-poor HD coverage. There wasn't a five minute interval that didn't have at-least three SD camera shots in it. The event was supposed to be in HD but ESPNHD and NBC continually switched to non-HD. This is somewhat of a common thing on a large course like Winged Foot but both stations insisted on presenting us with Stretch-O-Vision. Normally, ESPNHD would put their logo bars on the side, but that didn't happen this time. One of the best SD camera shots was of a golfer teeing off and they switched from their HD feed to an SD feed and you could clearly make out the other high-def camera that was just on. Now we know many of you had issues with the World Cup coverage but there is no way it was worse the the US Open.
This is SportsCenter in HD?
ESPN's This is SportsCenter series of ads have long been hilarious fictional looks at the behind the scenes of ESPN's nightly broadcast, I just didn't notice they had switched to high definition. The last new ones I noticed were one of the anchors stealing LeBron's throne from his desk at the ESPN office, Dwyane Wade editing his own highlight, and the Crocodile Hunter taking down the Florida Gators' mascot. It is entirely unlikely that I noticed the extra visual quality present in this spot due to the presence of tennis star (& sometime model) Maria Sharapova. Nope, no chance whatsoever. Did they only switch recently or have I just been missing the extra details?
HDTV Listings for April 21, 2006
What we're watching: The best thing on tonight is probably Sportscenter's NFL Draft preview show. Check out the HD highlights from Reggie, Vince, Matt and all the rest while hoping your team doesn't draft the next Ryan Leaf. As a Lions fan, the draft is usually the only happy time of the season and it's all downhill afterwards.Otherwise, there is always Assault on Precinct 13 on HBO, while NBC takes the night off of HD to show the Miss America Pageant (and why isn't that in HD?). Our traditional high-def listings continue below.
HDTV Listings for April 12, 2006
What we're watching: You know we're watching Lost, why even ask? King James and his band of merry men take on the Detroit Pistons at 8 p.m., unfortunately ESPN left their SkyCams at home. We don't usually watch Veronica Mars, but TVSquad says this is a great episode for new viewers to jump into the series on. Maybe its worth a shot at 8 p.m. on UPN as they replay last night's episode.We need a new Wednesday night fix since (after tonight) Lost is all repeats until May.Our traditional high-def listings continue below.
