ESPN - Video 1
In part, the season-long project will include a 10+-part short story video series, Jackie to Me, featuring newly conducted interviews with prominent athletes and public figures. The videos will debut across SportsCenter, Get Up and First Take beginning Monday, April 4.
ESPN - Video 1
Front Row spoke with Antoine Lewis (Vice President, Production) as well as project co-producers Jeff Ausiello (senior managing producer), Lauren Stowell (senior managing producer) and Willie Weinbaum (bureau producer) about what went into creating these deeply personal videos. The team was also critically supported by Darren Demeterio (manager, talent production) and Blake Grudzien (content associate) who worked tirelessly to secure guests and provide invaluable research, respectively, as well as many others.
What do you hope audiences take away from the video series?Ausiello: First and foremost, we wanted to educate viewers on not only who Jackie Robinson was as a man, a father, a baseball player, and an activist who selflessly gave of himself to fight for others but also to illustrate the lasting effect his actions have had and continue to have 75 years after he broke the color barrier.
About ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, which hosts more than 300 events a year, is the leading multi-sport venue for amateur and professional sports in the United States, accommodating 70 different sports and athletes from more than 70 countries. Designed to take youth sports to the next level, the 230-acre facility features the ESPN Innovation Lab, a real-world testing ground for the ESPN Emerging Technology Group to develop ground-breaking on-air products like Ball Track and ESPN Snap Zoom, as well as development of its new 3-D television channel. In addition, the complex features 56 high-definition cameras (42 robotic, 10 hand-held and four studio) and 40 high-definition video screens, including three jumbo screens, that can capture and display footage from any event taking place at the complex. The camera and video screens, as well as a 20-zone audio system, are controlled through the state-of-the-art HD and 3-D Broadcast Center that features eight edit bays and links to ESPN facilities in Bristol, Conn., New York and Los Angeles. For more information, visit www.wdwnews.com for press releases, photos and videos. Follow us on Twitter at @DisneySports.
The video service combines smaller videos and some original content from partners including the BBC, ESPN, and Maker Studios. At the announcement event, Spotify said Vice News, ABC, and others were also onboard.
One problem that Spotify does face is the kind of devices users access the service on. Smartphone users tend to leave the app running in the background, which makes pushing videos harder. Desktop users do exist, but often minimise Spotify and do other things.
The videos are not accompanied by adverts at the moment, but the company has plans to in the future. Spotify currently has two revenue sources: Adverts for non-subscribers and subscription revenue. CEO Daniel Ek has described video as "an important revenue source" in the future.
ESPN launched ESPN+ in April as destination for serious sports fans for a $4.99 monthly subscription fee. Subscribers get 1) News, scores, highlights and audio; 2) Authenticated video access to ESPN programming with a cable subscription login; and 3) Exclusive live sports and content, including ESPN's popular 30 for 30 series. 041b061a72