ESPN Officially Launches its YouTube Channel

ESPN’s YouTube Channel has officially launched after being in beta for the last month or so.

ESPN’S YouTube Channel to Launch on July 13

Under Armour and LG Electronics Sign on as Premiere Sponsors

ESPN Short Form Content to Feature Prominently in YouTube’s Sports Category

Short-form content from ESPN will be available via a dedicated ad-supported channel on YouTube beginning today, July 13. The ESPN Video Player will be integrated into ESPN’s channel and will anchor a wide variety of exciting sports content and highlights. ESPN will also make additional short-form content available through YouTube’s player. The ESPN channel on YouTube is located at www.youtube.com/ESPN and the ESPN module will be featured prominently on the YouTube Sports Homepage located at www.youtube.com/sports.

Ad inventory on the channel will be controlled by ESPN. Under Armour and LG Electronics USA are the first sponsors to take advantage of ESPN’s expanded digital video reach. Under Armour will debut a new 30-second animated spot called “Fierce Speed,” which was co-produced by Shilo and depicts the new football cleat with supersonic and futuristic speed elements, enabling athletes to witness the birth of GENERATION SPEED.

“We’re looking forward to bringing ESPN content to YouTube’s audience and helping our advertisers expand their reach within our channel environment,” said Matt Murphy, senior vice president, digital video distribution, ESPN. “We’re always looking for new ways to reach fans and create value for our advertisers. Working with the world’s largest online video site accomplishes both.”

Steve Battista, Under Armour, Senior Vice President, Brand added, “One of the keys to Under Armour’s success has been our ability to be at the forefront in leveraging digital and emerging media platforms to reach our target audience. ESPN continues to play a pioneering role in this space, which is increasingly influential for our consumers. This further enables us to provide our athletes and brand fans with product-specific content and engage them in a meaningful way.”

John Weinstock, brand marketing vice president, LG Electronics USA, said the ESPN-YouTube alliance complements both LG’s multimedia marketing strategy and LG’s Internet-enabled consumer electronics products. “This online sponsorship is a perfect fit for LG, especially now that sports fans can enjoy ESPN via YouTube on our ‘Netcast” flat-panel HDTVs or Blu-ray players,” he said.

“Sports is consistently among the most popular video categories on YouTube,” said Jordan Hoffner, Director of Content Partnerships at YouTube. “Providing our vast and engaged community with content the caliber of ESPN’s is a great win for us and for the online video market in general.”

Content will include highlights from major sporting events as well as original ESPN programming and breaking news. SportsCenter Right Now — a twice-daily capsule of top sports stories – will also be featured, as well as clips from Outside the Lines, E:60, Mike and Mike in the Morning, Pardon the Interruption and Around the Horn. Additionally the original digital series Mayne Street, starring Kenny Mayne will be available, as well as special programming packages created around events like the X Games.

ESPN’s agency Weiden + Kennedy created a special commercial spot to celebrate the launch of the channel.

If you’ve noticed, I’ve been embedding stuff from ESPN through the YouTube channel instead of through ESPN itself. It’s better and easier actually.