January 4 – This weekend the English FA Cup, the world’s oldest cup competition, enters its third round and sees the entry of the Premier League teams – matched-up against the minnows of England’s lower leagues all looking to create dramatic upsets.
Broadcast coverage is shared by ITV and ESPN – neither of whom will be part of the new Premier League TV deal starting next season. But this isn’t stopping ESPN committing its resources and media to football.
Working with competition title-sponsor Budweiser, broadcaster ESPN isusing the FA Cup content across a package of its media, particularly within its social media integration. Fans watching or accessing any of the multiplatform content surrounding the FA Cup will be encouraged to share their views and opinions via Twitter using #ToTheDream.
Eight short fan-focused films will tell personal tales about the Here’s to the Dream competition. So far two films have aired on ESPN. In these films, fans share their greatest FA Cup journeys and experiences.
ESPN.co.uk has launched a fan poll to collect all-time favourite FA Cup moments from several categories. Voters choose from classic matches, goals and other moments, and watch those clips online and on TV. ESPN The all-time most-voted-for moment will be announced as part of ESPN’s all-day final coverage on May 11.
All televised FA Cup coverage on ESPN will feature pre- and post-break bumpers. Online, ESPN.co.uk’s FA Cup coverage will feature display banners and rich-media ads.
A series of five FA Cup legends-focused films will be running periodically throughout the competition. These films focus on some of the most important moment’s of the competition’s history. To date, three of these have aired on ESPN.
Other initiatives include fans being able to vote for their Budweiser Man of the Match during all FA Cup matches as well as various preview and post-match shows.
Alan Fagan, group head of sales at ESPN Europe, Middle East and Africa, said: “ESPN is committed to celebrating the FA Cup’s rich and varied heritage and to bringing fans the very best stories and insight into this year’s competition. Our collaboration with Budweiser engages fans with content and participation, via TV, online, mobile and in the social media conversation, celebrating moments past, present and future.”
Iain Newell, the U.K. marketing director at AB InBev, added: “One of our major commitments as lead partner of The FA Cup is to bring the tournament closer to football fans, build anticipation for every round and to celebrate the optimism the competition holds for both fans and clubs.”
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