ESPN, Sony Pictures Networks India Launch Local Multi-sport Digital Products for India

True to its mission to serve sports fans anytime and anywhere, and in line with its long-term collaboration with Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN), ESPN has introduced an exciting new mobile-first multi-sport digital offering in India today with the launch of the ESPN.in website and the ESPN app.

With an emerging multi-sport landscape in India, the new site and app will further reinforce ESPN’s market leadership, authority and expertise in digital media, bringing an elegant, lively and more personal sports experience to Indian and subcontinent fans across mobiles, tablets and computers. ESPN.in site and app will also be carrying rights video content for sporting events from SONY LIV, SPN’s digital streaming platform, and SPN’s new SONY ESPN sports channels. India is the first market outside the United States to see the launch of a localized edition of ESPN’s signature app.

“ESPN has a strong connection with fans in India and around the world because we are fans ourselves, driven by a similar obsession for sports,” says Ramesh Kumar, Vice President, Head of ESPN India and South Asia. “The launch of our multi-sport products showcases our digital leadership and offers sports fans outstanding news, features and video experiences around top sports of interest to Indian fans. They also provide the perfect complement to our television collaboration with Sony Pictures Networks India as well as reinforce ESPN’s signature ‘Game around the Game’ analysis across platforms.”

From mainstream sports in India and the subcontinent, to the best of ESPN’s comprehensive coverage of global sports that interest South Asian fans, ESPN.in and the ESPN app will bring fans closer to the games, leagues and athletes they love via world-class digital products.

Both the site and app will offer the best cricket coverage (powered by ESPNcricinfo), but also give fans a one-stop destination for world-class news, features and videos across sports currently underserved by any digital offering in the region, such as football, hockey, badminton, tennis, Formula 1, kabaddi and more.

The new ESPN.in and ESPN app brings Indian and subcontinent fans a clean, dynamic presentation for ESPN’s content and storytelling, including scores, news, video, features, stats and more. Additionally, they will feature LIVE streaming video content of select sporting events in collaboration with SONY LIV.

“Sony LIV has been instrumental in bringing the best of entertainment to the digital millennials,” says Uday Sodhi, Executive Vice President and Head, Digital Business, Sony Pictures Networks India. “Sports is an integral part of our offering. Together with ESPN, we are geared to increase our offering manifold.”

The launch of the app and website are the latest developments in the collaboration between Sony Pictures Networks India and ESPN. ESPN.in and the ESPN app, will both carry SONYESPN branding and will feature cross-promotional integration with SONY LIV, the digital streaming platform from Sony Pictures Networks (SPN). Earlier this year, this collaboration resulted in the launch of 2 new sports television channels; namely, SONY ESPN as well SONY ESPN HD. The long-term agreement leverages a winning combination of two of India’s most respected media brands, and serves Indian and subcontinent fans via their combined expertise and high-quality compelling content.

Together, ESPN.in, the ESPN app and ESPNcricinfo represent the best and most comprehensive digital sports offering in India, and are part of ESPN’s leading global digital sports portfolio. Each month, ESPN digital content reaches and engages more sports fans around the world than any other brand.