(From Sports Business Daily/TV Week)
This summer’s movies include ESPN tie-ins, such as ESPN2 televising the game in THE LONGEST YARD (co-starring ESPN SUNDAY NFL COUNTDOWN's MICHAEL IRVIN), a SPORTSCENTER scene in WAR OF THE WORLDS and LINDSAY LOHAN playing an ESPN Production Assistant in HERBIE: FULLY LOADED, according to JAMES HIBBERD of TV WEEK.
[Hmm...why can't we have PAs here like Lindsay Lohan.]
The ESPN brand will also appear in THE FANTASTIC FOUR, GHOST RIDER, AKEELAH AND THE BEE, DREAMER and the remake of THE BAD NEWS BEARS.
ESPN "insists the cross-promotions are the natural result of its sports coverage dominance rather than part of a Hollywood branding campaign."
ESPN ORIGINAL ENTERTAINMENT (EOE) Senior VP RON SEMIAO said, "We get approached by studios on an ongoing basis if the movie has a sports theme and it helps the authenticity to have ESPN involved. There's NO monetary exchange; nobody pays anybody."
Some of the films, including HERBIE, are produced by DISNEY, which Semiao "admits enjoys preferential treatment." Semiao -- "It's probably disingenuous to say we don't give special consideration to DISNEY."
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