ESPN's SPORTSCENTER To Hit All 50 States

(From Sports Business Journal)

ESPN's SPORTSCENTER will "visit 50 states in 50 days this summer," starting at FENWAY PARK for a YANKEES/RED SOX game on July 17th, according to ANDY BERNSTEIN of SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL.

ANHEISER BUSCH and COCA-COLA have signed on as sponsors of what is being branded as SPORTSCENTER ACROSS AMERICA. A source said that sponsorship packages were being shopped at $2.3-2.5 MILLION, with each sponsor "attached to one of the three live SPORTSCENTER time slots" –-
6 pm, 11 pm and 1 am ET.

A third sponsor "has not been disclosed."

SPORTSCENTER will still originate from the ESPN studio in BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT, but each telecast "will include a live remote segment," which will focus "mostly on the event at which they are located, but also include sports facts about the particular state." A live audience will be present.

SPORTSCENTER ACROSS AMERICA will have 100 people travel with it this summer, "divided into five teams of about 20 producers, reporters and technicians."

KENNY MAYNE, STUART SCOTT and "most of the other SPORTSCENTER talent will take a turn on the tour this summer." One source estimated the production cost of the series at $3-5 MILLION.

ESPN Senior VP and Managing Editor NORBY WILLIAMSON -- "Are we hoping this is going to drive ratings? Absolutely."

[You could buy a lot of Avid Nitris' for $2.3-2.5 million and help sustain increased ratings for a longer period of time. Oh well...]