In a deal that takes advantage of ESPN’s reach across English and Spanish-speaking sports fans, AT&T and ESPN have teamed up around the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil to encourage fans to test their knowledge and luck in the dual-language Bracket Predictor presented by AT&T. Prior to the first kick, users must choose which teams from the 32-team pool will advance throughout the tournament, with point totals assigned for each one they get correct.
Available on ESPN.com and ESPNdeportes.com, the bracket was designed so that fans can toggle between both Spanish and English language versions. It also features social elements built into the program to keep fans engaged throughout the tournament. ESPN is promoting the program across ESPN’s digital, mobile and social platforms – including ESPN.com, ESPNDeportes.com and ESPNFC.com. The program also receives visibility on air during World Cup studio programming.
“With soccer being the most popular sport in the world, we’re focused on connecting our U.S. Hispanic customers with their passions. We teamed up with ESPN to improve the overall fan experience this summer around the largest competition on the global soccer stage,” said Jennifer Jones, Vice President, AT&T Diverse Markets. “Our collaboration with ESPN gives fans a digital platform where they can share their brackets or ‘quinielas’ and see how their predictions compare to the rest of the world – allowing us to engage with this multicultural audience in English and Spanish and beyond the 31-day tournament.”
Added John Fitzgerald, Vice President of Multimedia Sales, ESPN Deportes, “ESPN has scale across both English and Spanish-speaking audiences, and this is a great example of how we can create an integrated, targeted program to help our clients reach consumers in an innovative, efficient and ongoing way. It takes a client like AT&T and an agency like MEC Bravo who are willing to look at their investments holistically. Total market programs like Bracket Predictor presented by AT&T represent a key differentiator for ESPN.”
The 2014 FIFA World Cup will be ESPN’s eighth World Cup and most comprehensive presentation to date. ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC will combine to air all 64 matches live and in high definition (June 12 – July 13, 2014), and WatchESPN will show all ESPN and ESPN2 games. ESPN3, ESPN’s live multi-screen sports network available in more than 92 million homes, will present matches live in multiple languages (other than English and Spanish). In addition, ESPN Deportes will present 300+ of live news and information coverage in Spanish-language and the live telecast of matches in Portuguese.
Additionally, ESPN studio programming including World Cup Tonight, ESPN FC, editions of SportsCenter, as well as the pre-game, halftime and post-game shows – and ESPN Deportes’ game-around-the-game programs will originate from the company’s production headquarters throughout the month at Clube dos Marimbás on the southern tip of the famed Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro.
ESPN garnered more than 40 industry awards, including three Sports Emmys, for its presentation of 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa – more accolades than any single event in the company’s history.