Users of the most popular online video-sharing site will soon be able to view content from the most popular sports television network.
Disney’s ESPN and Google-owned YouTube have agreed on a deal to create an ad-supported, ESPN branded channel on the video sharing site. The channel, which will feature short-form content and “incorporate the sports net’s video player,” will launch in April.
As part of the deal, ESPN will control ad sales, allowing the network “to sell ad packages across all platforms, TV commercials and websites.”
ESPN president George Bodenheimer says the deal “presents an extraordinary opportunity for ESPN to create new revenue streams and new value to advertisers, as they continue to look for new ways to connect with fans in the digital environment.”
In addition to ESPN, the Disney-ABC Television Group will also launch several channels on YouTube, which are slated to launch in May. A preview of the ESPN YouTube channel can be viewed at youtube.com/espn.
