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BRISTOL, Conn. — ESPN officials said Wednesday that they would be launching a new product that aims to be a comprehensive guide to sports streaming and television, even on competitor networks.
The app will be called “Where to Watch” and will be available on the company’s website and app. The feature will be available across dozens of sports and leagues, including the four major U.S. men’s leagues, the WNBA, college football and basketball, UFC, motor sports, golf, soccer, tennis, and other sports events on ESPN platforms.
The rationale for the feature, according to Brian Marshall, ESPN’s VP for sports product and strategy, is the company found through a study that more than 50% of sports fans can’t figure out where to watch their favorite teams.
“Our mission is to serve sports fans, anytime, anywhere,” Marshall said.
The feature, which is already available on ESPN digital platforms, will allow users to go directly to ESPN networks or platforms—including broadcast, cable, regional sports networks, and streaming services—that are airing the product, with one click.
But it won’t be exclusive to games aired on ESPN networks. ESPN has partnered with the likes of NESN and Monumental Sports & Entertainment, which will be directly linked on the platform, while third-party platforms not partnered with ESPN will still be featured on “Where to Watch.” Marshall said there are specific partners that will not be prioritized, and all available watch options will be laid out for each game.
The feature will also have filters per team, sport, and even per platform and subscription service. If a user has access to only specific streaming services or broadcast networks, they may use a “Where to Watch” filter to find which games they can view on the specific platform.
The new service, while simple, connects to chairman Jimmy Pitaro’s words from earlier in the media day that the network would like to be a “solution” to the overarching issue with RSNs.
“We want to be part of the solution,” Pitaro said. “We have made it clear to the various leagues that we are interested in stepping up here.”
ESPN is not the first to attempt to solve the issue of sports fans struggling to find where to watch games. The website Are You Watching This?! tries to solve the same issue, but ESPN has the opportunity to scale the feature given its reach.
