| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| Availability | National |
| Founded | by George Bodenheimer |
| Owner | The Walt Disney Company (80%) Hearst Corporation (20%) |
| Launch date | 2005 |
| Former names | ESPN360.com |
| Official website | www.watchespn.com |
ESPN3 (formerly ESPN360) is an online streaming service for WatchESPN to deliver both live streams and replays of global sports events to sports fans in North America, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Middle East, New Zealand, and Europe (except Italy). In the US the network is available to individuals who receive their high-speed Internet connection or cable TV subscription from an affiliated service provider. Since 2008, ESPN3 has also been available to approximately 21 million U.S. college students and U.S.-based military personnel via computers with college/university (.edu) and U.S. military (.mil) IP addresses. ESPN3 is only available to Internet providers who pay fees to ESPN. ESPN3 is not carried by traditional cable and satellite providers, as it is not a single channel but can be streaming multiple live events at the same time, or none at all.
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ESPN3 began in 2001 as ESPN360.com, which was more of an on-demand website. In September 2007, ESPN360.com shifted away from on-demand content like studio shows and moved toward placing "emphasis on live events".[1][2] Since shifting its programming focus in 2007, ESPN3 has only aired live and replayed sporting events. On April 4, 2010 ESPN360.com re-launched as ESPN3.com.
ESPN3 became a part of WatchESPN on August 31, 2011. The new service greatly expands the amount of sporting events and ESPN programming available on the service, but the newly expanded services are restricted to Verizon FiOS, Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks subscribers. Users of other cable providers can continue to access ESPN3 content.[3] Live streams of all the WatchESPN Networks are available to fans who receive ESPN as part of their TV subscription from Bright House Networks, Time Warner Cable, and Verizon FiOS TV. [4]
ESPN3 features millions of hours of live online sports viewing from a broad array of global events including (but not limited to): high school football, NCAA college football, Canadian Football League, NCAA college basketball (both men's and women's), NBA and WNBA basketball, FIFA World Cup events and global qualifiers, the English Premier League, some German Bundesliga games, and other major international soccer leagues, MLB and NCAA baseball, all four "grand slam" tennis events, major golf championships, global cricket and rugby, AFL Australian rules football, Major League and NCAA Lacrosse, and in 2011 ESPN3 has been one of the few sources to view live American Le Mans Series races. Many of the games are simulcast from ESPN and ESPN2, while others are exclusive U.S. broadcasts such as various NCAA College Football games. In the case of the CFL, games are sometimes broadcast on both ESPN3 and on NFL Network. ESPN3 also features exclusive special features, such as additional coverage of non-TV courts at all four Tennis Grand Slams.
ESPN3 allows fans to switch among as many as 20 events in a main viewing window. Video can be viewed in widescreen (16:9) and normal (4:3) views and can be expanded to full screen or reduced to a compact size. Recently completed events are archived and available for on-demand replay. The WatchESPN player additionally features the following four modules: Featured Events, Stats, Chat 140 section, and Facebook connect. The Featured Events module shows fans all the highlighted live and upcoming events on ESPN3. The Stats section features stats from the event being watched in the player. The Chat 140 section allows fans to chat about the action with other fans watching the event. Lastly, the Facebook module connects fans to their Facebook profile and allows them to both post about the event they're watching on their wall and discuss the event with other Facebook fans.
On November 1, 2010, ESPN3 launched on Xbox Live. This service allows Xbox Live Gold members to access live sporting events on ESPN3, among other offerings, at no additional cost.
ESPN3 uses Adobe Flash Video technology.
In 2011 it was announced that ESPN3 acquired rights to the American Lemans series, races would only be broadcasted live on ESPN3.
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