ESPN is set to roll out three more locally-branded Web sites in markets where it owns radio stations, in Dallas, Los Angeles and New York. The additional launches, announced Monday (July 20) follow the brand's launch in mid-April of ESPNChicago.com, which folded in the Web site of WMVP-AM.
ESPNDallas.com will launch this Fall, followed by ESPNNewYork.com and ESPNLosAngeles.com in the first half of next year. Like the Chicago site, online video and digital audio will be powered by the flagship ESPN Radio station in the market. ESPN, which owns five radio stations, expects to expand to more cities in the future, certainly Pittsburgh, where ESPN owned and operates a radio station and potentially to the 20 ESPNRadio.com affiliate sites in several top markets.
"We're excited by the early success we've had with ESPNChicago.com and the opportunities that lie ahead," said Marc Horine, vp of digital partnerships and sales development for ESPN Digital Media.
Since its launch three months ago, ESPNChicago.com, which recently signed an exclusive content syndication deal with The Huffington Post Chicago, has emerged as the top sports site in Chicago. In June, the site had 600,000 unique visitors which logged 1.4 million total minutes of time, an increase of 57 percent and 112 percent since May, per comScore.
