ESPN Turns Eyes Across the Pond

ESPN originally launched ESPN.co.uk to market its network for the United Kingdom, but paidContent:UK reports that the sports network is in the process of transforming it to a sports portal for the United Kingdom, following its acquisition of English Premier League soccer TV rights.

paidContent:UK reported earlier this month that ESPN was hiring senior online editorial staff for its headquarters in London, and vice president of digital media for Europe, the Middle East and Africa Tom Gleeson told paidContent:UK existing sites Cricinfo and ESPNSoccernet will become part of its U.K. site.

Gleeson to paidContent:UK on site synergies:

It will be a sports site that’s relevant to the market, supports and is supported by the TV channel and taps into the huge range and diversity of our sports verticals, whether that;s on (U.S.-facing) ESPN.com or from our sites in Argentina and Brazil.

Gleeson on the potential for video-on-demand:

In truth, I don’t know. We will look to acquire rights when we can, when it makes commercial sense to do so.

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