ESPN and Brand USA, the tourism marketing body for the United States of America, have reached an agreement to develop an innovative, multi-territory online collaboration.  Through the partnership, Brand USA and ESPN will deliver advertising and special interest content to sports fans across the UK and Europe via their proprietary websites, ESPNAmerica.com andDiscoverAmerica.com.

Through the partnership, Brand USA aims to educate and inspire more international visitors to the United States by showcasing the best that American sport and recreation have to offer. The agreement launches with three initial elements in the coming weeks, and will introduce a range of new elements over the course of the long-term relationship.

The three initial elements are:

United States of Sport: Housed online at ESPNAmerica.com and on an ESPN-branded section within DiscoverAmerica.com – Brand USA’s consumer-facing website.United States of Sport profiles sport and tourism in all 50 U.S. states through a range of bespoke audio-visual and text content, including specially-produced branded features on each state, which focus on sports and recreational tourism opportunities rooted in each state’s distinct sporting heritage and made possible by each destination’s unique landscape and culture. The branded features will run online, as well as on ESPN’s TV networks across Europe. United States of Sport also includes a range of information and background about recreational opportunities available across the United States, as well as each state’s sporting teams and venues.

U.S. Sports Team Picker – ‘Get in the Game’:  An opportunity for sports fans to find out more about U.S. sports and sports tourism in the USA. Get in the Game is a bespoke online tool housed online at ESPNAmerica.com and on an ESPN-branded section withinDiscoverAmerica.com.  Sports fans can find out which sporting team in the USA they should support by inputting their sporting passions and personal interests, plus other information, such as the U.S. state they plan to holiday in and the game will provide them the closest match to their set of circumstances. Whether it’s American football, baseball or basketball, Get in the Game is sure to inspire visitors.

Media Sponsorships: Last weekend (1 – 4Feruary), DiscoverAmerica.comsponsored NFL Super Bowl XLVII coverage on ESPN America in mainland Europe, the Middle East and Northern Africa. Additionally, from 1 March, and providing sustained and ongoing promotion for Brand USA, DiscoverAmerica.com will sponsor a range of programming through ESPN’s TV networks across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. These include:

• ESPN (UK & Ireland): Season-long sponsorship of football debate show ESPN FC Press Pass; season-long sponsorships of MLS and MLB programming

• ESPN AMERICA (UK, Ireland  and Nordic  regions feed): Season-long sponsorships of MLB programming and, daily news and information showSportsCenter

• ESPN AMERICA (mainland Europe, the Middle East and Northern Africa): Season-long sponsorships of MLB programming; season-long sponsorships of NFL programming, and, daily news and information show SportsCenter

Categories: Advertising, Press Releases