Sprint Launches ESPN Pack for Sprint ID Devices

BRISTOL, Conn. (BUSINESS WIRE), January 04, 2011 – ESPN today announced a new way for Sprint customers to access all things ESPN with one simple click. Part of Sprint ID, a service that downloads apps, widgets, wallpapers, ringtones and other content related to a person’s interest at the push of a button, ESPN’s ID pack allows fans to connect to their favorite teams and sports directly from the device’s home screen.

Owners of select Sprint devices such as LG Optimus S™, Sanyo Zio™, Samsung Transform™ and other upcoming Sprint devices will be able to choose the ESPN ID pack for instant access to scores right on their home screen, as well as have one-tap access to sports news, fantasy teams and their favorite ESPN programs including more than 900 live events per year on ESPN Mobile TV. Users can customize their device even further by choosing from a variety of ESPN wallpapers and ringtones.

“Collaborating with Sprint has allowed us to offer our audience a robust mobile experience that lets them stay in touch with everything they love about ESPN even when they’re away from their TV or computer,” said Matt Murphy, Senior Vice President of Digital Distribution at ESPN. “Sprint ID is an innovative concept that allows us to design a package of content that sports fans will appreciate when they’re away from home, such as checking the scores or watching their favorite sports. Sprint ID makes it convenient for them to get all the ESPN content they want with one click – eliminating the time and hassle of searching for everything themselves.”

The ESPN ID pack includes access to:

-ScoreCenter: Keep up with the latest scores and stats from 500 leagues around the world with the ESPN ScoreCenter app. With ScoreCenter, fans never miss another goal, run, or touchdown.
-Video On Demand: Watch news and analysis from ESPN’s experts whenever and wherever.
-ESPN Mobile TV: Catch the latest sports news and highlights, fan favorite studio shows, and more than 900 live events per year.
-Fantasy Sports: Connect to ESPN Fantasy teams on the go. With one-tap Fantasy access, it’s never been easier to check on an injury, make a substitution or accept a trade.
-ESPN Extras: Download wallpaper, ringtones, notifications and alarms from a variety of ESPN programs including SportsCenter, Pardon The Interruption, SportsNation and more.

In addition to apps, users can personalize their device with ESPN wallpapers such as their favorite sport or picking the design of their favorite studio show. The ringtones include four versions of the SportsCenter theme song, NBA on ESPN theme, Baseball Tonight theme and College GameDay theme.

The ESPN ID pack also has mobile Web shortcuts to ESPN indexes for football, baseball, basketball, hockey, college football, college basketball, ESPNsoccernet, auto racing, fantasy sports, SportsNation and ESPN PodCasts.

“Sports fans always want to know how their team is doing even when they can’t be in front of the TV or PC, and the ESPN ID pack from Sprint gives them access to a wealth of ESPN programming and content through ESPN Mobile TV, ESPN Radio and all kinds of other applications that can be accessed through the pack,” said David Owens, vice president of consumer marketing at Sprint. “This collaboration really advances the ball in terms of providing a rich mobile experience.”

The ESPN ID pack is free to download. Users can download up to four additional ID packs onto their device, in addition to ESPN, which range from golf enthusiast to business pro to other branded packs, such as MTV Music ID. To see all Sprint ID packs, visit www.sprint.com/sprintid; for more information about ESPN’s ID pack visit www.sprint.com/espn.

About ESPN Mobile

ESPN Mobile is devoted to extending the ESPN brand and content over the wireless medium. ESPN content and applications on mobile platforms can be accessed anytime, anywhere via licensing agreements with every major domestic carrier. ESPN’s first wireless offering launched in 1995 with the ESPN To Go pager for scores, and including ESPN’s industry-leading collection of mobile web sites, mobile apps, mobile games, mobile alerts and mobile video (ESPN Mobile TV and Video on Demand clips).

About Sprint Nextel

Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served more than 48.8 million customers at the end of the third quarter of 2010 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, Common Cents Mobile and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 6 in its 2010 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation’s greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.