Microsoft Adds ESPN Programing to Xbox

Associated
Press- Microsoft Corp. has added college basketball and other ESPN programming
to the growing lineup of video content available for download to its Xbox 360
video game console.

Microsoft
and ESPN said people can purchase complete NCAA basketball and football games,
the X Games sports competitions and programs like ESPN’s “Madden
Nation,” which chronicles a competition of “Madden NFL” video
game players, from the Xbox Live Web site.

Xbox 360
users can buy commercial-free standard-definition versions of select NCAA games
for $3, and high-definition versions for $4.50, within 48 hours of the game’s
conclusion. ESPN TV shows, like the other TV content on the Xbox Live download
site, cost $2 for standard-definition and $3 for high-def versions.

As part of
the agreement, ESPN is considering ways to incorporate the Xbox Live online
gaming community into its telecasts. ESPN spokesman Paul Melvin said there are
no firm plans for how this will be done.

The
companies did not disclose financial terms of the deal when it was announced
late Sunday.

Ross
Honey, a senior director of the media and entertainment group at Microsoft,
said action and horror movies are popular genres for the Xbox Live audience, as
are “edgier” animated TV shows like ”

South
Park.”

“At
the end of the day, most of our consumers are young males,” Honey said.
“You have a perfect match here.”

ESPN
already delivers live, streaming sports footage to customers of certain
broadband Internet providers.

“Delivering
content through Xbox 360 is another way that we can connect fans with the
sports they have such passion for,” said Matt Murphy, senior vice
president of digital video distribution for Disney and ESPN Media Networks.
ESPN is owned by The Walt Disney
Co.

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