Category: ‘espnW’

posted by on May 14, 2013 12:00 PM

espnW Hackathon winners get a VIP tour of the Bristol campus

By now you’ve heard and read countless times — on this blog and elsewhere — about how ESPN and our campus here in Bristol, Conn., is a great place to work. Every week we host world-class athletes and other famous people from sports and entertainment, which is just part of the appeal. But, every so often, we have guests on campus who bring a slightly different perspective, appreciation and enthusiasm for this place.

Such was the case last week, when the winners of the espnW Hackathon — Ditaya Das, Divya Natesan and Pooja Gada, all Carnegie Mellon University grads — spent a day with us in Bristol. Their visit was part of their grand prize award, which included a VIP tour of campus and an ESPN meet-and-greet with leaders of ESPN’s Digital Media and espnW teams, including presentation of their “iSports” app, which won the competition last fall.

Check out their version of an ESPN “Car Wash” in the video above.

Video produced by Ariel Bond

Filed in: Behind The Scenes, ESPN Technology, espnW

posted by on May 9, 2013 10:00 AM

Team USA soccer star Alex Morgan visits the ESPN Car Wash

On Monday, Team USA soccer forward and Olympic gold medalist Alex Morgan visited ESPN’s Bristol, Conn. campus to talk about her new book The Kicks: Saving the Team.

Morgan’s packed ESPN Car Wash schedule included a stop at SportsCenter, where she took shots against goalkeeper and Numbers Never Lie commentator Hugh Douglas, and an ESPN Newsmaker, where she talked with ESPN employees about her journey to becoming a professional soccer player.

In the Front Row video above, she discusses — among other things — her This is SportsCenter spot, the new espnW Women in Sports wall and some of her favorite ESPN MLS commentators.

Video produced by Tonya Malinowski

Filed in: Behind The Scenes, espnW

posted by on April 30, 2013 1:25 PM

Nine for IX digital feature Coach wins ‘Best Documentary Short’ at the Tribeca Film Festival

NEED CAPTION (Getty Images)

The Nine for IX short film ‘Coach’ is about legendary Rutgers women’s basketball coach C. Vivian Stringer, seen here embracing a player after her 900th career victory. (Getty Images)

ESPN Films and espnW recently took top honors in the “Best Documentary Short” category at the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival for the Nine for IX digital short Coach.

(l-r) ESPN Films VP Connor Schell, espnW VP Laura Gentile, Nine for IX producer Libby Geist and ESPN Films EP John Dahl.

(L-R) ESPN Films VP Connor Schell, espnW VP Laura Gentile, Nine for IX producer Libby Geist and ESPN Films EP John Dahl. (Lorenzo Bevilaqua/ESPN Images)

The film, directed by Bess Kargman and executive produced by Whoopi Goldberg, chronicles the career of C. Vivian Stringer, one of the most prolific coaches in the history of college basketball. She was the first coach to lead three different schools to the NCAA Final Four (Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, Iowa and Rutgers) and received basketball’s highest honor in 2009: induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame, alongside Michael Jordan, John Stockton, Jerry Sloan and David Robinson. continue reading…

Filed in: ESPN Films, espnW

posted by on April 22, 2013 12:00 PM

ESPN’s Jane McManus returns from U.S. State Department exchange trip to Azerbaijan and Georgia

espnW’s Jane McManus attended an Azeri wedding during her travels to Azerbaijani. (Elvin Garayev)

ESPNNewYork.com reporter and espnW contributor Jane McManus recently traveled to Azerbaijan and Georgia as part of a U.S. State Department exchange trip. During her visit, she met with college students, journalists and sports teams as part of the Department’s ongoing initiative of empowering women in sports across the globe.

Front Row had the opportunity to speak with McManus following her return. continue reading…

Filed in: Behind The Scenes, espnW

posted by on April 16, 2013 4:33 PM

espnW unveils new display celebrating milestones in women’s sports before WNBA Draft event

More than 40 years after the passing of Title IX legislation, ESPN is capturing watershed moments in women’s sports in a new display unveiled yesterday on ESPN’s Bristol, Conn. campus. The wall dedication was a fitting part of the festivities leading up to the first-ever primetime telecast of the WNBA Draft, held in Studio E and aired on ESPN2, ESPNU and WatchESPN.

The 560-square foot wall (just down the hall from ESPN’s newsroom) features iconic moments in women’s sports history, from Billie Jean King’s triumph in the Battle of the Sexes tennis match against Bobby Riggs in 1973, to ESPN’s pioneering female sports broadcasters of the 1970′s and 80′s, to “The Year of Women’s Soccer” in 1999. continue reading…

Filed in: espnW, Office Space, Title IX, WNBAOnESPN

posted by on February 20, 2013 2:37 PM

ESPN Films and espnW’s Nine for IX documentary series focuses on female sports icons, issues

NEW YORK — Yesterday, ESPN Films and espnW announced the film slate for Nine for IX, a documentary series focused on captivating stories of women in sports told through the lens of female filmmakers.

The nine-part documentary series from the producers of 30 for 30 is executive produced by Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts, a former SportsCenter anchor, and Jane Rosenthal. ESPN President John Skipper and Rosenthal were hosts to an exclusive first look for media, filmmakers and other sports industry members.

“Storytelling about women in sports is an ongoing effort at ESPN, and after the recognition of Title IX last summer, the Nine for IX series is a perfect extension and partnership between espnW and ESPN Films,” said Libby Geist, associate director of development for ESPN Films.

“The series tells nine distinct stories by female filmmakers for all our fans, male and female.”

Nine for IX film topics include an intimate look at Pat Summitt, college sports’ most successful coach ever; the largely unknown history of Katarina Witt and her link with East Germany’s secret police; and the focus of sex in the marketing of female athletes. The series is scheduled to premiere on July 2 on ESPN and the films will air over consecutive Tuesday evenings at 8 p.m. ET.

Filed in: 30 for 30, ESPN Films, espnW