ESPN is going to place a significant spotlight on women sports this summer. The network will air a series of documentaries called Nine for IX, which should be excellent.
To coincide with the series, espnW.com has been redesigned. ESPN clearly wants to turn up the volume on women sports.
And a plug: Be sure to read the work of espnW’s Melissa Isaacson, my long-time pal from the Chicago Tribune.
Here are all the details from ESPN:
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(Tuesday) espnW launched a beta version of the redesigned espnW.com, rebuilt from the ground up. The new site utilizes responsive design and a time-based feed that both simplifies navigation and enhances the user experience across screens.
Along with a greater emphasis on visual content and social media integration, the new espnW.com will be organized into three primary content areas:
– News & Commentary: Key stories of the day with an espnW perspective, including features, columns, videos, and photos
– Athlete’s Life: Essays, features, training information, videos and photos giving fans inside access to top athletes, motivation, and insight into “the woman behind the competitor”
– W in Action: Columns, essays, features and photos highlighting how espnW and women are impacting the world and their communities through sports
“espnW.com has become the digital home for a growing community of women who love sports, and nothing is more important than continuing to enhance the way we serve those fans,” said Laura Gentile, vice president, espnW. “The editorial focus and design sensibility of the new espnW.com are a direct result of our interaction and connection with fans over the last two years.”
The Summer of W and Nine for IX
Today, espnW is also launching a new initiative called The Summer of W, which will consist of two main platforms, 98 Days to Shine – a social photo challenge – and editorial content on espnW.com. All summer long, through Labor Day, espnW.com will inspire women as they set new goals and tackle new athletic endeavors.
Content will include;
– 98 Days to Shine: espnW will issue a challenge every day this summer via social media that inspires and engages women to get active. Responses will be captured through photos with rewards given out daily and weekly, culminating with a grand prize at summer’s end. The photos submitted during the summer will be showcased on espnW.com and will be part of the finale event that celebrates the photos and creativity of fans. All are encouraged to snap a photo and hashtag using #98DaystoShine on Twitter and Instagram and share across social platforms.
– 10 Faces of Summer: the brightest female stars from 10 different sports share their summer training programs and give fans an inside look at their lives on and off the field. Athletes Skylar Diggins (basketball), Kerri Walsh Jennings (volleyball), Lakey Peterson (surfing), Julie Foudy (soccer), Jessica Hardy (swimming), Sarah Groff (triathlon), and Aga Radwanska (tennis) are a few of the confirmed athletes.
– Heart of Summer: espnW correspondent Summer Sanders travels the country to sporting events big and small from a Color Run and a Spartan Race, to the MLB All-Star game and X Games.
– Hot Shots: Profiles and photo essays of athletes from often unheralded summer sports including paddle boarding, sailing, kayaking and mountain biking.
Plus, as previously announced, espnW.com will be the online destination for the new summer film slate, Nine for IX. The series of documentary films, produced in conjunction with ESPN Films, focuses on captivating stories of women in sports told through the lens of female filmmakers.
About espnW
espnW’s mission is to serve women as fans and athletes. espnW.com provides an engaging environment that offers total access to female athletes and the sports they play, takes fans inside the biggest events, and shares a unique point of view on the sports stories that matter most to women. Founded in July, 2010, espnW lives across television, films, events, digital and social platforms. The annual espnW: Women + Sports Summit is the leading event of its kind in the sports industry. The Women’s Sports Foundation is a charity of choice for espnW.