View source for ESPN2

{{short description|American pay television network}}
{{for multi|the Australian television channel|ESPN Australia|the Latin American television channel|ESPN 2 (Latin American TV channel)|the Brazilian television channel|ESPN (Brazil)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2013}}
{{Infobox television channel
| name = ESPN2
| logo = ESPN2 logo.svg
| logo_size = 225px
| logo_alt = ESPN2 logo
| launch_date = {{Start date and age|1993|10|1}}
| picture_format = [[720p]] ([[HDTV]])<br><small>Downgraded to [[Letterboxing (filming)|letterboxed]] [[480i]] for the [[SDTV]] feed</small>
| owner = [[The Walt Disney Company]] (80%)<br/>[[Hearst Communications]] (20%)
| parent = [[ESPN Inc.]]
| country = United States
| language = English and Spanish
| area = Nationwide<br/>International
| headquarters = [[Bristol, Connecticut]]
| sister_channels = * [[ESPN on ABC|ABC]]
* [[ESPN]]
* [[ESPN (streaming service)]]
* [[ESPN+]]
* [[ESPN3]]
* [[ESPNU]]
* [[ESPNews]]
* [[ESPN Deportes]]
* [[ACC Network]]
* [[SEC Network]]
| website = {{url|https://espnpressroom.com/us/espn2-livesame-day-tape-event-schedule/}}
| online_serv_1 = [[WatchESPN]] or ESPN app
| online_chan_1 = [https://www.espn.com/watch/ WatchESPN.com]<br>{{small|(U.S. cable subscribers only; requires login from pay television provider to access content)}}
| online_serv_2 = [[DirecTV Stream]]
| online_chan_2 = [[Internet protocol television]]
| online_serv_3 = [[YouTube TV]]
| online_chan_3 = Internet protocol television
| online_serv_4 = [[Hulu|Hulu Live TV]]
| online_chan_4 = Internet protocol television
| online_serv_5 = [[Sling TV]]
| online_chan_5 = Internet protocol television
}}

'''ESPN2''' is an American multinational [[pay television]] [[television network|network]] owned by [[ESPN Inc.]], a [[joint venture]] between [[the Walt Disney Company]] (which owns a controlling 80% stake) and [[Hearst Communications]] (which owns the remaining 20%).

ESPN2 was initially formatted as a younger-skewing counterpart to its parent network [[ESPN]], with a focus on sports popular among [[young adult]] audiences (ranging from mainstream events to other unconventional sports), and carrying a more informal and youthful presentation than the main network. By the late 1990s, this mandate was phased out, as the channel increasingly became a second outlet for ESPN's mainstream sports coverage.

{{As of|2023|12}}, ESPN2 is available to approximately 70 million pay television households in the United States—down from its 2011 peak of 100 million households.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wrestlenomics.com/u-s-cable-network-households-universe-1990-2023-nielsen-data/|title=U.S. cable network households (universe), 1990 – 2023|website=wrestlenomics.com|date=May 14, 2024|access-date=July 28, 2019}}</ref>

==History==
ESPN2 launched on October 1, 1993, at 7:30 p.m. [[Eastern Time Zone|ET]]. Its inaugural program was the premiere of ''SportsNight'', a sports news program originally hosted by [[Keith Olbermann]] and [[Suzy Kolber]]; Olbermann opened the show and the channel by jokingly welcoming viewers to "the end of our careers."<ref name="usatoday-keith">{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/hiestand-tv/2007-08-23-Olbermann-NFL_N.htm |title=Olbermann's career veers onto NFL path |work=USA Today |access-date=September 25, 2012 |first=Michael |last=Hiestand |date=August 28, 2007}}</ref> Launching with an estimated carriage of about 10 million homes, and nicknamed "The Deuce",<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mandell |first=Nina |date=August 2, 2018 |title='Dodgeball' director on origins of ESPN 8 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ftw/2018/08/02/dodgeball-director-on-origins-of-espn-8-it-just-kind-of-writes-itself/111209324/ |access-date=2019-01-27 |website=USA Today |language=en}}</ref> ESPN2 aimed to be a more informal and youth-oriented channel than parent network ESPN. The youthful image was also reflected in its overall presentation, which featured a [[graffiti]]-themed logo and on-air graphics.<ref name="baltimoresun-espn2">{{cite web |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/1993/10/01/whether-you-get-it-or-not-espn2-has-no-tie-to-the-tried-and-true/ |title=Whether you get it or not, ESPN2 has no tie to the tried and true |publisher=Baltimore Sun |access-date=September 25, 2012 |date=October 1, 1993 |archive-date=October 1, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121001232654/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1993-10-01/sports/1993274121_1_sportsnight-sportscenter-olbermann |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="sbnation-usedtoshow">{{cite web |last=Pincus |first=David |date=January 14, 2013 |title=Remembering stuff ESPN used to put on TV |url=https://www.sbnation.com/2013/1/14/3767596/old-espn-tv-shows |access-date=October 29, 2024 |website=SB Nation |publisher=Vox Media}}</ref>

Its initial lineup featured studio programs such as ''SportsNight''—which host Keith Olbermann characterized as a "lighter" parallel to ESPN's ''[[SportsCenter]]'' that would still be "comprehensive, thorough and extremely skeptical", ''[[Talk2]]''—a nightly talk show hosted by [[Jim Rome]] that was billed as an equivalent to [[CNN]]'s ''[[Larry King Live]]'', ''Max Out''—an extreme sports [[anthology series]] carried over from ESPN, and ''SportsSmash''—a five-minute recap of sports headlines which aired every half-hour. ESPN2 also carried several half-hour, sport-specific studio programs under the ''2Night'' banner, such as ''[[NFL Live|NFL 2Night]]'', ''[[NHL 2Night]],'' and ''[[ESPN SpeedWorld|RPM 2Night]]''. Event coverage would focus on coverage of mainstream sports popular within the 18–34 age demographic, such as auto racing, [[ESPN College Basketball|college basketball]] and [[NHL on ESPN|NHL hockey]] (where, beginning in the [[1993–94 NHL season|1993–94 season]], it aired up to five games per week under the title ''NHL Fire on Ice''),<ref name=bsun-youthminded>{{cite news|title=For youth-minded ESPN2, casual is in when they're talking 'puck'|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/1993/11/09/for-youth-minded-espn2-casual-is-in-when-theyre-talking-puck/|access-date=30 January 2016|work=Baltimore Sun}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Nidetz |first=Steve |date=October 1, 1993 |title=ESPN2 TAKES AIM AT YOUNG, RESTLESS |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1993-10-01-9310010193-story.html |access-date=February 9, 2016 |work=[[Chicago Tribune]]}}</ref> while also covering atypical sports such as [[BMX]] and other [[extreme sport]]s.<ref name="baltimoresun-espn2"/>

ESPN2 would also be used to showcase new technology and experimental means of broadcasting events: on September 18, 1994, ESPN2 simulcast [[Champ Car|CART]]'s [[Firestone Indy 225|Bosch Spark Plug Grand Prix]] using only [[onboard camera]] feeds. In 1995, ESPN2 introduced the "[[ESPN BottomLine|BottomLine]]", a persistent [[news ticker]] which displayed sports news and scores. The BottomLine would later be adopted by ESPN itself and all of its future properties.<ref name="USA">{{cite news |last=Hiestand |first=Michael |date=March 7, 2008 |title=Dedicated staff keeps close watch on ESPN's Bottom Line |url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/hiestand-tv/2008-03-06-hiestand-weekend_N.htm |access-date=March 27, 2008 |work=USA Today}}</ref>

In the late 1990s, ESPN2 began to phase out its youth-oriented format, and transitioned to becoming a secondary outlet for ESPN's mainstream sports programming; telecasts began to adopt a more conventional style, and the "graffiti 2" logo was dropped in 2001 in favor of a version of ESPN's main logo. On-screen graphics (such as the BottomLine) used a blue color scheme instead of red to differentiate them from ESPN. Since February 12, 2007, the ESPN2 brand has been used for [[station identification]] only, with all programming using the same on-air presentation and ESPN branding as those on the main network.<ref name="deadspin-lastdays">{{cite web |last=Leitch |first=<!--not stated--> |date=February 1, 2007 |title=The Last Days Of ESPN2 |url=http://deadspin.com/233272/the-last-days-of-espn2 |access-date=September 26, 2012 |publisher=Deadspin}}</ref>

==Programming==
{{See also|List of programs broadcast by ESPN|List of ESPN sports broadcasting rights}}

Sports events presented on ESPN2 originally tended to be alternative sports such as [[poker]], [[billiards]], [[Woodchopping|lumberjacking]], [[extreme sport]]s and, more recently, [[Drum Corps International|drum and bugle corps]]. However, in recent years ESPN2 has broadcast increasingly more mainstream sporting events, including [[ESPN Major League Baseball|Major League Baseball]] games, the [[East–West Shrine Game]], much of the 2006 [[World Baseball Classic]], many [[Major League Soccer]] games, [[NCAA football]] games, [[NCAA basketball]] games, the [[WNBA]], the [[Arena Football League]], regular-season [[KHL]] games, and Saturday-afternoon [[Nationwide Series|NASCAR Nationwide Series]] races. In 2011, ESPN2 also acquired broadcast rights to delayed coverage for some [[American Le Mans Series]] events, with series' major events airing on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]. ESPN2 College Football Primetime is a live game presentation of [[college football]] on ESPN2. The channel airs the [[Canadian Football League]] playoffs, including the season-ending [[Grey Cup]], simulcasting from their Canadian partner [[CFL on TSN|TSN]].

The channel has also become ESPN's home for tennis coverage. The showpieces are three of the "Grand Slam" tournaments: the [[Australian Open]], [[Wimbledon Championships|Wimbledon]] and the [[US Open (tennis)|US Open]]. U.S.-based tournaments, including the [[ATP Masters 1000]] events at [[Indian Wells Masters|Indian Wells]] and [[Miami Masters|Miami]], as well as the [[US Open Series]], were also previously broadcast on the channel.

Most of ESPN's soccer output has been broadcast on ESPN2, including [[Major League Soccer]], [[Premier League]] and [[La Liga]] matches; the channel also broadcast the United States' [[2010 FIFA World Cup|FIFA World Cup]] qualifiers in 2009. ESPN2 formerly broadcast matches of the [[UEFA Champions League]], until rights for that tournament moved to [[Fox Soccer]] and its sister networks. In 2003, ESPN2 began broadcasting [[Major League Lacrosse]] games. In March 2007, ESPN2 and the league agreed on a new broadcast contract that ran until the 2016 season.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/pressreleases/index.html?article_id=480 |title=Full News Archive |publisher=Major League Lacrosse |access-date=2013-11-03 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100103125955/http://majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/pressreleases/index.html?article_id=480 |archive-date=January 3, 2010 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

On October 4, 2017, ESPN announced that it had acquired rights to the [[Formula One World Championship]]; the majority of the races are carried by ESPN2.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://arstechnica.com/cars/2017/10/formula-1-says-goodbye-to-nbc-hello-to-espn-in-2018/|title=Formula 1 says goodbye to NBC, hello to ESPN in 2018|work=Ars Technica|access-date=2017-10-04|language=en-us}}</ref>

The NHL returned to ESPN in the [[2021–22 NHL season|2021–22 season]]; ESPN2 primarily serves as a secondary broadcaster during the [[Stanley Cup playoffs]].<ref name="awfulannouncing_first-nhl-playoffs">{{cite web |last=Bucholtz |first=Andrew |date=May 2, 2022 |title=First NHL playoffs under ESPN/Turner deal has all games set for big networks despite NBA, but has potential overflow issues |url=https://awfulannouncing.com/nhl/first-nhl-playoffs-espn-turner-big-networks-overflow.html |website=Awful Announcing |access-date=May 4, 2022}}</ref>

ESPN2's former flagship show, the morning sports/entertainment program ''[[Cold Pizza]]'', achieved minimal success and saw several format and host changes. In January 2006, it was supplanted by the television simulcast of [[ESPN Radio]]'s ''[[Mike and Mike in the Morning]]'' (which moved from [[ESPNews]]) and moved to a later time slot (10:00&nbsp;a.m. to 12:00&nbsp;p.m. Eastern Time). In May 2007, ''Cold Pizza'' moved from New York City to the ESPN headquarters in [[Bristol, Connecticut]] and was renamed ''[[ESPN First Take]]''. After ESPN became part of a new broadcast contract with the association, ESPN2 also premiered the new daily show ''[[NASCAR Now]]'' (similar to the previous ''RPM 2Night'', except only focusing on NASCAR) in February 2007. ''Quite Frankly with Stephen A. Smith'', a program that featured interviews with popular sports figures, had averaged extremely low ratings,<ref>[http://www.deadspin.com/sports/espn/quite-frankly-theres-no-one-watching-your-show-129710.php Quite Frankly... There's No One Watching Your Show]</ref><ref>[http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=sbd.preview&storyId=SBD2006072108 Quite Frankly Host Smith Unhappy About Show's Development]</ref> and had also faced several timeslot changes, until it was finally canceled in January 2007.

On August 20, 2019, the ESPNews [[sports betting]] studio show ''Daily Wager'' (now ''[[ESPN Bet Live]]'') was moved to ESPN2.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bucholtz |first=Andrew |date=2019-08-15 |title=Daily Wager is shifting to ESPN2 and adding a Sunday show |url=https://awfulannouncing.com/espn/daily-wager-espn2-sunday-espnews.html |access-date=2019-08-15 |website=Awful Announcing |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=McCarthy |first=Michael |date=2023-11-10 |title=ESPN BET Will Attempt To Prevent The Influence Of Insiders |url=https://frontofficesports.com/espn-bet-will-attempt-to-prevent-the-influence-of-insiders/ |access-date=2024-08-09 |website=Front Office Sports |language=en}}</ref>

On August 8, 2018, ESPN2 [[stunting (broadcasting)|stunted]] as "[[ESPN8 The Ocho|ESPN8: The Ocho]]"—an homage to a fictitious eighth ESPN channel portrayed in the 2004 film ''[[DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story]]'', dedicated to unconventional and obscure sporting events. The event—which also included airings of the original film— was a follow-up to a similar marathon aired by [[ESPNU]] the previous year.<ref>{{cite web|first=Brian|last=Steinberg|url=https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/bold-strategy-cotton-espn-the-ocho-business-1202899209/|title=Bold strategy, Cotton: Inside ESPN's crazy plans to turn 'The Ocho' into a business|work=Variety|date=August 8, 2018|access-date=August 8, 2018}}</ref>

===Simulcasting and alternative telecasts===
ESPN2 has also simulcast many game telecasts with ESPN, usually as a part of a [[ESPN Megacast|"Full Circle" or "Megacast"]] broadcast, which covers a single event across ESPN platforms with different forms of coverage (such as different camera angles and features). ESPN2 also simulcasts some programming from ESPNews, often during local [[blackout (broadcasting)|blackouts]] of scheduled national game telecasts, and for a while provided a simulcast of [[ESPN Deportes]]' edition of ''SportsCenter'' on Sundays. In return, ESPN2 programming is often seen on ESPN during blackouts of games in certain markets.

ESPN2 also often carries ''[[SportsCenter]]'' at times when the broadcast on ESPN is delayed by a sporting event that overruns into one of the program's scheduled timeslots. ESPN and ESPN2 also jointly aired two episodes of a documentary special called ''This is SportsCenter'', in which ESPN showed a documentary showing the production of an edition of ''SportsCenter'', while the finished product aired on ESPN2. The documentary would usually air for two hours, where the first hour would cover the preliminary production of the night's show on ESPN, while ESPN2 aired ESPN's regular programming. The second hour usually spent time at [[production control]] while covering reaction to the night's developments.

On March 16, 2008, ESPN2 aired [[College Basketball on CBS Sports|CBS-produced]] coverage of the [[2008 SEC men's basketball tournament|SEC men's basketball championship game]] in most of the country. A [[2008 Atlanta tornado outbreak|tornado]] had damaged the original game site, the [[Georgia Dome]], causing the remainder of the tournament to be rescheduled and re-located to the smaller [[Alexander Memorial Coliseum]]. However, the new, later tip-off time for the SEC championship created a scheduling conflict with CBS's coverage of the [[2008 Big Ten men's basketball tournament|Big Ten championship game]]. As a result, CBS aired the SEC championship on its affiliates in the markets of the teams involved, while ESPN2 aired a simulcast of the game in the rest of the country.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-03-15 |title=After tornado delays tourney, SEC title game changing TV networks |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/champweek2008/news/story?id=3295512 |access-date=2024-10-29 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ourand |first=John |date=2008-03-24 |title=SEC's TV decision offers a clue about future |url=https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Journal/Issues/2008/03/24/Media/Secs%20TV%20Decision%20Offers%20A%20Clue%20About%20Future.aspx |access-date=2024-10-29 |website=sportsbusinessdaily.com |language=en}}</ref>

ESPN2 has occasionally been used to carry simulcasts of ESPN Deportes' Spanish-language coverage of events, in an effort to promote the channel and improve the availability of the telecasts (as ESPN2 is available in a significantly larger number of homes than ESPN Deportes), while also reducing the need to [[Counterprogramming (television)|counterprogram]] with lesser-viewed programs. Examples since 2016 have included [[NBA Christmas games|NBA Christmas Day games]], the [[2017 World Baseball Classic]] (whose English rights were exclusively held by [[MLB Network]]), and an [[International Champions Cup]] game between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona.<ref>{{cite web |date=December 15, 2016 |title=Seen on Screen: ESPN2 to Simulcast NBA Christmas Day Game in Spanish; CSN Chicago Reairs Cubs World Series Run |url=https://www.sportsvideo.org/2016/12/15/seen-on-screen-espn2-to-simulcast-nba-christmas-day-game-in-spanish-csn-chicago-reairs-cubs-world-series-run/ |access-date=September 5, 2017 |website=Sports Video Group}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Ourand |first=John |date=September 5, 2017 |title=Spanish-language 'Monday Night Football' coming to ESPN2 |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/newyork/news/2017/09/05/spanish-language-monday-night-football-espn2.html |access-date=5 September 2017 |website=New York Business Journal}}</ref> From the [[2017 NFL season]] through [[2020 NFL season|2020]], ESPN2 simulcast ESPN Deportes' Spanish-language broadcasts of ''[[Monday Night Football]]'' during the first nine weeks of the season, including its pre-game show ''NFL Esta Noche'', and [[ESPN Latin America]]'s ''SportsCenter'' from Mexico City after the game. ESPN2 had largely scheduled filler programming against ''MNF'' until November, when it begins its Monday-night [[ESPN College Basketball|college basketball coverage]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2017/09/04/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/NFL-Spanish.aspx|title=Spanish-language 'MNF' coming to ESPN2|website=Sports Business Daily|date=September 4, 2017 |language=en-US|access-date=2017-09-04}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.sportspromedia.com/news/espn-deportes-super-bowl-spanish-language-rights|title=ESPN Deportes picks up Super Bowl Spanish-language rights|work=SportsPro|access-date=2018-11-05|language=en}}</ref> 

In the 2021 season, the Spanish simulcast of ''MNF'' was replaced with ''Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli'' (colloquially known as the "[[Manningcast]]"), which is hosted by [[Eli Manning|Eli]] and [[Peyton Manning]], and features appearances by other celebrity guests.<ref>{{cite web|last=Patra|first=Kevin|date=July 19, 2021|title=Peyton, Eli Manning to headline alternate 'Monday Night Football' telecast|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/peyton-eli-manning-headline-alternate-monday-night-football-telecast|access-date=July 19, 2021|work=NFL.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title='Manningcast' draws nearly 2 million viewers, but trails traditional MNF broadcast|url=https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/manning-cast-draws-nearly-2-million-viewers-but-trails-traditional-broadcast-155938397.html|access-date=2021-10-30|website=ca.sports.yahoo.com|date=October 27, 2021 |language=en-CA}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Barron |first=Tory |date=2021-10-26 |title=What happened when Marshawn Lynch, Sue Bird, Brady and Brees joined Peyton & Eli on the MNF ManningCast |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/32474649 |access-date=2021-10-30 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref>

==High definition==
ESPN2 broadcasts in [[High-definition television|high definition]] in the [[720p]] resolution format, which was launched in January 2005. In January 2011, the separate ESPN2HD branding began to be phased out, as in May of that year, the channel would shift to using the [[Active Format Description|AFD]] #10 flag to transmit the channel's [[standard-definition]] feed in [[letterboxing (filming)|letterboxed]] [[widescreen]], mirroring the display of the high-definition feed, with the SD feed eventually phased out to allow downscaling of the HD feed for the standard-definition channel.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{official website|https://espnpressroom.com/us/espn2-livesame-day-tape-event-schedule/}}

{{Sports television in the United States}}
{{ESPN}}

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[[Category:ESPN2| ]]
[[Category:ESPN media outlets]]
[[Category:Disney acquisitions]]
[[Category:The Walt Disney Company subsidiaries]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1993]]
[[Category:English-language television stations in the United States]]
[[Category:Sports television networks in the United States]]
[[Category:Television networks in the United States]]