ESPN plans 28-hour fantasy football primer

ESPN will run a late-summer programming stunt that will be focused on all things fantasy football.

In an effort to build interest and its fantasy business, the network will produce a 28-hour “Fantasy Football Marathon” across ESPN and ESPN2, starting at 7 p.m. Aug. 15 with a five-hour “SportsCenter Special” on ESPN2 and ending Aug. 16 with a prime-time “Fantasy Football Special” on ESPN. Michelle Beadle and Trey Wingo will host both prime-time shows, which will anchor a daylong block of programming across the networks featuring athletes and celebrities all focused on fantasy football.

Matthew Berry (left), with Tim Hasselbeck, is part of ESPN’s “Fantasy Football Marathon” cast.



The Aug. 16 show will feature a celebrity fantasy football draft with people such as “Sopranos” actress Jamie Lynn-Sigler, chef Bobby Flay, musician Darius Rucker and former NFLers Terrell Owens and Chad Johnson.

As part of the marathon, ESPN2’s daytime shows — including “Mike and Mike,” “First Take” and “His and Hers” — will be devoted to fantasy football Aug. 16, with other ESPN programs such as “SportsNation” and “Jalen and Jacoby” devoting their entire shows to NFL topics.

“There’s the discussion people have on where you should draft Tom Brady because of the suspension,” said Norby Williamson, ESPN’s executive vice president of production. “But I define fantasy broader than that. I define it as anything and everything NFL. To me, NFL news has a fantasy component and is a discussion point that fits into fantasy.”

Fantasy football has become a good revenue stream for most sports media companies.

Williamson said one of the two main goals of the programming stunt is to help build that side of the business. The marathon will have on-air demos explaining how people can use the ESPN Fantasy App, where users can set up leagues or play individually for free.

“If we can create 2 million teams over those 28 hours, that’s a good win for us,” Williamson said.

The other goal, of course, is ratings, and all TV networks view NFL programming as ratings gold. That ESPN is launching the fantasy football marathon in late summer — when there are few sports on TV — should help bring viewers to the network.

ESPN executives said they were selling advertising around the marathon, though they did not identify the brands that bought spots. One of its planned programs will feature an EA Sports “Madden NFL 17” video highlighting key players.

Williamson, who hatched this idea a month ago, views it along the same lines as the 24 hours of college basketball stunt that ESPN ran in November.

“When we start the college basketball year, it gets lost in football a little bit,” Williamson said. “We decided to create a stunt to catapult the season. Fantasy is the same thing. Fantasy is a digital phenomenon. We never really put a stake in the ground and used our linear networks to create a focal point to launch the fantasy season like this.”

ESPN Fantasy Football Marathon Television Schedule:

Time (ET) Program Network Mon., Aug. 15 7 p.m.-12 a.m. SportsCenter Special: Fantasy Football Marathon

Hosts: Michelle Beadle, Trey Wingo, Matthew Berry, Adam Schefter, Kenny Mayne, Michael Smith ESPN2 Tues., Aug. 16 12-3 a.m. SportsCenter (Fantasy Football Cut-Ins) ESPN 12-3 a.m. Fantasy Football Now ESPN2 3-6 a.m. Jalen and Jacoby

Hosts: Jalen Rose and David Jacoby ESPN 6 a.m.-1:30 p.m. SportsCenter (Fantasy Football Cut-Ins) ESPN 6-10 a.m. Mike and Mike: Fantasy Football Special

Hosts: Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic ESPN2, ESPN Radio 10 a.m.-12 p.m. First Take: Fantasy Football Special Hosts: Stephen A. Smith, Max Kellerman and Molly Qerim ESPN2 12-1 p.m. His and Hers: Fantasy Football Special

Hosts: Michael Smith and Jemele Hill ESPN2 1-1:30 p.m. First Take: Fantasy Football Special Hosts: Stephen A. Smith, Max Kellerman and Molly Qerim ESPN2 1:30-2:30 p.m. Fantasy Football Kickoff

Host: Trey Wingo ESPN 2:30-3:30 p.m. NFL Live: Fantasy Football Special Host: Trey Wingo ESPN 3:30-4:30 p.m. SportsNation: Fantasy Football Special

Hosts: Michelle Beadle, Marcellus Wiley, Max Kellerman ESPN 4:30-7 p.m. SportsNation: Fantasy Football Special

Hosts: Michelle Beadle, Marcellus Wiley, Max Kellerman ESPN2 6-7 p.m. SportsCenter (Fantasy Football Cut-Ins) ESPN 7-11 p.m. Fantasy Football Special

Hosts: Michelle Beadle, Trey Wingo, Matthew Berry, Adam Schefter and Kenny Mayne ESPN

Note: Schedule subject to change

All programs will be streamed live on WatchESPN