Vice Media, ESPN Ink Production And Distribution Deal To Share Sports Programming

Digital media leader Vice and sports entertainment company ESPN have inked a production and distribution deal whereby Vice will create sports-centric content for ESPN’s television, digital, and mobile properties. At the same time, several episodes of ESPN’s 30 for 30 documentary series — which highlights important people and events in sports history — will air on the recently launched Viceland television channel later this year.

The Walt Disney Company, which owns ESPN, doubled its stake in Vice last December to $400 million, claiming ownership of 10% of the media upstart.

The short-form content that Vice Sports (the company’s sports vertical) is currently developing for ESPN will look at dominant athletes around the world, and sports events that take place outside of the mainstream. The two companies are also developing a short-form animated series. Original episodes of Vice’s existing series The Clubhouse and cutdowns of its Vice World of Sports

 show will also run on various ESPN properties.

“The amount of manly tears shed over various 30 for 30’s throughout the years has been nothing short of embarrassing,” said Vice co-founder and CEO Shane Smith in a statement. “To be teaming up with ESPN, creating brand new sports shows for them, and then showing 30 for 30’s on Viceland is perhaps one of the favorite moments in my professional life. I can now die a happy man. No, wait, we have to take over the world first! Here it comes baby, VICE WORLD OF SPORTS!!”

Added ESPN president John Skipper: “Evoking manly tears from Shane Smith is no small task…And I applaud Shane for understanding that television is the smartest path to worldwide leadership.”