ESPN PodCenter catches on with iPhone

Apple announced a new partnership with sports media behemoth ESPN to introduce the ESPN PodCenter to the computing giant's iPhone device. ESPN will make available 35 different podcasts with a current reach of more than 1 million unique monthly visitors averaging 4 million to 5 million monthly downloads. Marc Horine, ESPN's VP of digital partnerships and radio, said in an interview with Advertising Age that exclusive iPhone content is also in development. "We're constantly trying to innovate building applications to better serve sports fans, and the iPhone player was developed to make it better to consume content," Horine said. "What's great about the [PodCenter] player is it's now wherever you are."

Horine added that the network is also collaborating with mobile operator partner Verizon Wireless to expand the podcasting scope of its ESPN Mobile service. "It's not as easy to deliver podcasts through mobile devices right now," he said. "IPhone allows us because the Safari internet browser takes you to the special player. Most [phones] don't have the functionality the iPhone has."

For more on ESPN's podcasting plans:
- read this Advertising Age article

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