ESPN’s extensive coverage of the upcoming World Games will be unprecedented in the history of World Games, including the live broadcast of the Opening Ceremony on July 25. The coverage will squarely position Special Olympics as sports on a network synonymous with sports – an incredible validation opportunity for us in the eyes of sports fans.
However, delivering viewership – both within the Special Olympics constituency base and the general public – is critical to ensuring similar future broadcast opportunities for Special Olympics.
That said, we are hoping all SONA Programs with ESPN presence in country will help support and execute a tune-in campaign.
Knowing that we have very little time left until the World Games opening ceremony to generate interest, it was our goal to create an easy to use toolkit for all Programs to make driving viewership in your state/province/nation is as turn key as possible.
Thanks to the feedback of our SONA Programs and our partners at ESPN, we’re able to provide you with the following information and resources needed for us to rally our fans to tune in throughout the Games.
Some of you have no doubt already seen the promos ESPN has been running in broadcast and on their digital platforms. ESPN is concentrating the majority of their tune-in efforts within just a few days of the live broadcast, with heavy cross-platform promotion.
Our collective efforts can be what puts this game-changing opportunity over the top; it will help change the hearts and minds of sports fans new to Special Olympics; it will celebrate our athletes and magnify the pride of our volunteers and families; and it will help demonstrate to partners and broadcasters that Special Olympics coverage is not just the right thing to do, it’s good business.
Thanks in advance to all SONA Programs!