ESPN.com - ESPN.com offers interactive audio broadcast for Jimmy V Classic

ESPN.com: PR

Thursday, December 14, 2000
ESPN.com offers interactive audio broadcast for Jimmy V Classic

December 13, 2000

ESPN.com will offer sports fans the opportunity to interact with an audio broadcast of a sports event when the worldwide leader in online sports provides exclusive audio for the Jimmy V Classic on Tuesday, Dec. 19, featuring Tennessee vs. Virginia and Seton Hall vs. Michigan State. The Jimmy V Classic presented by Ernst & Young, held at Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, N.J., is an annual college basketball doubleheader on ESPN featuring four of the nation's top teams. Proceeds benefit The V Foundation, established by ESPN with the late Jim Valvano. ESPN.com is part of Walt Disney Internet Group (NYSE:DIG).

During ESPN.com's live, Internet-only audio broadcast, ESPN Radio's Bob Valvano, Jim's brother, will provide play-by-play with ESPN.com senior writer Andy Katz providing color commentary. Valvano and Katz, the nation's premier college basketball writer, will take user questions throughout the game to be answered during breaks in the action.

"The Jimmy V Classic is a great basketball event for us, and we're excited to take advantage of our resources at ESPN.com and bring the games to our users in a unique way and allow them to interact with the broadcasters," said John Marvel, vice president and executive editor, ESPN.com. "This type of broadcast really opens the door for us to interact with sports fans in a way that no other site is doing right now."

The Jimmy V Classic will kick off at 7 p.m. EST with #4 Tennessee vs. #14 Virginia, with #10 Seton Hall vs. #2 Michigan State tipping off at 9 p.m.

ESPN.COM & JIMMY V CLASSIC 2-2-2
Proceeds from the Jimmy V Classic Presented by Ernst & Young will benefit The V Foundation, a charitable organization dedicated to saving lives by helping to find a cure for cancer. Based in Cary, N.C., The V Foundation was established in 1993 by ESPN with Jim Valvano at the inaugural ESPY Awards. Valvano, who won an NCAA title at North Carolina State in 1983 and later joined ESPN as an analyst, passed away April 28, 1993 at the age of 47 after a battle with cancer. Since its founding, The V Foundation has raised approximately $18 million for cancer research and has funded over 120 research grants.

ESPN.com, the leading sports Web site, is part of the Walt Disney Internet Group (NYSE:DIG). WDIG manages some of the Internet's most popular Web sites, including ABC.com, ABCNEWS.com, ABCSports.com, Disney.com, Disneystore.com, DisneyTravel.com, ESPN.com, Family.com, GO.com, Movies.com, Mr. Showbiz, NASCAR Online, NBA.com, NFL.com and Soccernet. The Internet Group also includes The Walt Disney Company's direct marketing business. Steve Bornstein is chairman of Walt Disney Internet Group, which is headquartered in North Hollywood, Calif., with operations in Sunnyvale, Calif.; Seattle; New York; Bristol, Conn.; and London. For more information, visit our web site at www.dig.com (http://www.dig.com).