ESPN to broadcast 2015 Los Angeles Special Olympics World Games

LA2015, the Organizing Committee for the 2015 Special Olympics World Games, and ESPN have reached a global programming deal that will see the sports network provide coverage the Special Olympics World Games Los Angeles 2015.

Through the agreement, ESPN becomes the Official Broadcaster of the event, which begins July 25, 2015. The deal gives the channel rights to the 2015 Special Olympics World Games Opening Ceremony from the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, daily competition, Closing Ceremony and other cultural activities.

ESPN will produce the Opening Ceremony live as well as a nightly highlights program and KABC-TV will also play a role in the coverage for the Los Angeles market.  ESPN will feature both English- and Spanish-language coverage of some parts of LA2015. Specific programming and coverage details will be announced in the months ahead. – ESPN

Sports fans around the world will have access to ESPN’s coverage via its networks and media platforms in America, Mexico, Spanish-speaking Latin America, the Caribbean, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Special Olympics International, ESPN and the Games Organizing Committee will work together to find additional regional media partners to bring the World Games to more fans and sports participants around the world.

“ESPN’s reach and caliber of coverage made them a natural partner for the Special Olympics World Games. ESPN’s legacy of work with Special Olympics and our shared values of athletes first, unity, competition and overcoming adversity among others, strengthen the foundation of these World Games as a global celebration of the courage, determination and joy of our athletes.” – Patrick McClenahan, President and Chief Executive Officer of LA2015

In September 2013, Disney and ESPN announced a global two-year, multi-million dollar financial and in-kind investment supporting the Special Olympics Unified Sports initiative, which leverages the power of sports to promote an environment of social inclusion and acceptance, by uniting people with and without intellectual disabilities.

ESPN previously provided coverage of the 2011 World Games in Athens on ESPN3.