Walt Disney Co.'s ESPN.com will simulcast 52 World Cup soccer games for USA Internet viewers beginning Friday. They will also be carried by Disney's ESPN and ESPN2 cable channels. The contests broadcast on the ABC TV Network will not be Webcast. Here's the schedule.
The biggest games, at the end of the tournament, will also be telecast around the world - and available online - through Disney's broadband Internet play, ESPN360.
Think of the World Cup 'casts as an "open house" marketing opportunity when Disney will allow anyone to logon to the ESPN360.com Web site. Disney hopes the idea of live Webcasts of lots of sporting events is such a compelling idea people will call their broadband Internet provider and ask for the service. The broadband channel is a no-cost option for ISP subscribers. Cable/broadband providers which are offering ESPN360 include Charter, Liberty, Verizon, and Adelphia.
