ESPN has launched one of its first Android applications?ESPN Radio?as it continues to expand its reach across multiple smartphone platforms.

Similar to the iPhone version, the application gives millions of ESPN Radio listeners access to live audio streams, fan favorite shows, the latest SportsCenter updates every 20 minutes, podcasts, play-by-play broadcasts, live scores and newsfeeds, as well as text messaging and call-in capabilities directly to ESPN Radio and ESPN affiliate stations.

?Our strategy is pretty simple: to provide millions of ESPN Radio listeners access to our content on as many devices as possible,? said Marc Horine, vice president of partnerships and revenue development for digital media at ESPN, Bristol, CT. ?We launched this strategy when we began streaming on ESPNRadio.com ten years ago and we?ll continue to innovate and look at all audio distribution platforms going forward.

?As always, our goal is to serve sports fans whenever and wherever they consume content,? he said. ?We expect this to resonate best with our core audience, men ages 18-34 and 18-49.?

The ESPN Radio application on Android devices adds another mobile platform with access to audio from ESPNRadio.com, which averages more than 793,000 unique listeners per month, according to Ando Media, which measures nearly 7,000 global streams of audio worldwide.
 
Additionally, ESPNRadio.com generates 3.9 million total sessions per month and the average session in ESPNRadio.com?s audio stream lasts 1.24 hours.

The audio player hit a global milestone by logging in the largest concurrent audience ever to a single stream according to Ando Media.

The player peaked at 180,000 listeners connected to the 2010 FIFA World Cup U.S. versus Algeria match, nearly doubling its previous record for the U.S. versus Slovenia match.

The stream boasted ESPNRadio.com for the month of June to its most listened-to month in its ten year history of streaming with nearly 12.2 million total sessions and over 10.7 million total listening hours.

ESPN is hoping that the popularity of ESPN Radio online translates to the mobile applications space.

Mobile radio app
The ESPN Radio app is currently available in Android Market for $4.99 and includes: 

? Live Radio Station Streams: Over 17 ESPN Radio stations, including affiliate stations just added?Philadelphia, Seattle and Atlantic City?and ESPN?s five owned and operated stations?ESPN 1050 New York, ESPN 1250 Pittsburgh, ESPN 1000 Chicago, ESPN 103.3 Dallas and ESPN 710 Los Angeles.

? Podcasts and audio: An audio simulcast of the ESPN2 and ESPN.com Sunday morning show Fantasy Football Now plus more than 40 ESPN Radio podcasts available including The BS Report with Bill Simmons, Pardon The Interruption, Around The Horn and the podcast original, Fantasy Focus Football.

? ESPN Radio Shows: Access to live audio from shows such as Mike & Mike in the Morning, The Herd with Colin Cowherd, The Scott Van Pelt Show and Mason & Ireland.

? Live play-by-play broadcasts: Listen in on ESPN Radio play-by-play for college football games in real-time.

? SportsCenter updates: The latest news from SportsCenter updated every 20 minutes with additional news from ESPN?s local sites -- ESPNChicago.com, ESPNBoston.com, ESPNNewYork.com, ESPNLA.com and ESPNDallas.com.

? Live scores and newsfeeds: Access to NFL, MLB, NHL, college and professional sports teams scores and news.

? Text messaging: Users can send a message directly to the studio of an ESPN Radio show.

? Programming alerts: Listeners will be able to receive alerts for up to the minute breaking news.

The ESPN Radio Android App will be supported with banners across ESPN.com, ESPNRadio.com, its local sites in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston and Dallas, across the entire ESPN Radio Network?300 stations across the country, Mike & Mike, Colin Cowherd and the Scott Van Pelt Show?as well as TV integration during the Mike & Mike ESPN2 simulcast.

The ESPN Radio application will be ad-supported.

All audio ads that appear on ESPNRadio.com?s live streams will also appear within the audio streams inside the application.

?Additionally, we?ll have ?presented by? opportunities exclusive to the Android app itself,? Mr. Horine said.

Final take
Dan Butcher, Mobile Marketer

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