ESPN on ABC
ESPN on ABC (formerly known as ABC Sports from 1961 to 2006) is the branding used for sports event and documentary programming televised by the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States. Officially, the broadcast network retains its own sports division; however, in 2006, ABC's sports division was merged into ESPN Inc., which is the parent subsidiary of the cable sports network ESPN that is majority owned by ABC's corporate parent, The Walt Disney Company, in partnership with Hearst Communications.[1][2]
"ABC Sports" redirects here. For other uses, see ABC Sports (disambiguation).Network
ABC broadcasts use ESPN's production and announcing staff, and incorporate elements such as ESPN-branded on-screen graphics, SportsCenter in-game updates, and the BottomLine ticker. The ABC logo is still used for identification purposes such as a digital on-screen graphic during sports broadcasts on the network, and in promotions to disambiguate events airing the broadcast network from those shown on the ESPN cable channel.[3]
The broadcast network's sports event coverage carried the ABC Sports brand prior to September 2, 2006.[4][2] When ABC acquired a controlling interest in ESPN in 1984, it operated the cable network separately from its network sports division. The integration of ABC Sports with ESPN began after The Walt Disney Company bought ABC in 1996. The branding change to ESPN on ABC was made to better orient ESPN viewers with event telecasts on ABC and provide consistent branding for all sports broadcasts on Disney-owned channels (shortly thereafter, ESPN2's in-game graphics were likewise altered to simply use the main "ESPN" brand). Despite its name, ABC's sports coverage is supplemental to ESPN and (with occasional exceptions) not a simulcast of programs aired by the network.
Since 2021, ABC is the only broadcast television network to have rights to broadcast games from all four major professional leagues all at the same time. This is largely due to joint contracts with ESPN and those four leagues.
Picture format differences from ESPN cable outlets[edit]
Unlike other ESPN networks, ESPN on ABC events were still produced with graphics and a BottomLine framed for the 4:3 aspect ratio – as opposed to the 16:9 formatting used for the ticker and graphics on the ESPN family of networks, as well as CBS, Fox, and NBC's sports telecasts. However, beginning during the 2016 Little League World Series in August 2016, ABC migrated to a 16:9 presentation for ESPN on ABC broadcasts, similar to the ESPN cable networks, as ABC's entertainment programming also switched to a 16:9 presentation in September.[65]
Taglines[edit]
Each ABC Sports broadcast would usually begin with the tagline: "The following is a special presentation of ABC Sports." Until September 1998, ABC Sports programs ended with the line "This has been a presentation of ABC Sports. Recognized around the world as the leader in sports television."
After Disney began to integrate ESPN and ABC Sports after buying both companies in 1996, ABC changed the tagline to "Continuing the tradition of excellence." This tagline lasted from September 1998 through late 2002. Beginning in 2001, ABC added the tagline to "ABC Sports: Championship Television," in regards to ABC's sports championship lineup (which included the Bowl Championship Series, the Stanley Cup Finals, the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the Indianapolis 500, and the FIFA World Cup), which lasted through September 2, 2006, when Disney totally integrated ESPN into ABC Sports.
Since 2000, the closing tagline – "This has been a presentation of ABC Sports, in association with ESPN" – had been used at the end of each NHL and NBA broadcast on ABC, because of their deals through ESPN. This lasted through September 2, 2006, when the tagline “This has been a presentation of ESPN, The Worldwide Leader in Sports” became permanent for all ABC broadcasts, when ABC Sports was renamed ESPN on ABC.
When the ESPN on ABC transition was complete, each broadcast at first used the tagline "The following is a special presentation of ESPN on ABC" is used, while ending with the tagline, "This has been a special presentation of ESPN on ABC", in a similar manner to ABC Sports back then. The ending had been used on a regular basis from 2006 through 2012, but as of today, has been rarely used. In late 2013, ESPN introduced a new intro for ESPN on ABC, with two different voiceovers being recorded. One with the announcer saying “A special presentation”, another with the same announcer saying “A presentation”. If there was a string of various programming on a certain weekend or a simulcast of an event airing on ESPN (most notably the final day of the NFL Draft), the tagline "You're watching ESPN on ABC" has been used.
For ABC's primetime college football games in 2018, every broadcast had the tagline, "This is ESPN on ABC, brought to you in part by Samsung QLED TV, the official TV of ESPN College Football". This tagline became permanent for every college football game aired on ABC in 2019, except for a few games. Beginning with the 2021 college football season, ESPN reverted back to the above tagline full-time.
On days where ABC airs events on holidays, e.g. Christmas and New Year's Day, each broadcast had the tagline "The following is a special holiday presentation of ESPN on ABC." This is primarily used before the pregame show during ABC's NBA Christmas Day tripleheader (2 ABC exclusive games, the last one is also simulcast on ESPN, but all 5 games are now televised on ABC and simulcast on ESPN since 2022), and for ABC's coverage of the Citrus Bowl on New Year's Day.
Prior to the 2022 LLWS Championship Game and the 2022 college football season, a new opening sequence was introduced, which begins as a black screen, then zooms out from the ESPN logo, and a red line flashes through the logo, and unveiling the ESPN on ABC logo in white, with red lining. A new tagline, "This is ESPN on ABC", as well as a new score is also introduced, with the latter keeping the ending part of the score from 2006-early 2022. Furthermore, the ESPN on ABC logo is now shown as a persistent screen bug mostly on the top right corner (for some events it’s on the lower right corner when ESPN BottomLine is not used, and on the top left corner if other logos/information is shown on the top right corner) throughout ESPN events airing on ABC. In the case of playoff/championship games, the ESPN on ABC screen bug will have more of a golden color.