Tag Archives: espn

Marvel and ESPN Team Up for an Alternative Presentation to the Golden State Warriors vs. New Orleans Pelicans

Posted on by

ESPN and Marvel have announced a collaboration to launch the first-ever Marvel-inspired alternate presentation for the Golden State Warriors vs. New Orleans Pelicans game on Monday, May 3. The exclusive alternate presentation, NBA Special Edition Presented by State Farm: Marvel’s Arena of Heroes, will start at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2, ESPN+, and ESPN Deportes with the traditional game telecast on ESPN. This marks ESPN’s second live NBA game on ESPN+.

Both Marvel and ESPN share a parent company in Disney.

The latest development in Marvel and ESPN’s long history of sports content collaboration, the telecast will integrate elements from an original Marvel story and iconic characters including Iron Man, Black Panther, Captain Marvel, Captain America, Black Widow, and Doctor Strange throughout the live game, including 3D virtual characters, custom graphics and animation packages.

After a narrow victory over an invading alien army, the Avengers receive an ominous threat from the enemy who vows to return in greater numbers and force. The Black Panther and Iron Man quickly realize they will need more help and form a plan to expand their ranks to fight this impending threat. Recognizing the superior physical abilities, agility, and tenacity of Earth’s greatest athletes, the Avengers will hold a series of contests where the winners earn the right to train and fight alongside them as Marvel’s Champions! The Avengers will begin their recruitment with the NBA elite and observe the battle between the Warriors and the Pelicans, focusing on three star players from each team.

Golden State Warriors:

  • Stephen Curry, three-time NBA Champion and two-time NBA MVP;
  • Draymond Green, three-time NBA Champion;
  • Andrew Wiggins, 2014-15 NBA Rookie of the Year.

New Orleans Pelicans:

  • Zion Williamson, 2019 NBA Draft top pick;
  • Brandon Ingram, 2019-20 NBA Most Improved Player;
  • Lonzo Ball, 2017-18 NBA All-Rookie Second Team.

Fans will be able to follow along as these athletes are put to the test, gaining Marvel Hero Points for their achievements and performance during the game. The player with the most Marvel Hero Points on the winning team will be crowned as Marvel’s first Champion following the NBA Special Edition Presented by State Farm: Marvel’s Arena of Heroes.

Scoring system:

  • One Marvel Hero Point will be awarded for every point, rebound, assist, steal and block;
  • One Marvel Hero Point will be deducted for every missed field goal, free throw or turnover.

ESPN commentators Ryan Ruocco and Richard Jefferson will provide commentary in a fully customized Marvel-themed studio at ESPN’s Bristol, Conn. campus. Additionally, the special presentation will include commentary and analysis from Marvel expert Angélique Roché.

The traditional telecast of the Warriors vs. Pelicans game will be exclusive in the New Orleans market and will air simultaneously on ESPN. Dave Pasch will call the action with analyst Mark Jackson and reporter Cassidy Hubbarth on site in New Orleans. Both the NBA Special Edition Presented by State Farm: Marvel’s Arena of Heroes alternate presentation and the traditional game telecast will stream via the ESPN App.

espnW Teams with Marvel Comics for “Super” Take on 2015 “IMPACT25” List

Posted on by

IMPACT25_espnW_MarvelespnW has teamed with Marvel Comics to create “super” takes on the 2015 “IMPACT25” list, which recognizes athletes and influencers who have made the biggest mark on women in sports this year – 24 nominees, plus The espnW Woman of the Year. A collection of Marvel artists will utilize their various creative styles to highlight the special talents of the honorees and create a super version of each.

To kick off the series, Marvel created an illustration of U.S. Women’s National Team star Carli Lloyd alongside popular Marvel Super Hero, Captain Marvel. Lloyd’s memorable and indefatigable play during the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup resulted in her team hoisting the trophy as champions and earned her the Golden Ball as the best player of the tournament. The full roster and artist renditions of the 2015 “IMPACT25” list will be revealed Monday, Dec. 7, on espnW.com/impact25.

As part of the collaboration, the hosts of the Women of Marvel podcast – Sana Amanat, Adri Cowan, Judy Stephens and Emily Shaw – will be guests on the espnW Presents: Be Honest with Cari Champion podcast, debuting December 7, and will also welcome Overholt and espnW deputy editor Jennifer Holmes on Women of Marvel on a date to be determined. In addition, espnW.com will have exclusive behind-the-scenes looks at the process of transforming these real-life heroes into larger-than-life Super Heroes.

Marvel Promotes College Football with ESPN

Posted on by

This January, ESPN will host the first ever College Football Playoff – and the television channel is teaming up with Marvel to promote the occasion! Only one team can be crowned champion, but which teams will make the playoff? Ultimately, a twelve-person selection committee will decide. But until then, there will be lots of campaigning from the schools and teams still in the hunt.

Marvel has released a first look at the College Football Playoff on ESPN “IN” Variant Covers that will grace the front of 8 special Marvel titles in January!

Why the cross-promotion between ESPN and Marvel? That’d be parent company Disney. Both Marvel and ESPN are owned by the house of the mouse. You can see what else Disney owns at this handy list. We look forward to the future How to Get Away With Murder graphic novels… It’ll also be interesting to see what promotion for Marvel appears on ESPN (if any).

There’s also irony that after a month of variants to highlight anti-bullying efforts, a sport which is having massive PR issues for abuse of women, a cover up of abuse, charges of rape, and more, is now getting variant covers.

Available only in comic shops in the month of January, these eight exciting Marvel titles are “IN” for the College Football Playoff on ESPN:

  • All-New Captain America #3 – 1/7/15
  • Amazing Spider-Man #12 – 1/7/15
  • Ant-Man #1 – 1/7/15
  • Avengers #40 – 1/7/15
  • Hawkeye Vs. Deadpool #4 – 1/7/15
  • Hulk #10 – 1/7/15
  • Legendary Star-Lord #7 – 1/7/15
  • The Punisher #14 – 1/7/15

All-New_Captain_America_3_IN_Variant Ant-Man_1_IN_Variant Hawkeye_Vs._Deadpool_4_IN_Variant The_Punisher_14_IN_Variant

ESPN The Magazine and Marvel Entertainment Present Lebron: King of The Rings

Posted on by

Let me start this off by saying, having been born in Cleveland, I shudder at promoting LeBron James in any way. That being said, I’ll swallow my Cleveland pride as this is news. Marvel and ESPN The Magazine have officially unveiled LeBron: King of The Rings, an all-new, full-color, ten-page comic that debuted exclusively in ESPN The Magazine’s NBA Preview on newsstands Friday, October 19. Two years ago, LeBron James predicted he would win not one, not two, not three … but seven NBA titles. What if he was right? In their second collaboration, The Mag and Marvel Custom Solutions have united to create LeBron: King of the Rings, an epic tale of zombies, clones, holograms, bionics and a star who will stop at nothing to fulfill his promise. yes, it’s that batshit out there, I feel like I needed to post this.

LeBron: King of the Rings springs from the minds of ESPN’s Ty Wenger and Otto Strong, writer Christos Gage and artists Mike Deodato, Scott Eaton, Greg Land and Terry Dodson. Featuring a cover by Adi Granov, this is the first comic book created in collaboration by Marvel Custom Solutions and ESPN The Magazine.