MEDIA DELIVERY GUIDELINES
CONTACTS
ESPN strives to provide the highest level of service and quality to all clients. In order to maintain this quality, all
requirements in this document must be met.
Please note, any special requests must be directed to:
Craig Doucette
Director, MSI Ad Standards
Phone: (860) 766-7188
Please address questions to the following team members:
Billboards/Features/Sponsorships Commercial Clearance/Media Inventory
Sports Updates/BottomLine Craig Doucette, Director (860) 766-7188
Julia Padilla, Assoc. Manager (860) 766-2612
Client Supplied Commercial Traffic
Chris Tate, Manager (860) 766-2624 Scott Atkinson, Director (860) 766-2499
We will continue to update and revise all information as needed. Thank you for your continued cooperation.
MEDIA DELIVERY GUIDELINES
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POLICIES
Ad-ID SYSTEM
Agencies are required to utilize the Ad-ID (formerly ISCI code) numbering system for all commercials. To obtain a prefix (assigned
exclusively to each advertiser), please contact the AdID as follows:
Ad-ID
Phone: (704)501-4410
Email: [email protected]
11020 David Taylor Drive, Suite 305
Charlotte, NC 28262
COMMERCIAL CLEARANCE
All commercial material(s) (e.g., advertisements, billboards, feature materials, etc.) must be submitted in advance for approval
and are subject to ESPN's Advertising Standards and Guidelines.
All clearance materials should be sent in advance to Commerc[email protected] for network approval.
A minimum of two weeks lead time is required. Script, storyboard, and/or Beta SP or DVD viewing material is required
for review. On occasion, one or more elements may be required for approval (e.g. script and rough-cut).
Submission of a commercial shall constitute the agency/client warranty to ESPN that all elements have been cleared for air
(and Internet distribution, if via espn.com and/or WatchESPN, Mobile ESPN or other internet or broadband properties) with
respect to intellectual property rights: this includes, but not limited to, rights of privacy and master, mechanical, performance
and synchronization rights for music.
COMMERCIAL DELIVERY SPECIFICATIONS FOR TELECAST
Any content which does not meet these specifications may be refused for air or have the levels altered to meet these
specifications at ESPN’s discretion.
ESPN reserves the right to refuse to broadcast or otherwise utilize television recordings that, in its opinion, are technically
unsatisfactory.
On-Air materials must be in house (Bristol, CT) no later than five (5) business days prior to the airdate.
On-Air materials for ABC telecasts must be sent to ABC (New York, NY) directly.
ESPN accepts Closed Captioned commercial content. All Infomercials MUST be Closed Captioned.
ESPN does NOT accept commercial content with embedded or encoded triggers.
ESPN will utilize one commercial spot for a buy across all Standard Definition networks. There is no need to submit the same
commercial tape for each of these networks.
ESPN will NOT guarantee replacement of a commercial if it is assigned the same Ad-ID as the original version. Unique codes
must be created for all separate material submitted for telecast.
COMMERCIAL PURGE POLICY
Commercial material will be held for sixty days from the last airdate, after which time it will be removed from the system. The
same commercial purge policy applies to material that does not air within sixty days of receipt.
ESPN cannot hold indefinitely, duplicate or return commercial material submitted for telecast.
If commercial material may not air after a specific date, it is the agency or advertiser’s responsibility to notify ESPN and
request that such material be purged from the system effective as of that date.
If commercial material should not air and the agency or advertiser has not provided purge notification to ESPN, any charges
that ESPN may incur as a result will be passed on to the agency or advertiser.
ESPN+/Digital Platforms Commercial Delivery
If EDI has not been sent to agency, the following process applies:
o If creative is already in house in Bristol, the ISCI code information needs to be sent to Nikki Erakovich
MEDIA DELIVERY GUIDELINES
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Commercials will be digitized and sent from Bristol to Seattle. Two day lead time required.
o If creative is NOT already in house in Bristol, TV Ad Operations will request that a digitized version (QuickTime or
Windows Media file) be sent directly to Seattle.
If material cannot be sent directly to Seattle, it should be sent to Bristol via standard media delivery
channels.
The ISCI code information needs to be sent to the ISCI code information needs to be sent to Nikki
Commercials will be digitized and sent from Bristol to Seattle. Two day lead time required.
STANDARD DEFINITION
Accepted Digital Ad Delivery vendor only.*
29.97 frame rate.
ESPN will utilize one commercial tape for a buy across all Standard Definition networks. There is no need to submit the same
commercial tape for each of these networks.
Full Stereo mix on audio channels 1 & 2.
HIGH DEFINITION
Accepted Digital Ad Delivery vendor only.*
720p; 59.94 frame rate.
Full Stereo mix on audio channels 1 & 2. ESPN does not broadcast commercial inventory on 5.1 Dolby Surround.
The HD Ad-ID must have an “H” at the end to signify HD material.
Only one piece of creative (either SD or HD) will be accepted for air on all available networks and will air simultaneously on the
HD and SD services. Commercials airing on any SD only network (Classic, etc.) may submit a center-cut protected HD tape or
an SD version.
o HD material (i.e. in full 16 x 9 format) and will be simulcast in letter-box format (i.e. in 4 x 3 format) on the SD broadcast.
o ESPN Classic is currently SD only. HD material is accepted on this network and will be down-converted as center-cut for
the SD broadcast.
o During applicable commercial breaks where the bottom line remains static, a video move will occur to ensure all content
in the title safe area remains visible.
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* Digital Ad Vendor Contact Info:
Extreme Reach: [email protected] or (877) 769-9382
Javelin/Hula: [email protected] or 877-851-1786
AdStream: [email protected] or (786) 472 2615
DMDS/Yangaroo: [email protected] or (866) 992-9902
Comcast AdDelivery: [email protected] or 855-858-1942, option 1
On The Spot Media/EZSpot: [email protected]
SpotGenie: [email protected], or (888) 808-1631
Syncro: [email protected]
Additional Video Specification Details
Sponsorship Delivery Guidelines
Packager Delivery Guidelines
MEDIA DELIVERY GUIDELINES
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COMMERCIAL INSTRUCTIONS
Commercial instructions must be sent simultaneously with tapes under separate cover emailed to [email protected].
Instructions must be received at ESPN five business days prior to the airdate.
ESPN must have written instructions from agency in order to air commercials. Do not enclose instructions with commercials
tapes.
Copy revisions must be followed up with a phone call from the agency contact.
ESPN will NOT guarantee replacement of a commercial if it is assigned the same Ad-ID as the original version. Unique codes
must be created for all separate material submitted for telecast
If commercial instructions for repeat units are not supplied, original traffic instructions may be applied as needed.
Instructions must include:
- ESPN network(s)
- Client
- Product
- Title
- Ad-ID, max. of 18 characters (www.ad-id.org)
- Length(s)
- Rotation, Percentage or specific Placement
- Agency contact with a phone and fax number
ESPN+/Digital Platforms Traffic Delivery
Client sends traffic via Extreme Reach to ESPN-Bristol, per the same process as linear and notifies Nikki Erakovich
Client sends Nikki and Amy e-mail with the below:
o Event:
o Event Date:
o Traffic (ISCI):
o Traffic Instructions:
o Additional Notes:
Traffic instructions are needed for initial launch and creative changes during the flight.
If Client is not able to send traffic via ER, client is responsible for contacting Nikki and Amy for alternate instructions
Nikki or Amy will setup line(s) and upload creative to FreeWheel
Changes to commercial copy within a current flight will be accommodated as soon as operations permit. ESPN will not guarantee
changes within 48 hours of airdate, but will make every attempt to meet the requested date. Verbal instructions or changes will be
accepted no later than 48 hours prior to airdate. Written confirmation must follow immediately. By submitting verbal instructions or
changes, clients waive the right to object to the results, including errors. Revised commercials must be assigned a new Ad-ID. ESPN
will not guarantee replacement of a commercial if it is assigned the same Ad-ID as the original version.
LENGTH POLICY
All commercial lengths must be negotiated as part of the order. ESPN TV Ad Operations will not accept length change allocations not
agreed to when the order was confirmed. If circumstances require a length change after order confirmation, notification must be made
through your ESPN Account Executive.
PLACEMENT POLICY
ESPN endeavors to give advertisers fair and equal rotation across network buys. ESPN does not guarantee placement requests.
ESPN will bookend: 15 second commercials of the same advertiser/product if a: 15 second mate is unavailable.
PSA & cause-related marketing content is not permitted in billboards or features.
Material submitted on behalf of non-profit institutions or government agencies must contain a “paid for by” disclaimer.
ESPN reserves the right to require all sponsorship creative to adhere to NCAA advertising guidelines.
All sponsorship materials must also adhere to ESPN advertising content regulations and are subject to ESPN’s editorial
judgment with respect to show compatibility and integration. ESPN reserves the right to decline to air any materials, which we
feel compromise the overall look of our on-air product and/or do not meet our technical standards or editorial judgment
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ADVERTISING CONTENT REGULATIONS
ESPN will telecast only commercial material which is lawful and of the highest possible standards of excellence. ESPN may refuse to
distribute any commercial or any element thereof that, in ESPN’s sole judgment:
1. Does not conform to these regulations or to ESPN’s general practices and formats regarding commercials, as they may be modified
from time to time;
2. Is not of a suitable artistic and technical quality;
3. May violate any rights of any person, firm or corporation;
4. Contains any false, unsubstantiated or unwarranted claims for any product or service, or makes any unauthenticated testimonials;
5. Advertises any habit-forming drug, tobacco product, handgun or handgun ammunition, distilled liquor or any non-alcoholic product
containing the name of a hard liquor product. Malt beverage advertising is acceptable, subject to appropriate scheduling
restrictions and only if commercial clearly and conspicuously communicates in audio and/or video that the product is an alcoholic
malt beverage;
6. Contains any material constituting or relating to a lottery, a contest of any kind in which the public is unfairly treated or any
enterprise, service or product that tends to encourage, abet, assist, facilitate or promote illegal or legal gambling;
7. Makes any appeal for funds or consists of, in whole or in part, political advocacy or issue-oriented advertising. All Institutionals
(PSA’s), paid or unpaid and regardless of source, must be approved in advance by ESPN;
8. Contains any material that is defamatory, obscene, profane, vulgar, repulsive or offensive, either in theme or in treatment or that
describes or depicts repellently any internal bodily functions or symptomatic results of internal conditions, or refers to matters that
are not considered socially acceptable topics;
9. Contains any false or ambiguous statements or representations that may be misleading to the audience;
10. Includes any element of intellectual property without the owner’s consent to such use, including but not limited to music master,
mechanical, performance and synchronization rights or gives rise to any other colorable claim of infringement, misappropriation or
other form of unfair competition;
11. Unfairly disparages or libels any competitor or competitive products; or
12. Is or might be injurious or prejudicial to the interests of the public, ESPN or honest advertising and reputable business in general.
ESPN reserves the right to accept or reject at any time advertising for any product or service submitted for
telecast over its program facilities.
ESPN reserves the right at any time to revoke its acceptance of and to require the elimination or revision of any
advertising matter that is inconsistent with ESPN standards and policies.
Please see ESPN Ad Standards and Guidelines document for complete advertising policy information.
