While mainstream sports still count on traditional newspaper and TV coverage for the vast majority of their media exposure, the X Games and other so-called extreme sports events have proved to be fertile ground for digital coverage. X Games organizers have installed high-speed ISDN telephone lines in the media tent to accommodate the technological needs of the photographers and writers sending images and statistics around the globe from their laptop computers. Disney-owned ESPN, which created the X Games in 1995, is using this year's event to try out some Internet innovations that blur the line between TV and computers. If successful, company officials say the strategy could someday be used on ABC, Disney's broadcast network. The Internet will also be an active factor in one event.
Voters can see short video clips of the tricks on line before awarding the medals.
This event is about lifestyle and culture, and the Internet is a big part of that. The Internet also has a strong marketing and advertising presence both inside and outside the X Games site. And inside the main venue at Pier 30, almost every sponsor has its Web address prominently displayed. Some, like Pontiac, have tied their physical presence at the event to the ethereal Internet. Visitors to the Pontiac tent can have their photos taken with a digital camera.