ESPN/ESPNHD in Spanish?

It's just for the auto race today. It'll be back to English tonight.

You'd think they'd do this stunt on the deuce. Putting Spanish audio on the main channel is just asking to agitate some folks (and not just the crazies, many cable systems still don't have ESPN2HD).

The NASCAR Busch Series race is live from Mexico City, hence the Spanish language broadcast.

I would imagine more people in markets with more Spanish-speakers only get ESPN (and not ESPN2).

...But do they get "The Ocho"?

I'm getting ESPN Deportes on Comcast on March 21. But thanks to ESPN I get a preview of it today.

Not really. Today, you're getting HD.

Also, ESPN is trying to build up the idea that ESPN2 is the home of the Busch Series (on the few weekends when ABC doesn't have the races). That's another reason why they're putting the extra Full Circle Spanish broadcast on ESPN and leaving the regular broadcast on ESPN2.

ESPN2 historically has always been the place for racing coverage whenever ESPN has had the contracts, so it makes sense to continue that trend. Of course, years ago, ESPN2 was called "The Deuce", was seen as the "extreme ESPN", had graffiti-style graphics and all the shows had a "2" in the name. Then they were purchased by a corporate conglomerate....

ESPN is simulcasting ESPN Deportes' coverage of the race in SD.

Oops, sorry. I'm not watching it. I thought this one was supposed to be HD.

This could also be to get the cable co's customer's to push to get ESPN2HD.

It wouldn't surprise me if that was ESPN's plan.. Get customers pissed and demand ESPN2!!

Basically ESPN/and ESPN2 are exactly the same.. except one has a two at the end. They even have the same bottom line now.

It's in HD on ESPN2.

I guess someone at the production meeting decided the way to duck complaints of forcing HD viewers whose cable systems don't have ESPN2HD from having to choose between SD and Spanish audio was to simply not offer the HD feed on ESPNHD.

Juan Pablo Montoya just seems to have the worst luck in NASCAR these days.

^^ Well, I guess today his skill finally overcame all that bad luck.

The ESPN Deportes on ESPN production was a separate production from the ESPN2 production. To do HD for ESPNHD they would have needed another HD production truck down there.

Definitely an attempt to boost the profile of ESPN2. Even the Bottomline is the same red as ESPN now. I think we're going to see and more and more of a blurring between what's ESPN and what's ESPN2 until ESPN2HD adoption is higher.

ESPN and ESPN2 now use all the same on air branding. The only time you will see or hear ESPN2 is on the bottomline or when they are mentioning program listings.

In game score bug and all graphics just say ESPN, not ESPN2. This change happened in mid-February. Just think of it as ESPN on ESPN2.

I think this has more to do with having one unified ESPN brand then with ESPN2HD carriage.

Yes.... We had to throw out anything (mic flags, stickers, banners, etc .) that said ESPN2 a week or two ago. Everything is now to be branded simply ESPN. No reason given.

Same deal as ESPN on ABC. George is on a roll. Pretty soon it will be ESPN at Disneyworld.

That happened this weekend in Orlando with "ESPN the Weekend!"

Hey, cool, someone from ESPN posting...I have a semi-related question. I noticed ESPNU/ESPN Classic are still using the old branding and whatnot....but can you guys please get rid of the stupid "LIVE" bug during live broadcasts? You arent the freaking local news .

You can throw ESPNews in there with that as well. The 48 hours of ESPN campaign at the moment only regards ESPN & ESPN2. The idea is that the ESPN brand carries more impact than ESPN2 or ESPNHD, etc. All of these different incarnations create a mess for marketing, promotion and sales folks. This change also allows more cross-utilization of programming, in essence rebranding The Deuce as a second but equal ESPN network. You'll notice more studio programming appearing on ESPN2 lately, including Sportscenter every here and now along with more marquee events to help push the brand.

It wouldn't be terribly advantages to rebrand Classic or The U at this time as those are specific products adn ESPNU is still trying to find its audience. The live bug on Classic exists because 99% of the programming on Classic is taped or a re-air, so there has to be a dileneation. ESPNEWS is being relaunched this fall as a HD network but at the moment it will still be branded ESPNews.

It's hard to build an audience without carriage. No UCONN Women's games for me yesterday or today because Cablevision doesn't carry ESPNU.

Neither does Comcast.