HARDBODY Female Sports, Health & Fitness News
A Love for Sport Life.™
We love the approach ESPN took with the commercial. While the world watches the Harbaugh brothers (they are both head coaches of the opposing teams) compete against each other in the Super Bowl, ESPN shows respect to the true Most Valuable Player… Jackie Harbaugh, their mother.
“It’s not crazy
That no matter who wins the game,
the MVP is a mom from Wisconsin,
it’s sports.”
The Aspen X Games kick off this week and we’re stoked to be watching some of the events live and in person. If you’re not able to attend this awesome event, don’t worry you can catch it online and on TV. ESPN will be producing hours of content online and on ABC.
All Live Content Distributed on ESPN 3D and WatchESPN
A wide offering of X Games Aspen 2013 content will be simultaneously distributed across multiple broadcast and digital platforms January 24-27 live from Buttermilk Mountain in Aspen. X Games content will be available via television, smartphones, tablets and online through digital and social network platforms. By enhancing and adding dimension to the X Games viewing experience, fans will have the opportunity to watch all the action, get an inside look at the event, and establish a two-way conversation with ESPN, athletes and other viewers.
“With X Games Aspen officially kicking off the global expansion, ESPN will provide fans around the world with a chance to experience the X Games – with both enhanced broadcast and digital options,†said Scott Guglielmino, senior vice president, programming and X Games. “In 2013, ESPN will produce and distribute more than 150 total hours of coverage of these 6 X Games events, supplemented with rich digital content, and Aspen is the perfect way to kick it off.â€
Television
X Games Aspen 2013 will feature the return of live coverage on ABC, as well as 20 hours of live X Games Aspen content in high-definition on ESPN, January 24 – 27, 2013 from Aspen, Colo. WatchESPN will stream all 20 hours of coverage as well as three hours of original content and ESPN 3D will telecast all 21.5 hours of live X Games coverage.
New host, Ramona Bruland, will host all 20 hours of the X Games coverage on ESPN and ABC. With more than 10 years of experience in the television industry and two Heartland Emmy nominations, Ramona has been seen on TV screens across Australia, Europe and the USA covering action sports, lifestyle, arts and culture, luxury and travel on multiple networks.
A prominent collection of action sports legends will join Bruland on the air. The full ESPN telecast team is listed here:
• Kevin Pearce – Snowboard Analyst
• Chris Burandt – Snowmobile Analyst
• Keir Dillon – Snowboard Play-by-Play
• Mike Douglas – Ski Analyst
• Chris Ernst – Ski Play-by-Play
• Tes Sewell – Snowmobile Play-by-Play
• Alyssa Roenigk – Reporter
• Jamie Little – Reporter
• Jordan Whitley – Reporter
*For the full telecast schedule please check your local listings, or visit www.xgames.com.
International
In addition to all of the content on ESPN’s U.S.-based media platforms, X Games Aspen will be televised in 184 countries and territories to more than 430.6 million homes, including live coverage in Africa, Brazil, Canada, Central America, Europe, Middle East and South America. 21.5 live hours of the event will also be simulcast on ESPN’s international broadband platforms in 16 countries across Australia, Europe and Latin America.
ESPN will produce 10 one-hour syndication shows for networks to air following the event.
Digital
XGames.com – The newly redesigned XGames.com will provide comprehensive onsite coverage from Aspen including an all new, enhanced second screen experience, X Cast. With live results, near-real-time “leader board†video of competition runs, game-cast elements like TrickTrack (which graphically captures trick data in real time) and Hypemeter (a worldwide applause meter that measures, scores and displays the collective excitement around X Games at any time), X Cast in 2013 will be the most interactive second screen web experience X Games has seen to date. Additionally, the new site will feature personalized and “Pop-Upâ€-style video (around daily and event highlights, medal runs and features) and the Scene, the all-new lifestyle section of XGames.com, covering the films, music and style elements happening on the ground in Aspen. ESPN.com’s Wayne Drehs will also be onsite writing enterprise features around marquee events and athletes of the event, and full-bleed photo galleries will be shot by the best creative talent in the action sports industry.
The new and improved X Games app – The app, which it compatible with iPhone, iPad and Android, puts the world’s premier action sports event right at your fingertips, making it easier than ever to watch highlights, view schedules, track scores and keep up with the top names and hottest news coming out of Aspen. Use the app while watching the TV broadcast to take full advantage of TrickTrack, then fire up the interactive HypeMeter and virtually “cheer†for your favorite moments using your device and quick hands. With streaming music content and deep links to every live competition on WatchESPN, this free app is a must-have for X Games fans everywhere.
XGames.com/realsnow – Eight invited snowboarders will submit a one-minute video with a maximum of eight tricks to be judged by a committee of well-respected snowboarding industry professionals. A first place prize of $50,000 will be awarded to the winner, as well as gold, silver and bronze medals for the top 3 finishers. Fans will also have a chance to view and vote on their favorite video in a tournament-style bracket with the fan favorite winning $10,000. Visit XGames.com/realsnow to view videos and vote for your favorite athlete.
Inside X – As increasing numbers of fans now watch live sporting events on television, while concurrently connected to the internet, Inside X will offer viewers a look at everything happening on and off-site during X Games Aspen. Through on-demand clips, Inside X  will feature a variety of event highlights and expert analysis, behind-the-scenes access, athlete and fan interviews, and an inside look at X Games Music, Film and Style cultural elements from Aspen, Colorado.
Inside X will be available in the scene section of Xgames.com, Xgames.com/Scene, throughout the duration of the event.
Live Music Webcasts – X Games Music Presents will feature a variety of on-site and off-site concerts throughout X Games Aspen featuring two live webcasts from the X Fest Stage on Buttermilk Mountain. Calvin Harris and Major Lazer will be performing on Saturday and Sunday, 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. MT and 4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. MT, respectively. The live music webcast will be distributed on XGames.com, the X Game Facebook page, and the X Games Livestream Channel.
Facebook – X Games on Facebook will feature exclusive video, photo galleries, X Games Aspen Moment of the Day and behind the scenes content posted daily along with telecast and event information. The X Games Facebook page currently has more than 3.9MM fans. Join X Games on Facebook at Facebook.com/XGames
Twitter – ESPN X Games’ Twitter feed will featureinstant event updates, results, tweet to vote for the Big Air competitions and a behind-the-scenes look at X Games Aspen. Have something to say? Join the conversation using #XGAMES or @XGames in your tweet and follow us on the official X Games Twitter page at Twitter.com/XGames
Google + — X Games on Google+ includes exclusive athlete Hangouts, video, photo galleries and behind the scenes look at X Games Aspen along with telecast and event information. For all info visit: Google.com/+xgames
ESPN3 – ESPN3 will stream three hours of exclusive live coverage from X Games Aspen 2013.
WatchESPN – Fans will also be able to watch live coverage of every event on ESPN through their computers, smartphones or tablets via WatchESPN. WatchESPN delivers live access to ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN3 and ESPN Buzzer Beater/Goal Line on PCs, smartphones and tablets to fans who receive ESPN’s linear networks as part of their video subscription from Time Warner Cable, Bright House Networks, Verizon FiOS TV or Comcast Xfinity TV.
ESPN MobileTV – will provide 18 hours of live event coverage. Daily highlights and discipline highlights will be offered On Demand.
Music
The X Games Aspen telecast will feature music from Calvin Harris, Major Lazer and Green Day and many more.
iTunes will be promoting a splash page available at www.itunes.com/xgames for everything X Games past and present. The splash page will feature video content, podcasts, apps, films and music. Sony, Microsoft, and Amazon will also have all daily highlights and discipline highlights from X Games Aspen available for purchase.
News Release & logo via Espn.com
One of my favorite hardbody women, Ronda Rousey continues to make history. When she’s not arm-barring someone inside the cage she’s giving the media a headline to chat about. Sure she has the looks but that will only take you so far in any walk of life. What’s attractive to any business is the all-mighty dollar and Rousey is money. Ronda rocked the cover of ESPN Magazine The Body Issue, she’s on the current cover of Oxygen magazine and featured in the newest Esquire. She’s doing appearances on talk shows and getting out of her comfort zone because she knows it’s good business not only for her but also the Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC). The UFC is the fastest growing sport and in two months Ronda will not only be the first female to fight on their roster, she’s also headlining it.
UFC President, Dana White was against women in the UFC telling TMZ we’d “never” see them in the octagon.That was until Rousey came along. Now Dana White is not only bringing women’s MMA into the fold but he’s also made it the headline fight for UFC 157.
Oh what a difference a year makes.
Last year around this time fight fans were blasting Rousey for her lack of experience in MMA and claiming she was a one-trick pony. Ronda is known for arm-bar finishes inside the cage. Some call Rousey cocky but in the words of Kid Rock, “It ain’t braggin’ m_f_er if ya back it up.” She’s backed it up before and she’ll have the chance to do it all over again in Anaheim, California on Feb 23, 2013.
Not everyone is stoked about Ronda having top billing though. The co-main event features former UFC light-heavyweight champ Lyoto Machida against Dan Henderson. Dan Henderson’s striking coach, Gustavo Pugliese, was none to pleased with ‘Rousey vs Carmouche’ getting billing over the injury plagued fighter. After posting a rant on facebook he clarified (kind of) his comments to GracieMag.
“Where I come from, there’s a pecking order for anything in life,” he explained. “I believe in paying dues. In this particular case, ‘Hendo’ and Machida paid their dues a long time ago. For someone new to come in and have a free ride just seems unfair to them and the whole sport they helped build.”
Whaaaa-Whaaa.
He’s right they have “paid their dues” but with all due respect that doesn’t entitle you to blast Rousey and claim she’s getting a “free ride”. Like the boys, she’s paid her dues and now she’ll get the chance to let the world see on PPV.
Deal with it.
This isn’t the first time Henderson and Rousey have shared the spotlight. Earlier this year UFC magazine (now UFC 360) featured the two fighters on the cover of their Olympic issue. Henderson is an accomplished wrestler but never won an Olympic medal. Rousey on the other hand was the Judo bronze medalist in the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. She became the first American woman to win an Olympic medal in Judo.
Rousey was originally scheduled to make her Strikeforce debut on the same card as ‘Henderson vs Fedor’ in 2011 however the fight was pushed back. She went onto win the rescheduled fight and months later became the Strikeforce Women’s Bantamweight Champion.
I’m willing to bet more casual MMA fans know who Ronda Rousey is than Dan Henderson. Diehard MMA fans will tune into the PPV no matter what but it’s the new fans that the UFC is eyeing. Dana White isn’t stupid. He recognizes the hard work Rousey has been doing in and out of the cage. She’s everywhere in the media and finishes her business in the cage.
That’s good business not only for Rousey but also the UFC. Tickets for UFC 157 go on sale Friday, December 21, 2012.
UFC logo and poster via zuffa – UFC.
If you haven’t heard about 9-year-old Sam Gordon yet you’re in for a treat. She’s been taking the internet by storm since her father posted some of her football highlights to youtube. Yes, football… The American style and yes she. Sam (short for Samantha) shreds through defenses and blazes past the boys in a blink of an eye. She also knows how to lay a hit on them when playing defense. Sam is a hardbody and if this interview doesn’t put a smile on your face we don’t know what will.
Not only is Sam adorable she is well-spoken, especially for a 9-year-old. It’s refreshing how authentic and natural she is, something adults often forget about. Sam’s efforts on the field recently landed her on the cover of a Wheaties box of cereal, something often reserved for Olympic athletes or the likes of Michael Jordan. Although she’s crushing it on the football field she shares that soccer is still her favorite. Check out Sam’s interview with ESPN’s Hannah Storm on SportsCenter. This is great! Congrats Sam and keep crushing.
ESPN The Magazine launches it’s fourth annual “BODY issue this week and today we received a look at the six different covers. The annual issue will feature 27 athletes from a variety of sports. The six athletes gracing the cover are Candace Parker, Ronda Rousey, Daniela Hantuchova, Jose Bautista, Tyson Chandler and Rob Gronkowski.
ESPN’s Front Row spoke with The Mag’s Deputy Editor, Neely Lohmann how the covers were chosen.
“We had an overwhelming number of truly amazing photographs to choose from this year, which is why there are six covers. We wanted to have as many as we could get because whittling the photographs down to the best of the best isn’t easy. When making the final call, we paid attention to diversity — we like to have a good mix of men and women, a good mix of different body types represented, different sports, etc.”
Read the complete interview with Neely on ESPN.com and you can see the behind-the-scenes video with some of the athletes at www.espn.com/bodyissue.
We have a couple covers that we’re partial to but which is YOUR favorite? Cast your vote below.
Jose Bautista
Tyson Chandler
Rob Gronkowski
Daniela Hantuchova
Candace Parker
Ronda Rousey
Images via https://www.facebook.com/ESPNMagazine
ESPN The Magazine will publish their fourth annual BODY ISSUE and we’re stoked that women’s mixed martial arts (MMA) will be represented by Ronda Rousey. It’s cool to see this come to fruition as our resident man on the hardbody scene, Isaac Hinds asked Ronda earlier this year if she would pose for the issue. She was a little taken back by the question of posing nude but said, “it would have to be tactful.” She went on to say if it was done by a reputable photographer and done in a classy way, then she’d be on board. Well, it sounds like things worked out as Ronda will be one of 27 athletes baring all of the issue that hits stands on July 13th.
Ronda has been taking the MMA world by storm and showcased a dominant performance in Columbus, Ohio earlier this year. Many felt (not us) Ronda was all talk but she quickly shut those critics up when she nearly snapped Miesha Tate’s arm in two and remained undefeated in her MMA career. She will defend her Strikeforce Bantamweight title against Sarah Kaufman on August 18, 2012.
Earlier today, Ronda wrote shared the ESPN Magazine news via twitter, “Hey so …. Espn body issue….. If anyone wants to see me “artistically nude” I suggest you grab a copy when it’s revealed on July 13th.”
Props to ESPN for selecting Ronda as the sole MMA representative (men and women). Congrats Ronda! We’re stoked to see your continued success in and out of the cage.
All 27 athletes posed nude for the issue’s signature Bodies We Want photo portfolio. The full lineup includes:
• Carlos Bocanegra (soccer)
• Daniela Hantuchova (WTA)
• Rob Gronkowskii (NFL)
• Abby Wambach (soccer)
• Tyson Chandler (NBA)
• Candace Parker (WNBA)
• Maurice Jones-Drew (NFL)
• Jose Bautista (MLB)
• Brad Richards (NHL)
• Maya Gabiera (surfing)
• Ronda Rousey (MMA)
• Mike Smith (jockey)
• Tim Morehouse (fencing)
• Walter Dix (track)
• Danell Leyva (gymnastics)
• Suzann Pettersen (LPGA)
• Ashton Eaton (decathlon)
• Carmelita Jeter (track)
• Anna Tunnicliffe (sailing)
• Oksana Masters (paralympic rowing)USA Volleyball Team:
• Destinee Hooker
• Stacy Sykora
• Alisha Glass
• Cynthia Barboza
• Megan Hodge
• Nellie Spicer
• Heather Bown
Follow The Mag on Twitter (@ESPNmag) and like them on Facebook. See more of Ronda on her Facebook Page, twitter and on the Team Gaspari Nutiriton page.
Lead photos via Gaspari Team Page.
