VICE & ESPN Enter Production Agreement

NEW YORK: As part of a new agreement, VICE Sports will produce new original series to air exclusively on ESPN platforms while select films from ESPN’s documentary series 30 for 30 will air on the new VICELAND network.

VICE Sports and ESPN Films will create brand-new short-form series to run across both ESPN and VICE platforms. Original shows in development will take audiences around the world to look at dominant athletes, unusual characters and championship events that reside outside the mainstream. Additionally, VICE and ESPN are developing a short-form animated series.

Meanwhile, select VICE Sports series, including original episodes of The Clubhouse, will run across ESPN’s linear and digital channels.

“Growing up watching ESPN, I came to love the brand and their content,” said Shane Smith, co-founder and CEO of VICE Media. “Maybe a little too much. The amount of manly tears shed over various 30 for 30’s throughout the years has been nothing short of embarrassing. To be teaming up with ESPN, creating brand-new sports shows for them, and then showing 30 for 30’s on VICELAND is perhaps one of the favorite moments in my professional life. I can now die a happy man. No, wait, we have to take over the world first! Here it comes baby, VICE WORLD OF SPORTS!!”

Added John Skipper, the president of ESPN and co-chairman at Disney Media Networks: “Evoking manly tears from Shane Smith is no small task, and I take immense pride in that. Shane and the team at VICE do an extraordinary job presenting stories through their own very unique lens—and working with them will help to bring a new perspective to our storytelling. I am confident that the content borne out of this collaboration will be a win for fans of ESPN, VICE and storytelling in general. And I applaud Shane for understanding that television is the smartest path to worldwide leadership.”