Seats filled in Cudahy Hall last Thursday with those expecting a speech from the authority in sports news online. But editor-in-chief of ESPN.com> Rob King, might disagree with who exactly the authority is in the digital age. In his speech "The Wild, Wild Web: How Technology and Fan Expectations are Driving Change at ESPN.com," King emphasized the need to "surrender control" and allow the user to shape the product. King spoke to faculty and students about the Web site's current and upcoming endeavors and the future of journalism as a whole on behalf of the Pete and Bonnie Axthelm Memorial Lecture.
After 22 years in newspapers, King continues innovating through his position at the Internet sports empire, even if by simplification. Technology gives endless options and ESPN utilizes it in many forms such as video streaming, live game casts and up-to-the-minute scoreboards, King said.
King expressed the many goals ESPN.com planned to employ in shaping the future of sports news. The goals included getting personal, getting local and getting on a fan level. ESPN strives to be the "worldwide leader in sports" as its slogan states but King said it also adapts to connect personally with its users.
King said that connecting to people on a personal level is imperative, which is why ESPN.com brings a network of local broadcasts and blogs to connect people on a more communal level. Radio, television and Internet will soon be an integral part of broadcasting local high school sports to communities.
ESPN.com is also going more global. With the acquisition of cricinfo.com and scrum.com, ESPN.com strives to get more international coverage of the sports cricket and rugby, respectively. This international movement has brought in large dividends for the company and millions of global viewers King said.
ESPN Deportes, the Spanish language ESPN channel, continues to be a strong force as well covering Major League Baseball's current playoff series and the FIBA Americas Cup in which USA basketball dominated the competition and gained a spot in the upcoming summer Olympic Games.
King emphasized that diversity is being reached on all levels and the separation of print, video, radio and online coverage is in the balance constantly. King does not think that print is dying, contrary to many skeptics who think newspapers are a dying means of communication. Though he says the future is uncertain he insists journalists should have no fear.
Though King stressed getting "back to the basics," College of Communication freshman Drew Marcel-Keyes saw the Web site differently. Keyes, who attended the speech, said it was interesting to see the revolutionary ideas that ESPN.com is working into all facets of the company.