Vice Media and ESPN are teaming up for the first time, the companies announced on Tuesday.
Vice Sports will produce new original series to air exclusively on ESPN properties, and the sports network’s acclaimed documentary series “30 for 30” episodes will re-air on new cable network Viceland. Additionally, the two media companies are developing a short-form animated series together.
The deal aims to give the best of ESPN to Vice’s audience, while broadening ESPN’s offerings to include content from a leading youth media brand.
“Growing up watching ESPN I came to love the brand and their content. 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,” Vice Media co-founder and CEO Shane Smith said.
ESPN president John Skipper said, “Evoking manly tears from Shane Smith is no small task.”
The Vice content will be spread across ESPN’s various platforms, including mobile, digital and of course, television.
“I am confident that the content born out of this collaboration will be a win for fans of ESPN, Vice and storytelling in general,” Skipper said. “I applaud Shane for understanding that television is the smartest path to worldwide leadership.”
Vice already has content partnerships with HBO, Sky, Verizon Snapchat, Canal+ and Rogers.