ESPN has launched a redesign of ESPN.com in beta that offers a simpler design and navigation for its users.
The new site had been in a closed beta test phase for 10 days to ESPN Insider subscribers and will now run along side the current ESPN.com for the rest of December. The redesigned site will launch fulltime on Monday, January 5 and replace the current site.
“The redesign of ESPN.com is a major undertaking to which we have devoted significant time and energy,” said John Kosner, senior vice president and general manager, ESPN Digital Media.
“Sharing the early-stage site with Insider subscribers first, and now with our entire audience, helps us identify issues and deliver the kind of product we all want on January 5. We want our fans to understand that the ‘beta’ represents a start for us, not the final destination. Visitors to ESPN.com should expect to see a series of improvements and additions over the next several months.”
To organize its content the new site combines a primary navigation bar with seven anchor menus, each with expandable rollover menus. The primary navigation follows users throughout the site.
The new site will feature a 16×9 main engagement area on its front page and main index pages that will offer a better video experience. Higher quality video will be more prominently integrated through out the site.
ESPN said its site averages 120 million video views per month and this year accounted for about 50 percent of total minutes spent for the sports video category.
The site offers new personalization features including a Flash roll-over that allows users to access information about their favorite teams, players, sports and ESPN columnists.
