Following the success of ESPNU College Town, ESPN Games has a new social game giving fans the fantasy of running their own sports bar and grill. It features real-time simulations to live games, scores and news, virtual ESPN media properties, friends and more. ESPN Games and Playdom just released it on Facebook, and it’s presented by Samsung.
Fans will also be charged with winning over loyal customers, decorating walls with sports paraphernalia, showing simulated live and on-demand games via flatscreens and more. They’ll be challenged with all the day-to-day management duties of a real sports bar and grill owner. Owners can simulate a broadcast of live and on-demand games through the bar’s TVs to follow real-time scores and big in-game moments, all while entertaining patrons and watching them cheer on the bar’s favorite team. Additionally, owners can pipe a live feed of ESPN Radio through the sound system and receive the latest sports news via ESPN Ticker – all while managing their sports bar and grill.
Of course, the more patrons served and kept happy, the bigger the buzz, popularity and success of the bar and grill. By earning more, owners can purchase enhancements to their sports bars to level up faster, including expansion, flatscreen TVs, the Samsung Galaxy Tab and TVs, posters, signs, arcade games, sports memorabilia, tables, chairs, bar stools and more. For players under 21, the game experience will be customized to serving food and non-alcoholic beverages.
RBR-TVBR observation: The hook for ESPN is that fans will never be far away from the latest ESPN audio and/or video feed while playing. It’s also yet another avenue for advertisers to reach ESPN consumers. When each virtual sports bar owner gets liked or visited by other Facebook users, the more ESPN content and ad messaging spreads virally.
