Multi-Platform Execution Features First National Telecast of Annual Honda Sports Awards
ESPN has announced that Honda, a long-time advocate of women’s sports, will join espnW as associate partner of The Power of IX, ESPN’s three-month companywide initiative to recognize the 40th anniversary of Title IX. The collaboration includes a custom-built execution across television and digital assets leading up to the Title IX anniversary on June 23, as well as the first national telecast of the Honda Sports Awards.
Every Monday, beginning on April 30, Honda will sponsor SportsCenter’s The Power of IX countdown of the top 40 female athletes of the past 40 years. The countdown will culminate with the top athlete named on Friday, June 22.
On June 23, the same day the legislation was signed in 1972, ESPNU will produce the first-ever national telecast of the Honda Sports Awards, part of the Collegiate Women Sports Awards Program, live from ESPN’s Los Angeles Production Center at 3 p.m. ET. Now in its 36th year, the Collegiate Women Sports Awards program annually recognizes the accomplishments of the top female athletes at NCAA member colleges, culminating with the presentation of the Honda Cup to the Collegiate Female Athlete of the Year.
On the same day, Honda will also serve as the presenting sponsor of E:60 Women and Sport, an hour-long program highlighting some of the top profiles, investigations and stories of the series that featured female athletes. Additional details on the program will be released at a later time.
“Honda has been a long-standing supporter of sports, from Racing to the NHL to Little League Baseball – we see the value of sportsmanship and the challenging spirit,” said Steve Morikawa, assistant vice president, Corporate Community Relations, American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “We’re proud to deepen our two and a half decade commitment to collegiate women sports by partnering with ESPN during the 40th anniversary of Title IX and celebrate the many accomplishments of women in sports.”
Added Laura Gentile, vice president, espnW, “Inspired by Honda’s rich history of celebrating female athletes, this collaboration will bring added exposure to exceptional athletes over the past 40 years, while driving a deeper awareness of Title IX’s impact.”
The multi-platform execution also includes a digital presence on espnW.com’s dedicated microsite for The Power of IX with a variety of content activations leading up to the Title IX anniversary. A custom-built Honda Sports Awards content page will be integrated on espnW.com showcasing the history of the awards and previous winners. It will also include detailed profiles on the latest winners, a custom video featuring the Honda Cup winner and footage from the Awards Show. The entire digital presence will be supported across espnW’s social media platforms.
Honda has sponsored the Collegiate Women Sports Awards Program for26 consecutive years and donated more than $2.5 million in institutional grants to the universities of the award winners and nominees over the course of the program. The signature award, the Honda Cup, is presented to the woman who demonstrates superior individual athletic achievement and embodies the ideals of team contribution, scholastic endeavor and school and community involvement. The awards recognize top female athletes in Basketball, Swimming and Diving, Cross Country, Track and Field, Field Hockey, Tennis, Golf, Soccer, Gymnastics, Volleyball, Softball and Lacrosse. For more information on the Collegiate Women Sports Award program, including a full list of previous Honda Cup winners, visit collegiatewomensportsawards.com
About Honda:
Honda supports a variety of initiatives aimed at advancing education and creating experiences of discovery that help aspiring students see and achieve their own dreams. For more than 25 years, Honda has supported the Collegiate Women Sports Awards program, and has donated over $2.5 million in institutional grants to the winners’ and nominees’ universities. This year, Honda will celebrate 30 years of producing automobiles in America. Based on Honda’s longstanding commitment to build products close to the customer, over 85% of Honda vehicles sold in the U.S. are produced at factories in North America, using domestic and globally sourced parts.
About espnW:
espnW’s mission is to connect female fans with the sports they love and follow. espnW.com provides an engaging environment where women are an integral part of the sports conversation, share their perspective on men’s and women’s sports and find the motivation and support for their athletic goals and interests. Launched in October 2011, espnW, [espnw.com], is an emerging business that consists primarily of a digital product suite including pc web, mobile web and social media. espnW is also supported by a strong social media presence on Twitter (@espnW) and Facebook. The Women’s Sports Foundation is a charity of choice of espnW.
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