Specialist sports broadcaster ESPN will now use SevenWest Media as its TV advertising representative in Australia, taking the business from MCN.
It is the first time Seven West has taken on ad selling for a client outside its own network.
In a statement made this morning, ESPN Australia said it was looking to grow its network within Australia, and the tie-up with SevenWest woul help achieve that.
The open pitch was called for in August, and while incumbent MCN did pitch, ESPN decided to go with SevenWest as it said the media network was leading the market in terms of TV ad sales.
For SevenWest, it gives its clients access to not only Seven's sports programming but that of ESPN Australia as well, which includes NFL, NBA, and MLB broadcasts in Australia.
"ESPN is a leading global brand that gives us more people and greater reach by connecting with the often elusive male demographic," SevenWest's chief revenue officer Kurt Burnette said.
"We already have the best of Australian sport, now we also have the best of the World [sports]. Combined with the power of Seven West Media including existing synergies with events like the NFL, now all available to buy in one place, it delivers an extraordinary platform for our marketing and advertising clients."
The appointment comes on the back of growth in recent years for ESPN Australia, which in 2013 delivered 28% viewership growth in the male 18-34 demographic.
ESPN said it would continue to manage digital sales in-house, but where there was cross-media opportunities it would liase with SevenWest.
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