ADDING MULTIMEDIA ESPN Innovation Lab Opens Today at ESPN Wide World of Sports

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The Innovation Lab at ESPN Wide World of Sports at Walt Disney World Resort provides ESPN a real-world testing facility to continue developing new ground-breaking on-air products. The ESPN Innovation Lab is the first major piece of a re-imagining project involving ESPN and the Disney sports complex, which is already the leading multi-sport venue in the nation. The project aims to create an immersive and entertaining sports experience for athletes, coaches and fans by incorporating the signature elements of ESPN in ways that will connect athletes and coaches with their favorite ESPN programs, personalities and elements. (Photo: Garth Vaughan)

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The mission of ESPN's state-of-the-art facility is to utilize the world-class playing fields and the 250,000 youth and pro athletes who use them annually to develop new products during actual game conditions that will enhance the viewer's experience. This working research facility will also be open at certain times of the year for visitors to view the company's emerging-technology staff at work and get a sneak peak at upcoming technological advancements. (Photo: Garth Vaughan)

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The Innovation Lab opened its door on Oct. 16, 2009 at the soon to be named ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. (Photo: Garth Vaughan)

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Mickey Mouse joins Chuck Pagano (right), executive vice president of technology for ESPN, and Ken Potrock (left), senior vice president of Disney Sports Enterprises at Walt Disney World Resort, Oct. 16, 2009, to celebrate the opening of the ESPN Innovation Lab at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The state-of-the-art facility provides ESPN a real-world testing ground to continue developing new ground-breaking on-air products. Utilizing world-class playing fields at the complex, the lab also creates new products during actual game conditions. (Photo: Garth Vaughan)

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Mickey Mouse joins Ken Potrock, senior vice president of Disney Sports Enterprises at Walt Disney World Resort, Oct. 16, 2009, to celebrate the opening of the ESPN Innovation Lab at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The state-of-the-art facility provides ESPN a real-world testing ground to continue developing new ground-breaking on-air products. Utilizing world-class playing fields at the complex, the lab also creates new products during actual game conditions. (Photo: Garth Vaughan)

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Jesse Palmer, an ESPN college football analyst, watches a virtual interview of himself and Chuck Pagano, executive vice president of technology for ESPN, Oct. 16, 2009, as part of the opening of the ESPN Innovation Lab at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Palmer, a former NFL quarterback, demonstrated ESPN's Ultimate Interview technology used to "beam" people from the field into a studio setting or bring an anchor from the studio to a game site or event location. This application is just one of the ground-breaking technologies developed at the state-of-the-art lab. Utilizing world-class playing fields at the complex, the lab also creates new products during actual game conditions. (Photo: Garth Vaughan)