espn

IPA/ˌiːˌɛspˌiːˈɛn/
KK[ˈiˈɛspˈiˈɛn]IPA/ˈiːˈɛspˈiːˈɛn/

espn — abbreviation

1. Stands for Entertainment & Sports Programming Network — a US cable television ch

1.abbreviation
Definition

Stands for Entertainment & Sports Programming Network — a US cable television channel that broadcasts live professional and college sports matches, sports news programmes, and expert commentary around the clock.

Example

Beatrix watches ESPN every evening to keep up with the latest basketball scores.

used as a proper noun, no definite article

When Ramón heard about the player trade, he turned on ESPN for the full report.

Common collocations
  • watch ESPN
  • turn on ESPN
  • ESPN reports
  • on ESPN
  • ESPN covers

Usage Note

ESPN is always written in capital letters and functions as a proper noun. It rarely takes the definite article on its own ('the ESPN' is nonstandard), though 'the ESPN channel' or 'the ESPN app' are natural.

Common Mistakes

I saw it on the ESPN last night.
I saw it on ESPN last night.
ESPN, like CNN or NBC, does not take 'the' unless followed by a common noun such as 'channel' or 'network.'