Trying to complete their goal of covering every possible sport at every level ad naseum, ESPN is startomg a new "high school sports content initiative" called "ESPN Rise". Here are the details....

ESPN announced it has formally launched a high school sports content initiative that has been named ESPN RISE. ESPN RISE is a multimedia brand dedicated to growing ESPN’s 12- to 17-year-old audience, while providing ESPN fans with compelling high school sports content across all of ESPN’s platforms including programming and events, digital media and publishing.

“ESPN RISE will build upon ESPN’s more than 20-year-tradition of covering high school sports by applying our passion for sports to the creative ways we communicate with our core fan of the future,” said John Skipper, executive vice president, content. “During the past 12 months, James has worked diligently with key stakeholders across the various ESPN platforms to strategically develop the future of high school sports content at the company.”

There's a website (ESPNRise.com), four different magazines (Rise, Girl, Gridiron, Hardwood), and a Basketball tournament (The Boost Mobile Elite 24) that come with the new initiative and there's even going to be High School content on your favorite ESPN shows....

Beginning at the start of the ‘08/’09 school year, high school news and information content will be delivered across several studio shows including SportsCenter, ESPNEWS, and College Football Live.

I personally could care less about High School Sports, but there's definitely a good collection of people that are into it. This reeks of overkill, but so doesn't every other "initiative" from ESPN these days.

(Via ESPN PR)