ESPN's 'Who's Next' competition continues

The ESPN “Who’s Next” music competition is heating up! ESPN is working with digital music site, OURSTAGE.COM and their premium artists on a competition timed to the NCAA 2012 basketball games. Two bands compete against each other each Saturday from January 21 to February 18 with four bands receiving a first-round bye as voted on by fans on Facebook.



The final head-to-head tournaments will begin the week of February 20 with the winning band unveiled on Saturday, March 3. The winning band’s music will be used as a part of ESPN’s Championship Week Presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods coverage, which is viewed by millions.
WEEK ONE

2nd Half "Got it Made" (OH) vs. Thank You & Good Night "Remember Me" (IN)

2nd Half: http://www.ourstage.com/2ndHALF

TY&GN: http://www.ourstage.com/tyagmusic



WEEK TWO

Parachute Musical "Hometown" (TN) vs. Viv and the Revival "Fire" (PA)

Parachute Musical: http://www.ourstage.com/parachutemusical

Viv and the Revival: http://www.ourstage.com/profile/vivpeyrat



WEEK THREE

The Electra Color "Anthem for the Underdogs" (WI) vs. Monty Are I "One In A Million" (RI)

The Electra Color: http://www.ourstage.com/TheElectraColor

Monty Are I: http://www.ourstage.com/profile/montyarei



WEEK FOUR

The Rocturnals: http://www.ourstage.com/profile/therocturnals

Gravity: http://www.ourstage.com/profile/curegravity




ESPN College Basketball Asks Fans “Who’s Next” on the Music Scene



Many musical artists build their fan base in the local community or on a college campus before hitting the mainstream. Beginning Saturday, Jan. 21, ESPN will showcase music from 12 artists in select men’s college basketball telecasts and give the fans the opportunity to determine the next band that should garner a national following.



The “Who’s Next” project will feature a bracket tournament format with the winning band unveiled on Saturday, March 3. The field and matchups will be determined over five Saturdays from January 21 to February 18 with four bands receiving a first-round bye as voted on by the fans. The head-to-head tournament will begin the week of February 20 with the opening round between eight bands followed by the quarterfinals, semifinals and championship throughout the week of February 27. The winning band’s music will be used as a part of ESPN’s Championship Week Presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods coverage.



Each of the participating 12 bands will record a remix of ESPN’s college basketball theme song and provide one of their original songs for use in a selected game telecast. The remixed theme song will be used when the game goes to and comes from commercial breaks during the telecast while the original music will be used as the soundtrack of a halftime highlights package.



The first four Saturdays will feature two bands a day on different telecasts with fans voting on the four bands that will receive the first-round bye. As part of its BracketBusters coverage on Saturday, Feb. 18, ESPN will showcase four additional bands that will be in the opening round of the tournament. Each of the bands will originate from the home state of the host team of that game telecast.



ESPN worked with Ourstage.com – a leading destination for music listening, discovery, and quality editorial content – to secure the bands for participation and handle the voting. Fans will vote on the artists’ original song by logging onto the ESPN Home Court Facebook page and can learn more about the bands at www.espn.com/music.