• by Wayne Friedman , July 20, 2009

Looking at more micro-media growth, ESPN will be expanding its local media offerings, which includes local market cable channels, Web sites and mobile services.

After testing the concept with its ESPNChicago.com, which started in April, the big sports cable network is adding three more major markets: New York, Los Angeles, and Dallas. Analysts say the move directly targets local newspapers' print and online efforts.

The Chicago test has already run up a sizable 600,000 unique visitors per month -- more than many other local Chicago sports Web sites. ESPNChicago.com covers the market's seven professional teams and sports and nine colleges, and wants to expand to high schools.

The ESPN efforts challenge, in part, existing local Fox Sports channels. But the difference is that Fox fosters more of its efforts into traditional TV coverage, less so on the Internet.

The sites -- ESPNDallas.com, ESPNNewyork.com and ESPNLosangeles.com -- will roll out this fall, first with the Dallas site. New York and Los Angeles will be added in 2010.

ESPN already has local Web site media coverage from its radio station affiliates, which will help share some of the startup costs of the new digital areas. ESPN owns five major radio stations, including in the top three markets: New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. It has more than 350 affiliates.