A&E Touts Knievel via Online Game

A&E's game already has fans jumping to its site

A&E this week sends an e-mail blast to 800,000 online game enthusiasts inviting them to play the Knievel's Wild Ride Game on gaming site NStorm. An overlay for cable affiliate Cox Communications targets Cox subscribers separately.

The game has already 281,000 game plays since its soft launch on March 3, and 150,000 click-throughs from the game site to A&E's home page, where viewers can get more info on the show. The March 30 e-mail blast goes to registered players in NStorm's database. The Dallas-based game service collaborated with A&E on the effort. A&E's promotion agency, New York-based Civic Entertainment Group, handles.

The show—and the gaming campaign—are designed to draw younger viewers to A&E. Knievel's Wild Ride targets 18- to 25-year-olds; the show follows the exploits of Robbie Knievel, son of stunt motorcyclist Evel Knievel, as Robbie preps for his own stunt jumps. The show premieres April 5.

For more stories on games, contests & sweeps