New England Patriots owner sells ads on ESPN website

By Jenn Abelson, Globe Staff

The Kraft Sports Group, which owns the New England Patriots, is selling local advertising for the new ESPNBoston.com, a partnership that some media analysts say could create a conflict of interest.

ESPN has launched several new websites in markets, including Chicago and Boston, and has ones planned for Los Angeles, Dallas, and New York. In these other markets, ESPN is using its local radio sales force to sell regional advertising for the new websites. But ESPN does not have a local sales group in Boston, so the sports media company has teamed up with the Kraft Sports Group, which also owns the New England Revolution.

"They’re utilizing a sales force to provide to fill a void they didn’t have in this market place," said Stacey James, a spokesman for the Kraft Sports Group.

But some media analysts say the partnership could create a conflict of interest between the Patriots and ESPN, which televises some Sunday afternoon football games.

"It has to raise a conflict of interest. We’re supposed to be about transparency. How can you be transparent when you cut such a tight relationship between a media group and a team?" said Chris Cakebread, a Boston University professor who teaches advertising and sports marketing.

James said the partnership does not create any conflict and there are a number of examples where media entities partner with sports teams. He added that the Kraft Sports Group has agreements with sports radio WEEI and television station WBZ to help sell advertising inventory for its Patriots programming.

ESPN spokesman Paul Melvin spokesman said there are no concerns about a potential conflict of interest and "there is a very definitive wall between editorial and business."