Innovative Apple webpage ads have gotten lots of press in past (see below). Hopefully, ESPN will get some of that Apple sheen to rub off with this latest ad that takes over elements on the page.

Apple’s newest online ad has a pretty cool media placement — something that we’re starting to see more and more. Its agency, TBWA/Media Arts Lab, created an iPhone ad for Yahoo Games, where the iPhone action — in this case, gameplay — begins to move all the elements on the page.

1. Simplified navigation and layout
2. Fewer, less intrusive advertisements
3. A new scoreboard with live, auto updates
4. More accessible with less Flash
5. Lighter page weight and better performance
6. Personalized scores, headlines, and navigation

• ESPN.COM is counting on less clutter and more advertising options to bolster revenue…Instead of inundating visitors with its intense coverage of every major sport from the get-go, something that the company now believes can drive away certain fans, ESPN.com is moving in a less-is-more direction, at least on the home page — NY Times
• The redesign brings a cleaner user experience, something I love, and also more naturally brings ESPN’s video content to users, another plus — FanSection
• Nice. Very nice…much cleaner and more efficient…pleasantly shocked…looks so friggin’ great…the scoreboard, columns, top stories, many of the same elements but simply improved — Small White Ball
• I have spoken glowingly about ESPN and ESPN.com previously - I don’t feel bad being sour about ESPN Beta… too much like a magazine and too little like a sports site — Ryan Spoon (founder of beRecruited)
• a wider, more prominent video player… tons of links to additional videos…site’s background is a darker hue of red…featured columnists are promoted with larger modules…soliciting user feedback — PaidContent
• the revamp will be video-centric, including a larger video player and a new navigational scheme — Paid Content interview with John Skipper (ESPN EVP Content)
• the principal change isn’t a surprise: a greater emphasis on video — MediaDailyNews
• they have done away with banner ads on the home page — Louis Gray
• The new look goes live in a month or so — Steve Clancy
• the site is substantially better looking…not sure that the new look brings much more than just that, a new, fresh look — Cheap Seats
• At first glance, the site is aesthetically pleasing… [but] it’s really hard to find any of the “breaking news” content you might be looking for — AwfulAnnouncing