The Undefeated, ESPN’s multiplatform initiative focusing on the intersections of sports, race and culture, is teaming with SurveyMonkey for a national online survey to determine the 50 greatest black athletes. The online survey was conducted by SurveyMonkey, the world’s leading online survey platform.

The survey will culminate in a five-week series on www.TheUndefeated.com counting down the athletes from 50 to one in groups of 10 each week beginning mid-July. The series will combine text, digital illustrations and video elements, and be shared across ESPN platforms and on social media.

“We are excited to collaborate with SurveyMonkey on this 50 Greatest Black Athletes list that is sure to stimulate lots of debates,” said Kevin Merida, ESPN senior vice president and editor-in-chief of The Undefeated. “We hope to generate a new conversation about what it means to be great in sports.”

“SurveyMonkey’s skill is powering conversations at scale, and we are thrilled to partner with The Undefeated on this initiative,” said Jon Cohen, Chief Research Officer, SurveyMonkey, “The criteria people use to evaluate the best of anything, whether it’s sports or products, is evolving. It’s not enough to be a skilled athlete or the highest paid athlete, there is a demand for more.”

The 50 Greatest Black Athletes is the first in a series of interactive and discourse-driven content initiatives from The Undefeated, which turned one today.

SurveyMonkey polled nearly 20,000 American adults about the attributes that make athletes great, and asked people to rate a randomly selected group of 200 athletes on overall dominance, impact on society, and inspirational resonance. The results are representative of U.S. adults nationally.

Athletes ranked numbers 60 to 51 in The Undefeated-SurveyMonkey 50 Greatest Black Athletes poll:

• 60: Floyd Mayweather Jr.
• 59: Randy Moss
• 58: Kobe Bryant
• 57: Scottie Pippen
• 56: Moses Malone
• 55: Dominique Wilkins
• 54: Russell Westbrook
• 53: Walt Frazier
• 52: Evander Holyfield
• 51: Kevin Durant

The Undefeated is ESPN’s multiplatform content initiative exploring the intersections of sports, race and culture. The digital hub, TheUndefeated.com, combines innovative long-form and short-form storytelling, investigation, original reporting and provocative commentary to enlighten and entertain African Americans, as well as sports fans seeking a deeper understanding of black athletes, culture and related issues.

In addition to its cutting-edge content, The Undefeated seeks to be a thought-leader on race, sports and culture in the country – convening insightful forums to discuss and debate topical issues affecting sports and race in America.

About SurveyMonkey

SurveyMonkey is the world’s leading online survey platform, with more than 3 million survey responses every day. SurveyMonkey has revolutionized the way people give and take feedback, making it accessible, easy and affordable for everyone. The company was founded in 1999 with a focus on helping people make better decisions, and has built technology based on over 15 years of experience in survey methodology and web development. Customers include 99% of the Fortune 500, academic institutions, organizations and neighborhood soccer leagues everywhere. The company has over 650 employees throughout North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific, with headquarters in San Mateo, CA. For more information, visit www.surveymonkey.com.

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