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ESPN, Inc., The Worldwide Leader in Sports, is the leading multinational, multimedia sports entertainment company
featuring the broadest portfolio of multimedia sports assets with over 50 business entities. Based in Bristol, Conn., ESPN Plaza includes more than 700,000 square feet in more than a dozen buildings on 116 acres. The company is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc., an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. The Hearst Corporation holds a 20 percent interest in ESPN. President: George Bodenheimer, President, ESPN, Inc. and ABC Sports, and Co-Chairman Disney Media Networks, joined ESPN in 1981. Appointed President, ESPN, Inc. on November 9, 1998, he previously had been ESPN’s Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing.
Primary Business Entities |
| Television |
ESPN on ABC (Broadcast), six U.S. Cable Networks (four with high-definition simulcast services), Regional, Syndicated, Pay Subscription Packages, 45 International Networks |
| Radio |
ESPN Radio, ESPN Deportes Radio, syndicated radio in 11 international countries |
| Online |
ESPN.com, ESPNDeportes.com and more |
| Broadband |
ESPN360.com |
| Publishing |
ESPN The Magazine and other periodicals & ESPN Books |
| Emerging Technologies |
Interactive TV: ESPN My Vote, ESPN In-Game Extra and My Bottom Line |
| Wireless |
ESPN Mobile Properties, Scores, Headlines, Video Highlights, Games |
| Consumer Products |
CDs, DVDs, video games, apparel, merchandise |
| Event Management |
X Games, Winter X Games, BASS, ESPYs, bowl games and basketball events |
| ESPN Zones |
restaurant, games and shopping |
| Corporate Outreach |
Team ESPN, The V Foundation for Cancer Research and more |
Television
- ESPN on ABC (Broadcast)
- Six Domestic Cable Networks: ESPN (launched in 1979, ESPN HD launched in 2003); ESPN2 (1993, ESPN2 HD launched in 2005); ESPN Classic (purchased in 1997, focuses on great sports moments and stars of the past); all-sports news ESPNEWS (1996, ESPNEWS HD launched in 2008); Spanish-language ESPN Deportes (2004); ESPNU (2005, focuses on college sports, ESPNU HD launched in 2008)
- Regional & Syndicated programming via ESPN Regional Television, Pay Subscription Packages
- 45 International networks (see below for detail on ESPN International)
Key U.S. Programming
SportsCenter
- Debut: September 7, 1979, ESPN’s first and flagship show.
- Defining the genre, it offers breaking news, highlights, features and in-depth analysis from award-winning journalists. Viewership:averages 100 million viewers a month.
- Debuting in April 2009, the 1 a.m. ET SportsCenter is produced in the new Los Angeles Production Center.
Event, Studio & Original Programming
- NFL’s Monday Night Football; MLB; NBA (including The Finals on ABC); NASCAR, IndyCar and NHRA; college football (including the BCS starting in 2011); men's and women's college basketball, including the entire women’s basketball tournament; tennis, including all four Grand Slam events; golf, including the Masters and the Open Championship (British Open, coming 2010); FIFA World Cup; WNBA; Little League World Series; and more.
- Sport-specific studio shows such as Sunday NFL Countdown, NFL Primetime, Monday Night Countdown, College GameDay (football and basketball), Baseball Tonight and NASCAR Now.
Radio
ESPN Radio (1992), ESPN Deportes Radio (2005)
- ESPN Radio is heard on 750 affiliates. Major properties include weekday talk shows Mike & Mike in the Morning (simulcast on ESPN2), The Herd with Colin Cowherd (simulcast on ESPNU), and Tirico & Van Pelt. Major events series include Major League Baseball, NBA and the Bowl Championship Series.
- Spanish-language ESPN Deportes Radio is heard in major markets nationwide.
Online
ESPN.com (1995), ESPNRadio.com & digital audio, fantasy games, ESPNDeportes.com, ESPNSoccernet.com, Cricinfo.com, Scrum.com, Racing-Live.com, ScoreCenter
- More fans spent more time on ESPN.com than ever before in 2008, according to Nielsen NetRatings. Total Minutes per month were up 32 percent over 2007, and unique users per month were up 16 percent.
- In 2008, ESPN.com averaged more than 119 million video streams per month -- almost 50 percent of the total minutes for the sports category. ESPN launched additional video podcasts and saw a 500% increase in video downloads.
- In 2008, ESPNRadio.com listeners (including webcam "watchers") consumed an estimated 100 million hours of radio and podcast content (according to Ando Media Web Metrics), and unique visitors were up 20%. ESPN podcasts saw a year-to-year increase of more than 66 percent.
- In 2008, participation in ESPN Fantasy Football grew 30% and ESPN Fantasy Baseball grew 33% (12X growth since launching a free league manager game in 2006). The site launched free “league manager”-style versions of basketball and hockey, leading to 11X growth and 10X growth in participation, respectively.
Broadband
ESPN360.com (Broadband, 2001, renamed ESPN360 in 2005, relaunched as live event service in 2007)
- In 2008, ESPN360.com delivered more than 3,000 live events. Distribution grew to 24 million homes, up 40 percent and more than triple 2006. Users climbed 297 percent, logging more than eight million hours. More than 40 deals were completed that were either for or included ESPN360.com, including MLB, SEC football and basketball, US Open tennis, The Masters, plus top international soccer, rugby and cricket. In 2008 it was made available at no cost to 18 million U.S. college students and U.S.-based military personnel (those with “.edu” and “.mil” domains).
ESPN International
- Formed in 1998, ESPN International spans over 190 countries and territories on all seven continents and includes television (45 networks in 16 languages, with over 200 million subscribers), wireless, interactive, print, radio, broadband, event management and consumer products.
- In addition to marquee U.S. sports (NFL, MLB, NBA, NASCAR, IRL, all four of golf’s and tennis’ Grand Slam events) and major international events (UEFA Champions league and other top soccer, cricket and more), there are 13 local versions of SportsCenter outside of the U.S. serving viewers in eight languages -- Spanish, Portuguese, English, French, Hindi, Cantonese, Mandarin and Japanese.
- ESPN360.com is offered in Europe, Mexico, Brazil and Chile. In print, ESPN La Revista covers sports in Mexico. ESPN International Radio began syndicating branded content in 2000 and now reaches 11 countries.
Publishing
- ESPN The Magazine celebrated its 10th anniversary with another rate base increase (to 2.0 million) and extraordinary growth in its style/fashion advertising category – 78%. The bi-weekly was launched in 1998.
- ESPN Books launched in 2004, released nine titles in 2008, and agreed with Ballantine Books to publish 10-12 a year.
Interactive TV
- ESPN has worked with affiliates in the interactive space since 2001. In 2009, ESPN will debut three new iTV products – ESPN My Vote, ESPN In-Game Extra and My Bottom Line.
Wireless
ESPN Mobile Properties (1995), ESPN Mobile TV (2007)
- ESPN Mobile Products offers content across wireless devices, including the industry's most-trafficked sports wireless site (WAP); ESPN MVP, with scores, news and video; more than 100 daily on-demand video and audio clips; live video and audio; games; messaging-based alerts; and more. ESPN content is available through licensing agreements with every major domestic wireless carrier and in more than 35 countries internationally.
- ESPN Mobile TV, ESPN’s first 24/7 channel for wireless is available on MediaFLO USA and MobiTV and offers a selection of live events; comprehensive and breaking news, commentary and analysis; and up-to-the-minute scores.
Consumer Products
Launched in 1992 under the ESPN Enterprises banner, includes CDs, DVDs, video games, apparel, merchandise. Is available in major retail outlets, at ESPN.com and ESPNShop.com and at ESPN Zone locations.
Event Management
ESPYs (launched in 1993), X Games (1995), Winter X Games (1997), International X Games, ESPN Outdoors & BASS (purchased in 2001), plus events operated by ESPN Regional Television (bowl games, basketball events and more).
ESPN Zones
Nine: Atlanta, Baltimore (the first, 1998), Chicago, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles – 2, New York, Washington, D.C.
Corporate Outreach
Team ESPN, The V Foundation for Cancer Research, ESPN Play Your Way fitness initiative, Cable in the Classroom
ESPN MILESTONES
Sept. 7, 1979 |
ESPN launches at 7 p.m. ET. |
April 1983 |
ESPN begins distributing programming internationally. |
April 30, 1984 |
ABC completes acquisition of ESPN from Getty Oil. Later, 20% is sold to Nabisco and that share is later bought by Hearst. |
January 1987 |
ESPN airs the America's Cup live from Australia; overwhelming response proves impact of cable. |
March 15, 1987 |
ESPN awarded NFL's first cable contract; begins fall '87. |
January 5, 1989 |
ESPN and Major League Baseball reach a four-year agreement to begin in 1990. |
March 31, 1989 |
ESPN International launches its first network, ESPN in Latin America. |
January 1, 1992 |
ESPN Radio launches. |
March 4, 1993 |
The first-ever ESPY Awards and the birth of The V Foundation. |
October 1, 1993 |
ESPN2 launches in 10 million homes. |
May 9, 1994 |
ESPN acquires Creative Sports (now ESPN Regional Television). |
April 1, 1995 |
ESPNET SportsZone (now ESPN.com) launches. |
February 9, 1996 |
The Walt Disney Company completes acquisition of Capital Cities/ABC, Inc. (which owns ESPN). |
November 1, 1996 |
ESPNEWS launches. |
October 9, 1997 |
ESPN, Inc. acquires Classic Sports Network (now ESPN Classic). |
March 11, 1998 |
ESPN The Magazine launches. |
July 11, 1998 |
First ESPN Zone, in Baltimore, opens. |
March 14, 2001 |
ESPN2 reaches 75 million homes faster than any other network -- 89 months. |
April 4, 2001 |
ESPN acquires BASS, Inc., the largest fishing organization in the world. |
October 22, 2001 |
ESPN secures an 11-year agreement to show the entire NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. |
January 22, 2002 |
ESPN reaches agreement for multimedia NBA coverage, becoming the first network to televise all four major professional sports-NFL, NHL, MLB, NBA. |
March 4, 2003 |
ESPN Classic Sport in France debuts. Later that year, ESPN Classic Sport launches in Italy. |
March 30, 2003 |
ESPN HD, a high-definition simulcast service of ESPN, launches. |
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January 7, 2004 |
ESPN Deportes, a 24-hour, Spanish language sports network, launches. |
June 7, 2004 |
ESPN’s state-of-the-art Digital Center opens. |
January 6, 2005 |
ESPN2 HD, a high-definition simulcast service of ESPN2, launches. |
March 4, 2005 |
ESPNU, a 24-hour network devoted to college sports, launches. |
April 18, 2005 |
ESPN acquires Monday Night Football for eight years, beginning in 2006. |
June 1, 2005 |
ESPN, along with the Discovery Channel, becomes the first network in cable television history to pass the 90-million subscriber mark in the U.S. |
Sept. 14, 2005 |
ESPN reaches agreement with Major League Baseball for eight years, through 2013. |
November 2, 2005 |
ESPN acquires rights for multiple Men’s and Women’s World Cups. |
December 7, 2005 |
ESPN announces eight-year agreement with NASCAR, 2007 - 2014. |
June 21, 2006 |
ESPN and the Big Ten Conference announce 10-year agreement. |
December 5, 2006 |
ESPN acquires NASN (now ESPN America), Europe’s only channel of North American sports. |
February 8, 2007 |
ESPN announces agreement for exclusive content for Verizon’s V Cast customers. |
February 8, 2007 |
ESPN announces that ESPN Mobile TV – its first channel on a wireless service – will be available on MediaFLO’s new mobile entertainment service. |
April 26, 2007 |
ESPN announces eight-year, multi-platform agreement with the Big 12. |
May 15, 2007 |
ESPN launches its first free, downloadable video podcast. |
May 23, 2007 |
The 14th international version of SportsCenter launches, serving Africa/Middle East. |
June 27, 2007 |
ESPN and NBA announce eight-year, multi-platform deal, the first for platforms yet to be invented. |
Sept. 1, 2007 |
ESPN360.com relaunches, focusing on live events, offering more than 3000 in 12 months. |
March 30, 2008 |
ESPNEWS HD, a high-definition simulcast service of ESPNEWS, launches. |
May 12, 2008 |
ESPN announces six-year, multiplatform agreement with USTA for US Open, bringing all four of tennis’ Grand Slam events to ESPN2 and ESPN360.com. |
August 25, 2008 |
ESPN announces unprecedented 15-year agreement the SEC, providing content for 16 outlets. |
August 28, 2008 |
ESPNU HD, a high-definition simulcast service of ESPNU, launches. |
Sept. 15, 2008 |
Monday Night Football (Phila.-Dallas) draws cable’s top audience – 12.953MM homes, (13.3 rating). |
November 13, 2008 |
ESPN reaches a wide-ranging, eight-year agreement to televise all four rounds of the Open Championship (British Open). |
November 18, 2008 |
ESPN announces a four-year, multiplatform agreement to televise 15 BCS games, including the national championship game in 2011, 2012 and 2013. |
December 29, 2008 |
In the fourth quarter, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Classic, ESPNEWS & ESPN Deportes, combine to reach a record 220 million Americans (76% of population, 92% of cable homes). Including ESPN on ABC, the number rises to a record 250 million Americans – 86% of the population. |
December 29, 2008 |
For the year, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Classic & ESPNEWS combine to average a record 1,139,000 homes (at any time, 24-hour basis). |
March 30, 2009 |
ESPN and ESPN2 each close their most-watched first quarter. The combined 24-hour audience for the four domestic ESPN networks is also a record. |
April 6, 2009 |
ESPN’s Los Angeles Production Center debuts as new home of weekday 1 a.m. ET SportsCenter. |
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