ESPN

Compe actu totallyy Culture and environs When employees arrive to work at their Bristol, Connecticut Headquarters, they be greeted scooply by a sm alto agitateher, unassuming sign that says, Welcome to ESPN. In a figure and understated way, this sign is representative of the close that pervades finished turn out the organization. Simply stated, ESPN, the bon ton is about the rooters and the sports, not ESPN. This statement offers a preview of sorts to a culture at ESPN that unfeignedly goes the extra mile in emphasizing node satisfaction by offering its programming thru state-of the art program offerings thru double conduct.A punctuate promise sums up the essence and meaning of a taint and how the score connects to its consumers. ESPNs promise of delivering Sports, with Authority and Personality, clearly outlines what they do, how they do it and what differentiates them from their competition. With attentiveness to Sports, ESPN connects to its fans with m eith er(prenominal) platforms, including multiple tv set and piano tuner programs, internet applications including television online, restaurants, and numerous restless applications.In doing so ESPN strives to invariablely deliver unmatched select that is strengthened by leadership and innovation. As an Authority in sports programming, ESPN emphasizes integrity, genuineness and expertise that is unparalleled in the industry. Regarding Personality, ESPN emphasizes throughout its organization, the effective use of humor, heat and community by expressing their affinity for its fans regardless of origin.While the defect promise of ESPN is certainly evident throughout all of its programming through all of its lecture distribution assembly lines, it is its hiring practices that appear to outpouring the well-nigh obvious credence to the company keep up to this promise. From its inception ESPN maintained a policy of hiring employees that were/ atomic number 18 root and foremost sp orts fanatics. ESPN saw sees this as a critical factor in having its employees pageantry the level of enthusiasm and k directledge that it complimentsed to promote and display its brand promise.They also see this as an equalizer of sorts whereby eery angiotensin-converting enzyme who views ESPN, regardless of race, contort education could continue with unity an some early(a). Anthony Smith, a management consultant who has worked with ESPN for all over 20 stratums and author of ESPN The Company, sums up the environment and culture at ESPN best when he wrote I hobo think of few some separate companies that do as good a job of creating an atmosphere of period of play and excitement for its stack and its customers maybe Southwest Airlines in the airline industry, Starbucks in the consumer goods space, or Apple and Google in high-technical school. hardly its hard to surpass ESPN. (Smith, P. xxiii, ESPN The Company. ) This information, combine with information gathered through direct conversations with ESPN Marketing employees would strongly bespeak that ESPN has make an outstanding job of entrenching its brand promise both internally amongst its work-force and externally through its broadly scoped programming. From an internal branding perspective ESPN appears to countenance achieved what all companies strive for to entrench its vision and culture that pervades throughout every intimacy it does.Espn association Case ESPN The Evolution of an Entertainment shop In the 2004 movie lynchpin character Ron Burgundy ( Will Ferrell) auditions for a localization on SportsCenter with the very saucy and lit-tle kn give birth engagement, ESPN ( Entertainment and Sports Programming Network). The division was 1979. After pronouncing the name of the net Espen, he then is shocked to key out out that ESPN is a round- the- quantify sports meshwork. Through his laughter, he asserts that the concept is as ridiculous as a 24- hour cooking network or an a ll- music channel. Seriously, he shouts. This thing is going to be a pecuniary and cultural disaster. SportsCenter . . . thats upright dumb While this comical skeleton is fictitious, when a young college graduate named George Bodenheimer took a job in the mailroom at ESPN it 1981, it was for real. Today, Mr. Bodenheimer is president of the network that has arrest one of the largegest franchises in sports, not to commendation one of the most winning and envied brands in the entertainment world. As a dividing line network, ESPN commands $ 2. 91 from ware line operators for each subscriber every month. oppose that to $ 1. 7 for Fox Sports, 89 cents for TNT, and save 40 cents for CNN. The core ESPN channel alone is currently in to a greater extent than 96 one thousand billion homes. With that engaging of premium power, its no wonder that ESPN shocked the world in 2006 by becoming the low gear cable network to land the coveted TV contract for Monday night cadence Foo tball, which went on to become the highest rated cable serial publication ever. But point with its threesome sib channels ( ESPN2, ESPNEWS, and ESPN Classic), the ESPN cable network is only one found of a bigger brand dumbfound that has become Bodenheimers $ 6 billion sports empire.Through very savvy strategical planning, Bodenheimer is realizing his vision of taking spirit sports sum across the widest possible sight of media assets to remove sports fans wherever they may be. Employing a hands- off management style, Bodenheimer has cultured a brand that is brash, tech savvy, cre-ative, and innovative. He tells employees that ESPN belongs to all of them. He gives them the granting immunity to come up with their declare persuasions and push them forward. His only rule is that every juvenile ideaand push them forward.His only rule is that every naked idea must focus on fulfilling ESPNs mission of reaching sports fans and fashioning them happy. In the process, ESPN has become as recog-nized and revered by its customers as new(prenominal) megabrands such as Tide, Nike, and Coca- cola are to theirs. Bodenheimers career- spanning dedication has large ESPN to well over 50 businesses. The all- sports network has become a truly multiplatform brand, a rarity for any TV network. This emersion has given ESPN awed reach. ESPN. com alone reaches 22. 4 million viewing audience a week.But blush more stunning is the fact that during any seven- day period, 120 million lot ages 12 to 64 act with some ESPN medium. Heres a rundown of ESPNs portfolio of brands tv set ESPN has sprawled into six cable channels and other TV divisions that give it both a local ( ESPN Regional Television) and ball-shaped ( ESPN International and ESPN Deportes) presence. It was one of the outgrowth networks to break new ground in HDTV with simulcast service for ESPN and ESPN2 and it mum maintains the most HD programming mental object and highest level of HD viewership in sp orts.Cable operators and viewers akin consistently rank ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Classic preceding(prenominal) all other channels with respect to perceived value and programming quality. But perhaps one of the most innovative moves in all of tel-evision sports occurred in 2003, when ESPN theme was inte-grated into its sibling network first principle. ESPN on rudiment is now the home for the NBA Finals, NASCAR, NCAA football, NCAA bas-ketball, World cupful Soccer, British Open, and the IndyCar Series. Although ESPN has numerous cable channel brands, one program stands out as a brand in its own right. SportsCenter was ESPNs premier program.And with as galore(postnominal) as 93 million view-ers each month, it trunk the networks flagship studio show. SportsCenter is the only nightly, full- hour sports news program. And whereas, in the past, ESPN has re imbue taped episodes of SportsCenter during the day, a new schedule incorporating nine straight person hours of live SportsCenter e veryday from 6 a. m. to 3 p. m. will begin in the lapse of 2008. Outside the United States, ESPN affectation 14 local versions of SportsCenter broadcast in eight languages. Radio Whereas numerous radio formats are suffering, sports radio is thriving.And ESPN Radio is the nations largest sports radio network with 750 U. S. affiliates and more than 335 full- time stations. In addition to college and major alliance sports events, the network broadcasts syndicated sports talk shows, providing more than 9,000 hours of gist annually. Publishing ESPN The time launched in 1998 and immedi-ately began carving out trade share with its bold look, bright col-ors, and maverick type, a combination consistent with its subject area. With the dominance of Sports Illustrated, many didnt give ESPNs magazine enture some(prenominal) of a chance. Within its first year, ESPN The Magazine was circulating 800,000 copies. Today, that number has ballooned two- and- a- half(prenominal) times to 2 mi llion, whereas Sports Illustrated has remained at a stagnant 3. 3 million. At the say(prenominal) time, ESPN is making headway into one of the oldest of all media books. Although ESPN Books is still postponement for a megaseller, because of the cross- trade opportunities with the other arms of ESPN, this teeny-weeny division has have-able marketing clout in a try industry. If they didnt have the TV stuff and everything else, theyd be as hard-pressed as other publishers to make these books into major events, said turn Wolff, executive editor at Warner Books. Internet ESPN. com is the leading sports tissue site, and ESPNRadio. com is the most listened to online sports destination, boasting live float and 32 original podcasts each week. But the rising star in ESPNs online portfolio is ESPN360. com, a subscription- based broadband offering that delivers high-quality, customized, on- demand image content.Not only can fans access content carried on ESPNs other networks, prec isely they also get exclusive content and sports video games. For the true up sports fan, theres nothing similar it it allows viewers to watch up to six different events at the same time choosing from live events for all major professional and college sports. Since ESPN360. com began service in 2006, this broadband effort has two-fold its distribution and now reaches 20 million homes. Beyond working through its own entanglement sites, ESPN is exploring the limits of the Internet through an open distribu-tion venture with AOL.By providing ESPN content via a branded ESPN video pseudo in AOLs portal, viewers have more access to ESPNs content. But advertisers also earn from a larger online audience than ever before. meandering(a) In 2005, ESPN ventured in to one of its trickiest and riskiest brand extensions to date. industrious ESPN was designed as ESPNs own cell send for network, putting content into sports fans pockets 24/ 7. But aft(prenominal) a year, the venture was off the beaten track(predicate) from rift even and ESPN shut it down. However, even though Mobile ESPN is down, its not out.ESPN has capitalized on the lessons learned and started over with a different strategy. Today, ESPN provides real- time scores, stats, news, highlights, and even programming through every major U. S. carrier, with premium content getable through Verizon Wireless and Qualcomm. Mobile ESPN also reaches an international audience of diligent customers through more than 35 international carriers. ESPNs mission with its mobile venture is to serve the sports fan any time, anywhere, and from any device. In fall 2007, it reached a major milestone in that goal when more nation sought NFL content from its mobile- phone Web site than from its PC Web site. Were having erratic growth on ESPN. coms NFL pages, but were also seeing extraordinary usage with mobile devices as well, said Ed Erhardt, president of ESPN Sports customer marketing and sales. Mr. Erhardt sees great potential in mobile, saying that it is a big break down of the afterlife as it relates to how fans are going to consume sports. Bodehnheimer and his group see no limit to how far they can take the ESPN brand. In addition to the above ventures, ESPN extends its reach through event management ( X Games, Winter X Games, ESPN Outdoors & Bass), consumer point of intersections ( CDs, DVDs, ESPN tv Games, ESPN Golf Schools), and even a chain of ESPN Zone restaurants and SportsCenter Studio stores. ESPN content is now reaching viewers through agencies that place it in airports and on planes, in health clubs, and even in gas stations. Now youre not going to be bored when you fill up your tank.It gives new meaning to pulling into a full- service station, says Bodenheimer. Ive been on flights where people are watching our content and dont want to get off the flight. A all-powerful media brand results not only in direct revenues from change products but also in advertise revenues. denote accounts for about 40 share of ESPNs overall revenues. With so many ways to reach the customer, ESPN offers very creative and flexible package deals for any marketer trying to reach the cov-eted and illusive 18 34 year old male demographic. zilch attracts more men than we do, asserts Bodenheimer. Weve got a product and we know how to cater to advertisers needs. The merchandising opportunities we provide, whether its work-ing with Home Depot, Wal- Mart, or son of a bitchs Sporting Goods, we want to partner if you want young men. As amazing as the ESPN brand portfolio is, it is even more amazing when you consider that it is part of the mammoth ABC portfolio, which in turn is a part of The Walt Disney Company portfolio.However, it is no small piece of the Disney pie. ESPN revenues alone accounted for about 18 percent of Disneys bestow in 2007. Since obtaining ESPN as part of the 1995 ABC acquisi-tion, because ESPN has delivered on the numbers, Disney has allowed ESPN to d o fair much whatever it wants to do. Just a few years aft(prenominal) the acquisition, Disneys then- CEO Michael Eisner told investors, We bought ABC media network and ESPN for $ 19 billion in 1995. ESPN is worth substantially more than we pay for the entire acquisition. And Disney leverages that value every way that it can, from Mouse House advertising package deals to conditionally attaching its cable channels to the ESPN networks through cable operators. Questions for sermon 1. In a concise manner, describe what the ESPN brand means to consumers. 2. What is ESPN selling? Discuss this in damage of the core bene-fit, actual product, and augmented product levels of ESPN. 3. Does ESPN have strong brand equity? How does its brand equity relate to its brand value? . reference point as many examples as you can of co- branding efforts involving the ESPN brand. For each of these cases, what are the benefits and possible risks to ESPN? 5. Analyze EPSN according to the brand developme nt strategies from the text. What have they done in the past? What would you recommend to ESPN for future brand development? Sources Alice Cuneo, to a greater extent Football Fans Hit ESPNs Mobile Site Than Its PC Pages, denote Age, January 7, 2008, p. 7 Mike Shields, ESPN, AOL Strike Web Video Deal, Brandweek, April 8, 2008, accessed online at www. brandweek. com Andrew Hampp, ESPN Makes bug out to Major League, Advertising Age, May 14, 2007, p. 32 Ronald Grover, Comcasts C- TV Channeling Disney, BusinessWeek. com, declination 1, 2006 Jeffrey Trachtenberg, ESPNs Next Hurdle marketing Its Audience on Books, besiege Street Journal, February 13, 2007 Jason Brown, Out- of- Home TV Ads at last Coming of Age, Television Week, January 28, 2008, p. 12 also see www. espnmediazone. com.EspnCOMPANY Case ESPN The Evolution of an Entertainment Brand In the 2004 movie Anchorman character Ron Burgundy ( Will Ferrell) auditions for a position on SportsCenter with the very new and lit-t le known network, ESPN ( Entertainment and Sports Programming Network). The year was 1979. After pronouncing the name of the network Espen, he then is shocked to find out that ESPN is a round- the- clock sports network. Through his laughter, he asserts that the concept is as ridiculous as a 24- hour cooking network or an all- music channel. Seriously, he shouts. This thing is going to be a financial and cultural disaster. SportsCenter . . . thats just dumb While this comical sketch is fictitious, when a young college graduate named George Bodenheimer took a job in the mailroom at ESPN it 1981, it was for real. Today, Mr. Bodenheimer is president of the network that has become one of the biggest franchises in sports, not to mention one of the most successful and envied brands in the entertainment world. As a cable network, ESPN commands $ 2. 91 from cable operators for each subscriber every month. Compare that to $ 1. 7 for Fox Sports, 89 cents for TNT, and only 40 cents for CNN. The core ESPN channel alone is currently in more than 96 million homes. With that kind of premium power, its no wonder that ESPN shocked the world in 2006 by becoming the first cable network to land the coveted TV contract for Monday Night Football, which went on to become the highest rated cable series ever. But even with its three sibling channels ( ESPN2, ESPNEWS, and ESPN Classic), the ESPN cable network is only one piece of a bigger brand puzzle that has become Bodenheimers $ 6 billion sports empire.Through very savvy strategic planning, Bodenheimer is realizing his vision of taking quality sports content across the widest possible collection of media assets to reach sports fans wherever they may be. Employing a hands- off management style, Bodenheimer has cultivated a brand that is brash, tech savvy, cre-ative, and innovative. He tells employees that ESPN belongs to all of them. He gives them the freedom to come up with their own ideas and push them forward. His only rule is t hat every new ideaand push them forward.His only rule is that every new idea must focus on fulfilling ESPNs mission of reaching sports fans and making them happy. In the process, ESPN has become as recog-nized and revered by its customers as other megabrands such as Tide, Nike, and Coca- Cola are to theirs. Bodenheimers career- spanning dedication has grown ESPN to well over 50 businesses. The all- sports network has become a truly multiplatform brand, a rarity for any TV network. This growth has given ESPN tremendous reach. ESPN. com alone reaches 22. 4 million viewers a week.But even more stunning is the fact that during any seven- day period, 120 million people ages 12 to 64 interact with some ESPN medium. Heres a rundown of ESPNs portfolio of brands Television ESPN has sprawled into six cable channels and other TV divisions that give it both a local ( ESPN Regional Television) and global ( ESPN International and ESPN Deportes) presence. It was one of the first networks to break new ground in HDTV with simulcast service for ESPN and ESPN2 and it still maintains the most HD programming content and highest level of HD viewership in sports.Cable operators and viewers alike consistently rank ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Classic above all other channels with respect to perceived value and programming quality. But perhaps one of the most innovative moves in all of tel-evision sports occurred in 2003, when ESPN content was inte-grated into its sibling network ABC. ESPN on ABC is now the home for the NBA Finals, NASCAR, NCAA football, NCAA bas-ketball, World Cup Soccer, British Open, and the IndyCar Series. Although ESPN has numerous cable channel brands, one program stands out as a brand in its own right. SportsCenter was ESPNs first program.And with as many as 93 million view-ers each month, it remains the networks flagship studio show. SportsCenter is the only nightly, full- hour sports news program. And whereas, in the past, ESPN has rebroadcast taped episodes of Sport sCenter during the day, a new schedule incorporating nine straight hours of live SportsCenter everyday from 6 a. m. to 3 p. m. will begin in the fall of 2008. Outside the United States, ESPN airs 14 local versions of SportsCenter broadcast in eight languages. Radio Whereas many radio formats are suffering, sports radio is thriving.And ESPN Radio is the nations largest sports radio network with 750 U. S. affiliates and more than 335 full- time stations. In addition to college and major league sports events, the network broadcasts syndicated sports talk shows, providing more than 9,000 hours of content annually. Publishing ESPN The Magazine launched in 1998 and immedi-ately began carving out market share with its bold look, bright col-ors, and unconventional type, a combination consistent with its content. With the dominance of Sports Illustrated, many didnt give ESPNs magazine enture much of a chance. Within its first year, ESPN The Magazine was circulating 800,000 copies. Today, tha t number has ballooned two- and- a- half times to 2 million, whereas Sports Illustrated has remained at a stagnant 3. 3 million. At the same time, ESPN is making headway into one of the oldest of all media books. Although ESPN Books is still waiting for a megaseller, because of the cross- marketing opportunities with the other arms of ESPN, this small division has consider-able marketing clout in a struggling industry. If they didnt have the TV stuff and everything else, theyd be as hard-pressed as other publishers to make these books into major events, said Rick Wolff, executive editor at Warner Books. Internet ESPN. com is the leading sports Web site, and ESPNRadio. com is the most listened to online sports destination, boasting live streaming and 32 original podcasts each week. But the rising star in ESPNs online portfolio is ESPN360. com, a subscription- based broadband offering that delivers high-quality, customized, on- demand video content.Not only can fans access content car ried on ESPNs other networks, but they also get exclusive content and sports video games. For the true sports fan, theres nothing like it it allows viewers to watch up to six different events at the same time choosing from live events for all major professional and college sports. Since ESPN360. com began service in 2006, this broadband effort has doubled its distribution and now reaches 20 million homes. Beyond working through its own Web sites, ESPN is exploring the limits of the Internet through an open distribu-tion venture with AOL.By providing ESPN content via a branded ESPN video player in AOLs portal, viewers have more access to ESPNs content. But advertisers also benefit from a larger online audience than ever before. Mobile In 2005, ESPN ventured in to one of its trickiest and riskiest brand extensions to date. Mobile ESPN was designed as ESPNs own cell phone network, putting content into sports fans pockets 24/ 7. But after a year, the venture was far from breaking even a nd ESPN shut it down. However, even though Mobile ESPN is down, its not out.ESPN has capitalized on the lessons learned and started over with a different strategy. Today, ESPN provides real- time scores, stats, news, highlights, and even programming through every major U. S. carrier, with premium content available through Verizon Wireless and Qualcomm. Mobile ESPN also reaches an international audience of mobile customers through more than 35 international carriers. ESPNs mission with its mobile venture is to serve the sports fan any time, anywhere, and from any device. In fall 2007, it reached a major milestone in that goal when more people sought NFL content from its mobile- phone Web site than from its PC Web site. Were having extraordinary growth on ESPN. coms NFL pages, but were also seeing extraordinary usage with mobile devices as well, said Ed Erhardt, president of ESPN Sports customer marketing and sales. Mr. Erhardt sees great potential in mobile, saying that it is a bi g part of the future as it relates to how fans are going to consume sports. Bodehnheimer and his team see no limit to how far they can take the ESPN brand. In addition to the above ventures, ESPN extends its reach through event management ( X Games, Winter X Games, ESPN Outdoors & Bass), consumer products ( CDs, DVDs, ESPN Video Games, ESPN Golf Schools), and even a chain of ESPN Zone restaurants and SportsCenter Studio stores. ESPN content is now reaching viewers through agencies that place it in airports and on planes, in health clubs, and even in gas stations. Now youre not going to be bored when you fill up your tank.It gives new meaning to pulling into a full- service station, says Bodenheimer. Ive been on flights where people are watching our content and dont want to get off the flight. A powerful media brand results not only in direct revenues from selling products but also in advertising revenues. Advertising accounts for about 40 percent of ESPNs overall revenues. With s o many ways to reach the customer, ESPN offers very creative and flexible package deals for any marketer trying to reach the cov-eted and illusive 18 34 year old male demographic. Nobody attracts more men than we do, asserts Bodenheimer. Weve got a product and we know how to cater to advertisers needs. The merchandising opportunities we provide, whether its work-ing with Home Depot, Wal- Mart, or Dicks Sporting Goods, we want to partner if you want young men. As amazing as the ESPN brand portfolio is, it is even more amazing when you consider that it is part of the mammoth ABC portfolio, which in turn is a part of The Walt Disney Company portfolio.However, it is no small piece of the Disney pie. ESPN revenues alone accounted for about 18 percent of Disneys total in 2007. Since obtaining ESPN as part of the 1995 ABC acquisi-tion, because ESPN has delivered on the numbers, Disney has allowed ESPN to do pretty much whatever it wants to do. Just a few years after the acquisition, Disn eys then- CEO Michael Eisner told investors, We bought ABC media network and ESPN for $ 19 billion in 1995. ESPN is worth substantially more than we paid for the entire acquisition. And Disney leverages that value every way that it can, from Mouse House advertising package deals to conditionally attaching its cable channels to the ESPN networks through cable operators. Questions for Discussion 1. In a succinct manner, describe what the ESPN brand means to consumers. 2. What is ESPN selling? Discuss this in terms of the core bene-fit, actual product, and augmented product levels of ESPN. 3. Does ESPN have strong brand equity? How does its brand equity relate to its brand value? . Cite as many examples as you can of co- branding efforts involving the ESPN brand. For each of these cases, what are the benefits and possible risks to ESPN? 5. Analyze EPSN according to the brand development strategies from the text. What have they done in the past? What would you recommend to ESPN for fut ure brand development? Sources Alice Cuneo, More Football Fans Hit ESPNs Mobile Site Than Its PC Pages, Advertising Age, January 7, 2008, p. 7 Mike Shields, ESPN, AOL Strike Web Video Deal, Brandweek, April 8, 2008, accessed online at www. brandweek. com Andrew Hampp, ESPN Makes Jump to Major League, Advertising Age, May 14, 2007, p. 32 Ronald Grover, Comcasts C- TV Channeling Disney, BusinessWeek. com, December 1, 2006 Jeffrey Trachtenberg, ESPNs Next Hurdle Selling Its Audience on Books, Wall Street Journal, February 13, 2007 Jason Brown, Out- of- Home TV Ads Finally Coming of Age, Television Week, January 28, 2008, p. 12 also see www. espnmediazone. com.