Tomlinson21
08-10-2006, 01:52 PM
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/richard_deitsch/08/10/media.circus/index.html
Worldwide leader expands
ABC Sports to become known as 'ESPN on ABC'
Posted: Thursday August 10, 2006 2:54PM; Updated: Thursday August 10, 2006 3:01PM
The name "ABC Sports" will be no longer come Sept. 2.
Jim McIsaac/Getty Images
The sports division that spanned the globe to give viewers a constant variety of sports and asked pigskin-crazed fans if they were ready for some football has a brand new name: ESPN on ABC. ESPN will become the overarching brand for all sports programming carried on the ABC Television Network beginning Saturday, Sept. 2 -- the debut of ABC's college football season. "This evolutionary step reflects the extraordinary relationship ESPN has with today's sports fans and the dynamic changes in how sports are consumed," said George Bodenheimer, President, ESPN, Inc. and ABC Sports and Co-Chairman, Disney Media Networks, in a statement. "ESPN has been infused with ABC Sports' history of innovation, and we are committed to building upon that legacy as we continue to serve fans and our partners more effectively through ESPN on ABC."
ESPN said the new approach will cover all of the sports programming on ABC, encompassing all aspects of the production effort including on-air look, graphics and branding. "It's going to be interesting news outside of the sports media industry," sports television consultant Neil Pilson, a former president of CBS Sports who runs his own consultancy firm and often works with ESPN. "It reflects the continued expansion of influence of ESPN. This is a company that not only has four 24/7 cable channels, plus it's online, Internet, mobile phone, you name it, they now will basically contract for and control 400 hours of network broadcast time. This isn't to say they don't already do it. But now they have are going to have this additional brand platform."
Today's announcement merely finalizes ESPN's current role with ABC Television. ESPN insiders have long referred to ABC Sports as either ESPN 3 or ESPN South and Bodenheimer carries the title of president of both ESPN and ABC Sports (NFL Network boss Steve Bornstein held the same title prior to Bodenheimer). The two are already linked in business: The ESPN ABC Sports Customer Marketing and Sales division markets and sells packages across the ESPN assets, a move initiated by ESPN executive vice president of content, John Skipper. The ESPN communications department has handled public relations for ABC Sports for the past year. Both the television industry and viewers are comfortable with the cross branding and cross promotion that exists between ABC and ESPN. ABC currently airs the NBA Finals, the Indianapolis 500 and in 2007 will carry all 10 races in the Chase for the Championship in 2007. That will not change with this announcement. Nor will current ESPN properties migrate to ABC.
Worldwide leader expands
ABC Sports to become known as 'ESPN on ABC'
Posted: Thursday August 10, 2006 2:54PM; Updated: Thursday August 10, 2006 3:01PM
The name "ABC Sports" will be no longer come Sept. 2.
Jim McIsaac/Getty Images
The sports division that spanned the globe to give viewers a constant variety of sports and asked pigskin-crazed fans if they were ready for some football has a brand new name: ESPN on ABC. ESPN will become the overarching brand for all sports programming carried on the ABC Television Network beginning Saturday, Sept. 2 -- the debut of ABC's college football season. "This evolutionary step reflects the extraordinary relationship ESPN has with today's sports fans and the dynamic changes in how sports are consumed," said George Bodenheimer, President, ESPN, Inc. and ABC Sports and Co-Chairman, Disney Media Networks, in a statement. "ESPN has been infused with ABC Sports' history of innovation, and we are committed to building upon that legacy as we continue to serve fans and our partners more effectively through ESPN on ABC."
ESPN said the new approach will cover all of the sports programming on ABC, encompassing all aspects of the production effort including on-air look, graphics and branding. "It's going to be interesting news outside of the sports media industry," sports television consultant Neil Pilson, a former president of CBS Sports who runs his own consultancy firm and often works with ESPN. "It reflects the continued expansion of influence of ESPN. This is a company that not only has four 24/7 cable channels, plus it's online, Internet, mobile phone, you name it, they now will basically contract for and control 400 hours of network broadcast time. This isn't to say they don't already do it. But now they have are going to have this additional brand platform."
Today's announcement merely finalizes ESPN's current role with ABC Television. ESPN insiders have long referred to ABC Sports as either ESPN 3 or ESPN South and Bodenheimer carries the title of president of both ESPN and ABC Sports (NFL Network boss Steve Bornstein held the same title prior to Bodenheimer). The two are already linked in business: The ESPN ABC Sports Customer Marketing and Sales division markets and sells packages across the ESPN assets, a move initiated by ESPN executive vice president of content, John Skipper. The ESPN communications department has handled public relations for ABC Sports for the past year. Both the television industry and viewers are comfortable with the cross branding and cross promotion that exists between ABC and ESPN. ABC currently airs the NBA Finals, the Indianapolis 500 and in 2007 will carry all 10 races in the Chase for the Championship in 2007. That will not change with this announcement. Nor will current ESPN properties migrate to ABC.