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| A line of ESPN-branded apparel is available at ESPN Zones, Disney Stores and ESPN.com online. | |
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Emmitt Smith of the Dallas Cowboys heads for the goal line on ESPN’s Sunday Night Football. ESPN and ESPN2 televised 30 games of last year’s Women’s World Cup soccer tournament.The title match on ABC was the most-watched soccer event ever on U.S. TV. |
ESPN celebrated its 20th anniversary in 1999, and what began as the first-ever 24-hour sports network has become one of the most recognizable brands in the world. Today, ESPN provides the broadest and most effective multimedia platform in sports, syndication, radio, Internet, print, retail and location-based dining and entertainment ventures.
ESPN reaches 77 million homes; ESPN 2, 67 million; ESPNEWS, 14 million; and ESPN Classic -- which has doubled its distribution since its purchase by ESPN in 1997 -- reaches 20 million homes. Two digital networks debuted: ESPN Extra for pay-per-view events and ESPN Now, an information channel with TV sports listings, news and promotional spots.
ESPN’s NFL telecasts, Sunday Night Football, drew increased viewership and remain the most-watched series on cable. Other marquee programming includes the NHL’s Stanley Cup playoffs, Major League Baseball playoffs and women’s World Cup Soccer. The coverage of the women’s World Cup soccer tournament drew strong ratings on ESPN and ESPN2, which promoted the final game to be shown on ABC. The broadcast of the dramatic championship match went on to become the most-watched soccer event ever on American television. And, right after the game, the victorious team members announced, “We’re going to Disneyland!”
ESPN and ABC Sports broke new ground in the marketplace by recently merging their sales staffs to offer advertisers and marketers depth and flexibility in creating innovative packages across their many sports properties and media.
ESPN The Magazine has nearly tripled its circulation since its launch in 1998. This award-winning magazine has a circulation of 850,000 and is expected to reach the one million mark this January. ESPN Radio is now the largest sports radio network on the air. ESPN Radio carries the World Series and is also the national radio home of the NBA. Last year, it added The Dan Patrick Show to its line-up.
ESPN International is one of the world’s largest distributors of sports programming, with ESPN-branded sportscasting reaching more than 150 countries in 21 languages.
DISNEY CHANNEL
Disney Channel, which features programming for kids and families, added 17 million homes to its audience last year and now reaches a total of 59 million homes in the U.S. One of the fastest growing cable networks, Disney Channel consistently ranks among the top five basic cable outlets in primetime ratings.
Disney Channel’s original programming saw substantial rating gains last year with both Out of the Box and Rolie Polie Olie up more than 50 percent and Disney’s PB&J Otter and Bear in the Big Blue House also posting double-digit gains. Disney Channel’s original series for older kids, The Famous Jett Jackson, Z Games and So Weird, also dramatically increased its delivery among kids 9 to 14.
TOON DISNEY
Toon Disney features cartoons from the Disney library along with a variety of acquired animated programming. This 24-hour all-animation network reaches 14 million homes and is one of the most demanded new cable channels.
A&E NETWORK
A&E, which offers biographies, mysteries, documentaries and original movies, now serves 81 million subscribers in the U.S.
Last year, A&E received 20 Emmy nominations, the most of any basic cable network, winning a total of five, including Best Miniseries for Horatio Hornblower.
LIFETIME TELEVISION
Lifetime reaffirmed its status last season as “television for women” by ranking number one among basic cable networks in all key female demographics throughout the day. In 1999, Lifetime earned the highest ratings in its 15-year history and achieved record levels of distribution, reaching 75 million homes.
The critically acclaimed series, Any Day Now and Oh Baby, launched second seasons and are joined by the new primetime hit Beyond Chance, the Intimate Portrait profile series and Lifetime Original Movies.
Last year, Lifetime began same week rebroadcasts of ABC’s new drama series, Once And Again, on Friday evenings, achieving 50 percent ratings gains over the previous season in its timeslot.
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