Publishing

ESPN The Magazine set its circulation rate base at 1.75 million in January 2004, up from 1.65 million. In May, the American Society of Magazine Editors chose it for the National Magazine Award for General Excellence, in the category of one to two million circulation.

Event Management

ESPN’s X Games franchise, the first and most successful of its kind, added the X Games Global Championship, a competition among six world regional teams. X Games IX was held in Los Angeles, the largest market to date, which will again be the site in 2004.

ESPN Outdoors grew its franchise with a 44 percent increase in viewership of the Bassmaster Classic, operated by ESPN-owned BASS. More than 28 million people watched a portion of The Great Outdoor Games on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2.

ESPN Enterprises

ESPN Videogames were relaunched with SEGA Sports, featuring four titles in the fall of 2003: ESPN NFL Football, ESPN NBA Basketball, ESPN NHL Hockey and ESPN College Hoops.

The Ultimate X DVD, produced with Buena Vista Home Entertainment, was one of the top-selling sports DVDs of the year. ESPN and Hollywood Records created a music CD entitled ESPN Presents Stadium Anthems, Music for the Fans.

ESPN Golf Schools opened in January and were named one of Golf Magazine’s Top 25 Golf Schools.