The establishment, management and future business
projects of ESPN are profiled by Tim Carvell of FORTUNE.
The network "has built a business empire on a simple
observation: To a sizable chunk of the population, there is
no such thing as too much sports." Carvell: "In exchange
for the public service of making sure you're never too far
from a final score, ESPN has been rewarded with an ardent
set of admirers." Carvell notes two '87 moves that
"elevated [ESPN's] level of play" -- the acquisition of NFL
cable rights, and the hiring of John Walsh as a consultant.
The NFL gave ESPN a "huge jolt of prestige," while Walsh,
who became the network's managing editor, helped give
"SportsCenter" a "voice" that was "knowledgeable without
being smug, funny without being glib, and utterly enthralled
by sports." Regarding brand extensions since Disney's
purchase of the network, ESPN President & CEO Steve
Bornstein said, "Anywhere sports are appreciated is a
logical expansion opportunity for our company" (FORTUNE, 3/2
issue). In MEN'S JOURNAL, David Hochman also profiles ESPN,
saying it has gone from a single sports network to a "full-
blown cultural behemoth" (MEN'S JOURNAL, 3/98 issue).
