SportsLine USA plans to spend $10M on the creation of
SportsLine Europe and will eventually spend "an additional"
$40M to "produce new Web sites" over the next few years
"focused on popular European sports," according to L.A.
Lorek of the Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL. Lorek adds that
"increasing its presence in Europe could help it compete
with" ESPN and CNN/SI. SportsLine USA President & CEO
Michael Levy: "We've really narrowed the gap with ESPN"
(SUN-SENTINEL, 5/12). The FINANCIAL TIMES' Susanna Voyle
writes that SportsLine plans to set up Internet sites in the
U.K., France, Sweden, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands.
Levy said that SportsLine will look "for partners in both
the print and broadcast media in each country" (FINANCIAL
TIMES, 5/12). Levy: "We intend to put together broadcasting
partnerships like we have with CBS in the United States in
every one of the major countries in Europe" (CNBC, 5/11).
In Miami, James McNair writes that news of the European
subsidiary sent SportsLine shares up "almost" 40%, gaining
$12.18 3/4, to close at $43.06 1/4 (MIAMI HERALD, 5/11).
NEXT: ESPN Internet Ventures Communications Manager
Eric Handler said ESPN.com "has plans of its own to build an
audience abroad." Handler: "We plan on fully leveraging our
relationship with ESPN International ... so we expect to be
in the international scene soon" (MIAMI HERALD, 5/12).
