Walt Disney "will close" its three ESPN retail stores
in CA on October 1 "to focus instead on selling merchandise
at its ESPN Zone restaurants, through other retailers and
online," according to Karen Fessler of BLOOMBERG. The
stores "employ about 40 people," but "some employees will be
transferred" to the Disney Stores division or "other areas"
of the company. Disney, which opened its first ESPN store
in '97 and two more in '98, said that "after testing several
ways to sell ESPN-branded merchandise, it determined the
best method is to sell through ESPN Zone, ESPNstore.com and
its licensing program" (BLOOMBERG, 8/30). The move "comes
as Disney has been reviewing capital spending, looking to
curtail major investments that don't generate the company's
desired" return on investment (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 8/31).
RUDY ROLLS OUT THE CARPET: In N.Y., Neal Travis writes
that when the "massive" ESPNZone opens in N.Y.'s Times
Square September 14, N.Y. Mayor Rudy Giuliani will "give the
Mouse Factory ... the right to close down two blocks at the
Crossroads of the World." Travis: "I hear that the star
attractions will be some of the legends on ESPN's list of
the 20 greatest athletes of the century" (N.Y. POST, 8/31).
ATHLETES FIND TIME FOR SPORTSCENTER: ADWEEK's Kathleen
Sampey reports that Wieden & Kennedy's "new work" for ESPN's
"SportsCenter" focuses on the "athletes who watch the shows"
and "how ['SportsCenter'] fits into their busy lives." All
of the athletes featured "deliver their lines in limos, on
hotel beds or over late breakfasts." One spot shows Jets WR
Keyshawn Johnson claiming that he "wakes up at the crack of
11 a.m. to tune in." The campaign features the tag, "Which
SportsCenter do you watch?" (ADWEEK, 8/30 issue).
