ESPN Expands Filmmaking, Partnering With Disney, CAA

ESPN is collaborating with CAA and Walt Disney Studios to "produce and distribute theatrical films with sports themes," according to Brooks Barnes of the N.Y. TIMES. As part of  ESPN's "expansion in filmed entertainment," the net also is hiring 30 filmmakers to produce one-hour mini-movies to appear on ESPN starting in September '09. The movies will be financed by ESPN parent company Walt Disney, outside investors or a "combination thereof." ESPN execs declined to comment on finances except to say that budgets would "vary by project." Barnes writes ESPN's "sports expertise, the deep talent relationships of [CAA] and the movie-making experience of Walt Disney Studios may add up to a dream team, but producers warn that sports-themed movies are among the most difficult to execute." Ron Shelton, who has written sports movies such as "Bull Durham" and "White Men Can't Jump," said of sports-themed films: "These movies are an incredible balancing act" (N.Y. TIMES, 3/3).

REPORT CARD: In Orlando, Iliana Limon wrote ESPN during the past year has "unveiled more fluffy on-air promotions that grate the nerves of hard-core sports fans, rushed to break news stories with shaky sources that later proved unreliable, and several of its on-air personalities were caught on tape making embarrassing comments." Deadspin Editor Will Leitch: "Now that they keep looking to grow and go after the casual sports fan, there is a general kind of dumbing down that offends the rest of us. We have a right to feel a little bit betrayed." Limon noted for every successful venture, such as "in-depth E-Ticket stories," there is a "Who's Next" series, which ran last summer. ESPN Exec VP/Content John Skipper said that the "Who's Next" series is "proof ESPN does listen to its viewers," as the net tweaked the format and recently completed a similar segment searching for the "greatest sports highlight" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 3/2).