 |
George Bodenheimer started
career in ESPN's mailroom |
The FINANCIAL TIMES' Garrahan & Gelles profiled ESPN/ABC Sports President
GEORGE BODENHEIMER as part of the paper's "The Monday Interview," and noted "in an era of job-hopping executives, Mr Bodenheimer stands out, having only ever worked for ESPN in the 30 years since he graduated" from college. Bodenheimer is ESPN's "longest serving executive," which means he has "had a ringside seat as ESPN has grown from humble beginnings showing obscure sports like Australian Rules Football, to eventually becoming a media powerhouse, responsible for almost a third" of The Walt Disney Co.'s earnings. Bodenheimer noted he "began delivering the mail and working in the mailroom." As the company expanded, he "applied for a sales and marketing position" (
FINANCIAL TIMES, 4/11).
KEY FIGURE: Broadcasting & Cable named Fox Sports Senior VP/Field Operations JERRY STEINBERG to its '11 Technology Leadership Award class, and BROADCASTING & CABLE's George Winslow writes, "Two of the biggest changes in the TV sports landscape in the last half-century have arguably been the launch of ESPN in 1979 and the rise of Fox Sports. Being part of one of those launches would be enough to make a career." But Steinberg, who has "overseen the operational side of the live sports broadcasts on the Fox network since 1994, was in on the ground floor for both" (BROADCASTING & CABLE, 4/11 issue).
CHARITY STRIPE: Former Hornets Owner GEORGE SHINN yesterday made a $500,000 contribution on behalf of the George Shinn Foundation to The Salvation Army. The funds will help provide housing opportunities for families in Southeast Louisiana. Shinn, New Orleans City Council President ARNIE FIELKOW and Hornets President HUGH WEBER were present at the ceremony to announce the donation (Hornets). Meanwhile, the Hornets have "teamed up with Chevron and several other partners including Rouses Supermarkets, CVS pharmacies and Take 5 Oil Change to launch the 'Believe in Blue' campaign this season." The campaign thus far "has raised $100,000," and Chevron "has committed to match the $100,000 raised" (NOLA.com, 4/11).
NAMES: Bulls G DERRICK ROSE "will attend one of President BARACK OBAMA's three fund-raising events in Chicago on Thursday." Two "high-dollar events are planned at Chicago restaurants, at MK Chicago and Nine." A "lower-priced event at Navy Pier will be the biggest," and that event reportedly "will include Rose" (CHICAGOBREAKINGSPORTS.com, 4/11)....Former U.S. Olympian CARL LEWIS yesterday announced his New Jersey state Senate candidacy "as a Democrat in South Jersey's Republican-leaning 8th District." Lewis said he wants to fix a "culture of mediocrity, where people think it's okay to be average" (NJ.com, 4/12)....The law offices of Eagan Avenatti in California and R. Jack Ayres in Texas yesterday were named to "represent what could be several thousand fans who sued" the NFL, the Cowboys and Cowboys Owner JERRY JONES "in connection with the seating debacle at Super Bowl XLV" (JSONLINE.com, 4/11)....Arizona Republic Publisher JOHN ZIDICH yesterday “announced his resignation” from the Fiesta Bowl BOD. Zidich said that he “wanted to make sure there would never be ‘any question of the ongoing strong independence of our newsroom in covering’” the investigations surrounding the organization (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 4/12)….Fox NFL analyst TERRY BRADSHAW yesterday said that he is “feeling the effects of numerous concussions sustained” during his NFL career. Bradshaw said that he “has been having short-term memory loss as well as the loss of hand-eye coordination.” He added, “If you play in the NFL and start for 10 years, it’s not good. It is not good” (AP, 4/12)….UFC President DANA WHITE, Rams RB STEVEN JACKSON and former UNLV men’s basketball coach JERRY TARKANIAN are among the ’11 “Vegas Dozen” who will be honored at an event tomorrow (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 4/11).
IN MEMORY: Former South Florida Sun-Sentinel Sports Editor FRED TURNER has passed away at the age of 67. During his career, Turner hired several prominent sports writers who since have left the paper, including MITCH ALBOM, BILL PLASHCKE, BRIAN WHITE and LARRY DORMAN (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 4/12)….Longtime Roanoke Times & World-News sports columnist BILL BRILL passed away Sunday at the age of 79 after a battle with cancer (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 4/12).
