ESPN’s Playbook for Success
My new book, ESPN The Company tells the fascinating story of how ESPN managed to sustain its growth, innovation and brand in a highly competitive and rapidly evolving marketplace. Having been a consultant for the organization for 22 of their 30 years, I know firsthand the experiences, personalities and decisions beyond the biggest sports story that you haven’t been told. I share many of ESPN’s valuable business lessons in my book and will also do so here with this blog.
Today, sports coverage is a 24-7 media phenomenon and ESPN is the brand now synonymous with nightly highlights, morning updates, athlete interviews, must-games and major sideshow events from the NFL draft to the ESPY Awards. The network, now celebrating its 30th anniversary has changed the nature of the sports media game forever.
Thirty years ago, sports coverage was produced as though the topic was a sidebar unworthy of serious news time. ESPN shifted that mindset with a dream of sports coverage designed for fans that love the game – every and any game.
ESPN is the most powerful and prominent name in sports – one of cable television’s biggest networks – now home to multiple networks, ESPN.com, ESPN Radio, ESPN the Magazine, X-Games, restaurants, stores, books and 97 million subscribers with audiences in more than 200 countries. It is now valued at nearly $30 billion.
ESPN is still a company that is about the fans and their sports, not about themselves. Therefore, having someone write about “them” is not a part of their corporate DNA. ESPN reports the sports news – but so far hasn’t really become the news.
As a student of organizations and leadership, I felt compelled to share this incredible business and leadership story of this company that most only know because they what they do, not who they are. Just as sports are inspiring to the fans, ESPN’s story is inspiring to anyone who is interested in a phenomenal business enterprise.
I look forward to sharing what I’ve learned with you.
