Fuel For The Fire

Today the blog Everyday Should Be Saturday wrote a peice that delved into the problems surrounding ESPN, today. Well I recently came across an article in Fast Company Magazine that deals with ESPN's marketing. I had been saving this for a companion to what I wrote about ESPN a couple of weeks ago. Since we currently have a wave of change I decided to post it today.

Fast Company's August 2004 issue, page 41. Interview of Lee Ann Daly, Executive Vice President, Marketing ESPN Inc.

We take sportsvery seriously, but we don't take ourselves very seriously. That goes back to ESPN's roots. Our founders were bohemian sports fans in the same way that poets and pianters and jazz musicians believe in what they're doing in a passionate way. They really just wanted to create a 24-hours sports, news, and information network to share with other fans.

Although ESPN has grown into 40 different businesses [ 25 television networks globally, a radio network, a magazine, ownership of the professional bass-fishing and extreme sports tourneys, a chain of sports bar/resturants, etc.], what hasn't changed is our conversation with fans. It's almost like a club. So all of these extensions of the original ESPN must serve our relationship with each fan. When we expand, the most important thing to me is whether we can transform the business that we go into by better serving the fan. If it doesn't, you'll make money for 10 minutes, and then the fan will be disappointed and you won't be making any more money.

I think it's very difficult to put up with us if you don't love sports. What I'm talking about is a fundamental respect and understanding for just how important sports are in people's lives. Even though many people don't consider themselves to be sports fans. when you delve a little beneath the surface, most people are. To some degree, I don't think you can call yourself an American if you're not a sports fan.

This just points out how clueless that the executives at ESPN truely are. They truely have taken their viewers for granted. Compare and contrast her version and what has been written on EDSBS.