Archive for November, 2011

posted by on November 25, 2011 9:51 AM

WICT honors ESPN trio; company hailed for workplace environment

In its seventh annual Evening of Excellence, presented by ESPN, Women In Cable Telecommunications’ (WICT) New England chapter honored three ESPN women at the Museum of Science in Boston, on Nov. 3.

Lori LeBas, Senior Vice President, Business Strategy and Operations, won the Career Achievement Award; Holly Palmer, Senior Engineer, Media Systems, received the Technical Achievement Award; and Doreen Balimidi, Contract Coordinator, was named Champion of Change.

Front Row caught up with the honorees as well as WICT New England’s Chapter President and Senior Director of Affiliate Business Operations, Jenn Kirkwood.

Kirkwood explained that WICT is an organization whose mission is to develop women leaders who transform our industry. LeBas said: “I joined WICT to learn more about the industry, network with smart and interesting colleagues and grow as a leader. Those are the same reasons I stay.”

On WICT New England’s Evening of Excellence, ESPN’s honorees discuss their achievements:

FR: What does being a visionary leader mean to you? And how have you paired ideas with action plans to realize success?

Lori LeBas: Being a visionary leader means staying educated about the business, listening to the smart people in the industry and more importantly on your team and in your company, synthesizing ideas and concepts, formulating and acting on plans, taking risks and always being candid and honest.

FR: Remembering the progress that’s been made in the area of technology, what project are you most proud to have been a part of? And what excites you about the future? continue reading…

Filed in: Behind The Scenes, ESPN Careers

posted by on November 24, 2011 7:53 AM

Highlights from The Muppets’ visit

The Muppets’ barnstorming tour in advance of their new movie included various stops at ESPN last week.

Below are some highlights of visits by your favorite characters.

The Muppets, which debuted Nov. 23, has garnered raves so far according to the movie review website Rotten Tomatoes.

Enjoy these clips, visit our special YouTube page for more Muppets highlights and have a happy Thanksgiving.

To see some other videos of the Muppets visit to ESPN, click here.

Filed in: Behind The Scenes

posted by on November 23, 2011 4:00 PM

ESPN UK talent, execs play soccer at Wembley with fans, partners, legends

LONDON — This week, our UK operation helped celebrate the start of this season’s FA Cup — the world’s oldest and most coveted domestic soccer cup competition — with a special match at Wembley, the venue for the England national soccer team.

ESPN, which airs the competition in the UK and Ireland, hosted a special 11-a-side soccer match for the full 90 minutes on the world famous Wembley pitch involving viewers, fans, industry journalists and key company partners. They can lay claim to being among a very small group of people to have played on the famous Wembley pitch.

Each team was managed by members of ESPN’s UK soccer talent team: Kevin Keegan (the ex-England soccer team manager) led Team Keegan; John Barnes (one of the most revered England soccer players of all time) and Ray Stubbs, ESPN UK’s lead soccer presenter, led Team Barnes/Stubbs. Competing on each side were ESPN soccer talent (Ray Stubbs, Kevin Keegan, Chris Waddle and Martin Keown), plus a number of specially-invited FA Cup legends.

Team Keegan prevailed, 2-1.

After the match, the teams were able to see the FA Cup trophy itself, walk up to the famous Royal Box where the winners of the actual tournament in May 2012 will receive the famous trophy. The sides got to spend time with ESPN’s soccer talent as well as the legends themselves.

Ross Hair, Managing Director, ESPN, Europe, Middle East and Africa, said: “The FA Cup is one of the biggest tournaments in the sporting calendar and has a special place in the hearts of football fans everywhere. Our first year of broadcasting the FA Cup last season produced some great matches, remarkable stories and amazing upsets. ESPN is looking forward to bringing fans all the action this season. Our presentation of the FA Cup will continue to take the same innovative approach we took last season, an approach that focused on bringing fans closer to the stories around the game and closer to the game itself.”

Keegan said: “It’s a massive day for these guys to come and play at Wembley and to have the chance to play with the likes of (ex-Arsenal legends) Robert Pires and Martin Keown is unbelievable. They’re all just big kids at heart’

Barnes said: ‘You can see how much playing in this fantastic setting means to the guys, they played with enthusiasm and its great to see that. I know they are all of a certain age and fitness, but it just shows how much football (soccer) means to everyone.’

Filed in: Behind The Scenes

posted by on November 23, 2011 2:58 PM

MNF Open: Archie Manning

Archie Manning stars in the next Monday Night Football open.

Former New Orleans Saints quarterback Archie Manning is participating in the new Monday Night Football open that was shot today in New Orleans.

The photo above is a sneak preview of the shoot, captured in the historic Latter Library in New Orleans, that will debut before the Saints play host to the New York Giants (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).

We won’t give too much away, but it seems Archie faces a dilemma: Does he root for the hometown team that he played for and has always been loyal to, or does he root for quarterback son Eli and the visiting Giants?

There’s also a musical element involved.

The Manning family has worked with ESPN numerous times, most notably in this classic “This Is SportsCenter” ad from a few years ago.

Filed in: Behind The Scenes, MNF Open

posted by on November 23, 2011 12:02 PM

ESPN helps keep the thanks and the giving in Thanksgiving

view thumbnails 1 of 1

The need for food for many Americans comes into focus for the rest of us each Thanksgiving, and Team ESPN volunteers annually help organize and distribute food for a holiday meal to the needy in our area.

As the line for hundreds of people formed, a co-worker commented to me, “With all the success at ESPN, you can quickly lose sight of how many people are not nearly as fortunate.”

We are thankful for all we have, and happy to give in this small way to help provide the makings for a true Thanksgiving for our neighbors.

The Thanksgiving program is just one of the many ways Team ESPN volunteers give back to our communities throughout the year.

Learn more at www.team.espn.com.

Filed in: Behind The Scenes, Outreach

posted by on November 23, 2011 8:00 AM

‘ESPNization of America’ course resonates with Quinnipiac students

How has ESPN influenced American culture?

At Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Conn., a 2011 fall semester course considers that question.

Professor John Morra teaches the Wednesday night class on “how ESPN has changed the way our pluralistic American Community views sports, mass media and popular culture and has served as a unifying factor,” according to the course catalog. Morra believes it’s the only course of its kind in the country – but if any of our Front Row fans know of similar offerings at colleges and universities, please let us know!

Recently, ESPN senior coordinating producer Dwayne Bray was a guest speaker. Check out the video above to get a sample of the course.

Filed in: Behind The Scenes, On The Road

posted by on November 22, 2011 4:00 PM

A funny thing happened on the way to the Stewart flag-raising . . .

Editor’s note: Here is a first-person story FrontRow requested from Andy Hall once we heard about how he overcame obstacles securing a Tony Stewart flag.

As ESPN Communications’ publicist for NASCAR, I’ve had some interesting situations over the last five seasons.

But on Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, I was in the right place at the right time.

As it was all set for the new NASCAR Sprint Cup champion to come to ESPN headquarters in Bristol on the day after the season finale, my colleague Dan Quinn had come up with the idea of getting flags for each of the two championship contenders (Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards) and having the flag come to Bristol with the champion.

The driver would then participate in a flag-raising ceremony on the ESPN campus as part of his Car Wash.

The quest started on Thursday at NASCAR’s media day in Miami.

Edwards’ team had planned on having a show car on campus if Edwards won the title, so after I talked to him, his PR guy made one phone call and told me it was handled — the flag was being put into the show car hauler.

With Stewart, it was a little different. continue reading…

Filed in: Behind The Scenes, Today on Campus

posted by on November 22, 2011 2:00 PM

Front & Center Podcast: Van Gundy

Jeff Van Gundy (center) is a color commentator for ESPN

ESPN’s Jeff Van Gundy joined Front & Center to talk about his current role as a college basketball analyst. 

Jeff, ESPN’s lead NBA analyst, is working select college men’s games during the NBA lockout including Wednesday’s semifinals of the DICK’S Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off in New York (coverage at 7 p.m. ET on ESPNU; 9:30 p.m. on ESPN2).

Jeff discusses the differences between working college versus pro games; calls broadcast partner Mike Breen his “point guard”; discusses the departure of Mark Jackson from the commentator team; and his overall approach to broadcasting.

Listen to the Podcast – Mobile Version

 

Filed in: Front & Center, Podcast

posted by on November 22, 2011 11:20 AM

Bodenheimer, Skipper to assume
new roles at ESPN

This morning Walt Disney Company President and CEO Robert A. Iger announced changes at the top of ESPN: George Bodenheimer will be Executive Chairman of ESPN and John Skipper becomes ESPN President and Co-Chair, Disney Media Networks, effective Jan. 1. Read more about the news.

Bodenheimer, who has been our president for the past 13 years and been with ESPN for 30+ years, shared his thoughts with his colleagues.

Filed in: Top Stories

posted by on November 22, 2011 8:00 AM

E:60 subject Rye celebrated at Packers’ Monday Night Football game

Everyone has a favorite team.

Ironwood, Mich. native Cody Rye loves America’s Team — not his home state Detroit Lions or the undefeated Green Bay Packers, but the Dallas Cowboys.

Rye dreamed of one day being a hero on the football field. He watched the Cowboys win Super Bowls in the early 1990s.

At age 5, Rye was involved in a horrific car accident that paralyzed him from the waist down.

With hard work, he regained some use of his legs and started to walk with hand crutches, however he was mostly relegated to using a wheelchair. Rye still wanted to play football.

Eventually, 18-year-old Rye achieved his dream of playing for the Ironwood Red Devils high school team and was profiled on ESPN’s E:60.

The segment, narrated by actor Sean Astin, aired in October 2011.

Rye’s story moved several people in and out of the NFL, including former Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman, a host at a Green Bay, Wis. radio station and several members of the Green Bay Packers.

“Troy Aikman sent a football, picture and jersey all signed. One quote says ‘You would have been a great teammate,’ Rye said.

A lot of people have said after watching the story that they have changed their perspective on life,” Rye said.

“They don’t take things for granted.

“It’s been awesome.”

Rye was a guest on WNFL radio in Green Bay just a day after the story aired on ESPN.

“I was on WNFL radio and they were asking about the E:60 story about my accident and playing football. At the end of the interview, they said ‘Even though you are a Cowboys fan, we would like to offer you two tickets to the Packers-Vikings MNF game and sit in the general manager’s box.’

Rye went to the Nov. 14 ESPN Monday Night Football game at Lambeau field. He was the Packers’ guest of honor. WNFL radio host John Maino facilitated bringing Rye to the game. continue reading…

Filed in: Behind The Scenes