ESPN: An Analysis of the Company’s Progress Essay (Article)

Introduction

ESPN is a well-established entertainment and sports enterprise which is deeply anchored in matters of sports and entertainment. As a business enterprise, ESPN has had a massive growth that has seen it become the giant it is today and many people have been behind this success. One of these people is George W. Bodenheimer. Mr. Bodenheimer is the president of ESPN. Mr. Bodenheimer, a 47-year-old man, has a legacy with ESPN, considering that the company he took over some seven years ago isn’t the same today. While at the helm of the company, Mr. Bodenheimer has tremendously helped the fans satisfy their entertainment thirsts. This essay will focus on an analysis of ESPN, studying its tremendous growth over the few years that Mr. Bodenheimer has been with it as the president. The abbreviation, ESPN, stands for “Entertainment and Sports Programming Network”. With George W. Bodenheimer as its president for the last seven years, ESPN has spread its service delivery from the simple print version to more easy-to-use versions. It should be realized that it was under his reign that ESPN began to appear in broadband and even wireless versions. This growth is a confirmation that technology is a key aspect of this company’s operations. As evidence of his competence, many similar investors are watching, with so much awe, ESPN grow bigger and bigger every day. Thus, it has been noted that most of them are using the company’s business strategies to put life into their businesses. But, it should be admitted, they are far much away from the gigantic ESPN (Freeman, 2000). Remarks by the chief TV executive at the NBA, Mr. Silver Adam, about the abilities and competencies of the ESPN president confirm Bodenheimer to be a great strategist who works in a manner that other managers consider “awkward”. As Mr. Adam puts it, George is one man who gives a chance to other people to shine, but whose managerial skills have put the company “at the cutting edge of the digital revolution.” So, one wonders: is Bodenheimer a “space being”?

Body

It is worth having a glimpse at the strategies that define Mr. Bodenheimer’s successful times with the mantle ESPN. As anyone would expect, his are what many aspiring businessmen and women would call “golden” tips. Thus, Bodenheimer offers five golden tips that would go into building a business empire that he already has in ESPN. These are:

1. Clear definition of your mission: This strategy has the customer in mind. He offers that the main mission should be to serve the customers, who in his case are fans.
2. Knowing what the band is (what it entails and its requirements): Here, Bodenheimer tips that it is very important to put life and enthusiasm into whatever you are doing in order to give your brand the fire it needs to sell.
3. Cultivation of a positive relationship with the customers: As an investor and a business person, it is of utter importance to “talk to the customers, not with them”
4. Development of an inclusive culture is a plus to the business: The customers and other business/ company shareholders must feel as being part of the managerial strategies that are boosting the growth of the company.
5. A continual enhancement of the product(s) on the market: A close revision of the market trends will enable any business person to know what has to be boosted and to what degree so that the product’s vibrance is not lost. Looking at the above tips offered by Mr. George Bodenheimer, one would easily understand why and how ESPN has been able to make such a wide difference, not only in the sports world but also in the general business world. However, whether ESPN will keep its dominance on the market or not is the big question. It is perturbing for any individual with Bodenheimer’s stature to lose the grip of a prize he had so much become acquainted with, and that is why this man isn’t leaving anything to chance. It can be understood why he pays heftily for the hiking of the prices so that his competitors are “locked out”. Further, it explains the numerous meetings with ESPN mobile development team to allow the fans to “carry the game in their pockets”. With all these strategies, fans should be ready for the best from ESPN, under the control of George W. Bodenheimer.

Conclusion

ESPN sends a lot of feelings within and outside the sports and entertainment world. This business giant has its success accredited to George W. Bodenheimer under whom a lot has been done. His strategies are of their kind and they are the only secrets that keep propelling the company to greater heights. Even with the competition that keeps increasing, ESPN still has times for dominance on the market, especially if the genius in George W. Bodenheimer is capitalized to the fullest.

References List

Freeman, Michael. (2000). ESPN: The uncensored History. Lanham: Taylor Trade Publishing.