NEW YORK ESPN will take over the programming of ABC Sports under a consolidation of the non-production operations of ABC Sports and ESPN. In addition to programming, the ABC Sports marketing, communications, finance and legal units, among others, will now be merged into and managed by ESPN.
The ABC Sports production group will continue to be part of the ABC Television Network, and the ABC Sports brand will continue as the company’s national broadcast platform. But ESPN will take the lead in negotiating TV sports rights contracts, for example, on ABC. And Mark Shapiro, executive vp of programming for ESPN, will now also oversee programming on ABC Sports.
But Chris LaPlaca, senior vp, consumer communications for ESPN, said ESPN has already been taking the lead in the negotiating area for ABC Sports, since George Bodenheimer, president of ESPN, was also made head of ABC Sports in 2003. For example, it was Bodenheimer who took the lead role in negotiating the most recent NBA TV rights deal for both ESPN and ABC Sports.
“This is an important next step in building upon the success we’ve already achieved both operationally and with ESPN ABC Sports Customer Marketing and Sales,” read a statement from ESPN. The move, ESPN said, “will maximize the sports assets of the company and substantially enhance our efficiency in delivering value to fans, rightsholders, and all of our constituencies.”
LaPlaca, senior vp, consumer communications for Bristol, Conn.-based ESPN, said the consolidation would eventually result in some “modest” personnel cutbacks.
ESPN, ABC Sports Merge Operations
