ESPN Inc. in the context of "Disney "

Play Trivia Questions online!

or

Skip to study material about ESPN Inc. in the context of "Disney "

Ad spacer

⭐ Core Definition: ESPN Inc.

ESPN Inc. is one of the three major divisions of the Walt Disney Company. It is an American multinational sports media conglomerate majority-owned by the Walt Disney Company, with Hearst Communications as an equity stakeholder. It was founded by Bill Rasmussen.

It owns and operates the cable television, satellite television and streaming media channels ESPN, ESPN DTC, ESPN+, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNU, ESPNews, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, ACC Network, SEC Network and other related ventures, and the sports division of ABC, and is currently headed by executive James Pitaro.

↓ Menu

>>>PUT SHARE BUTTONS HERE<<<
In this Dossier

ESPN Inc. in the context of Hearst Corporation

Hearst Corporation, Hearst Holdings Inc. and Hearst Communications Inc. comprise an American multinational mass media and business information conglomerate owned by the Hearst family and based in Hearst Tower in Midtown Manhattan in New York City.

Hearst owns newspapers, magazines, television channels, and television stations, including the Albany Times-Union, Houston Chronicle, San Francisco Chronicle, Cosmopolitan and Esquire. It owns 50 percent of the A&E Global Media cable network group and 20 percent of the Walt Disney Company's sports division ESPN Inc.. The conglomerate also owns Fitch Group and First Databank.

↑ Return to Menu

ESPN Inc. in the context of Winter X Games

The X Games are a series of action sports events founded by ESPN Inc. and aired on ESPN networks and ABC. In late 2022, ESPN sold the long-running property to MSP Sports Capital, a private equity firm co-founded by Jahm Najafi and Jeff Moorad, though the event is still aired on ESPN and ABC despite the ownership change.

The X Games have been held all over the world and typically include sports such as skateboarding, BMX, freestyle motocross, skiing and snowboarding. Participants compete to win bronze, silver, and gold medals, in addition to prize money. X Games events also feature music and culture elements like live music performances, athlete autograph sessions, and interactive, family-friendly exhibitions.

↑ Return to Menu

ESPN Inc. in the context of ESPN

ESPN (an initialism of their original name, which was the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network until 1985) is an American international multiplatform sports media company owned by the Walt Disney Company (80% and operational control) and Hearst Communications (20%) through the joint venture ESPN Inc. The company was founded on September 7, 1979 by Bill Rasmussen, Scott Rasmussen and Ed Eagan.

ESPN broadcasts primarily from studio facilities located in Bristol, Connecticut. The network also operates offices and auxiliary studios in Miami, Orlando, New York City, Las Vegas, Seattle, Charlotte, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles. James Pitaro has been chairman since March 5, 2018, following the resignation of John Skipper on December 18, 2017.

↑ Return to Menu

ESPN Inc. in the context of Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution

Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution (DMED), formerly Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer & International (DTCI), was a business segment of the Walt Disney Company that operated from March 14, 2018 until the establishment of its successor, Disney Entertainment on February 8, 2023. It consisted of Disney Streaming (previously known as BAMTech and Disney Streaming Services) and Disney International Operations (which is now split up). Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution's fate was a success as of to when Disney-ABC Domestic Television still held up business

On October 12, 2020, former CEO Bob Chapek initiated a reorganization of Disney's media and entertainment divisions, which included a dissolution of DTCI and a split of its business segments into Disney International Content and Operations and Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution. Until 2023, the business segment consisted Disney's streaming services, its advertising sales division and its linear television networks, along with broadcast, cable and international syndication. Its focus was on strategic monetization of titles from Disney's three content groups: Studios, General Entertainment, and ESPN & Sports.

↑ Return to Menu

ESPN Inc. in the context of Disney+

Disney+ is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming media service owned and operated by Disney Streaming, the streaming division of Disney Entertainment, a major business segment of the Walt Disney Company. The service primarily distributes films and television shows produced by Walt Disney Studios and Disney Television Studios, with dedicated content hubs for Disney's flagship brands; Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, ESPN (the US, Latin America, Caribbean, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa only) and Hulu as well as showcasing original and exclusive films and television shows. Disney+ is the third most-subscribed video on demand streaming media service after Amazon Prime Video and Netflix, with 131.6 million paid memberships.

Disney+ relies on technology developed by Disney Streaming, which was originally established as BAMTech in 2015 when it was spun off from MLB Advanced Media (MLBAM). Disney increased its ownership share of BAMTech to a controlling stake in 2017 and subsequently transferred ownership to Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer & International, as part of a corporate restructuring in anticipation of Disney's acquisition of 21st Century Fox, through which the Star brand was inherited and got retooled as a content platform within the service in some regions, with Latin America having its own standalone service, Star+, until June 26 and July 24, 2024. The Star brand was phased out on October 8, 2025, being replaced with Hulu outside the US except Japan due to the existing Hulu Japan.

↑ Return to Menu