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PAOCI i i edited by Steve K. Walz .v . "s; ' ' f• • The growth of ESPN stuns networks Connecticut--The Entertainment and Sports Programming Network began telecasting full-time in September, 1979, and has since established itself as the nation's fastest-growing cable televi­ sion network. A subsidiary of the Getty Oil Company, ESPN now reaches qpore than 10 million subscriber households nationwide through over 2000 affiliate cable systems, giving the Total Sports Network penetration into more than 10 percent of the American television market. ' • . In its early days of operation, the net­ work served 1.4 million homes through 250 affiliates. During the last six months of 1980, ESPN set new industry stan­ dards for rate of growth, and is projected to reach 12 million homes by the end of 1981. Thirty to thirty-five million subscribers are expected by 1985. ESPN President, Chester R. Simmons, former president of NBC Sports, cites two major reasons for ESPN's rapid growth: total sports programming, aired 24-hours every day since September 1, -1980; and diversified, quality program­ ming. ESPN telecasts men's and women's college sports and a spectrum of profes­ sional apd amateur events from around the world. Eighteen different NCAA sports are covered during the course of the yealr. By the end of the 1980-81 season; ESPN will have telecast more than 60 events from 34 different NCAA championships. Last season, ESPN presented an average of five NCAA football games a weekend. The network also telecast close to 130 regular and post-season NCAA basketball games, including an unprecedented 25 games of the pres­ tigious Division I basketball tournament. CFL football, LPGA golf, NHL hockey, PBA and WIBC bowling, Top Rank box­ ing, WCT tennis, World Cup skiing, NASL soccer and many other professional sports are shown on the Total Sports Network. History maker In addition, ESPN has scored a pair of television firsts in its relatively brief history with live coverage of the 1980 NFL Draft and Baseball Hall of Fame in­ duction ceremonies. ESPN will continue to telecast these events annually. ESPN furnishes its viewers with two programming Iffiormation services. A na­ CFL Football, featuring the Montreal Atouettes with their NFL ex patriate QB Vince Ferragamo, is a popular attraction on ESPN. tional toll-free "Prime-time Hot Line" provides viewers in the contiguous United States with ESPN's updated pro­ gram plans for that evening. Connecticut residents may call 1-800-692-8264 for the 30- to 60-second recording. For all other states (except Alaska and Hawaii) the number is 1-800-243-0000. ESPN has placed brief programming update reports into its schedule three times dai­ ly, at 8 a.m. (EDT), 11 a.m. (EDT) and 2 p.m. (EDT). (The coming 24 hours of programming is previewed in three-to- five minutes recordings.) ESPN programming is tied together by its flagship program, "SportsCenter." The sports news show airs five times dai­ ly, with an hour-long edition each even­ ing. "SportsCenter" is one of the many shows produced at the network's Broad­ cast Center studios in Bristol, Connec­ ticut--among the most technically sophisticated facilities in the industry. Nearing completion is a 45,000 square- foot Administration Center adjacent to the existing Bristol headquarters. Almost 300 people are currently employed at ESPN. ( v ESPN is an advertiser-supported net­ work and has become an industry leader in that phase. Its rapid subscriber growth and quality programming con­ tinue to attract new major advertisers each month. None is larger than Anheuser-Busch, a charter advertiser on ESPN, which, in October, 1980, com­ mitted $25 million over a five-year period--the largest advertising agree­ ment with any cable television network. TV COMPUIOG SIRVICIS. INC