History of ESPN and Sportcenter and how it has been able to leverage Essay

History of ESPN and Sportcenter and how it has been able to leverage the media - Essay Example Through instituting a fluid business model that has incorporated a diverse range of sport and market goals. Since the company’s origin, it has expanded from coverage of traditional sports such as baseball, football, and basketball, to exist at the forefront of the country’s interest in sporting, with such diverse coverage including the X-Games, Lacrosse, and high school and regional events. In addition to the expanding sports coverage, ESPN has expanded the medium of its expression through the incorporation of the sports reporting vehicle SportsCenter, as well as a ESPN the Magazine, and the ESPN.com website which has become a leader in online sports reporting. This research essay considers the means that ESPN has been able to leverage the cable media market through an examination of its historical trajectory and expanding business model. It considers both its internal and external means of change and expansion as well as how its business model has fundamentally changed since its 1970s inception. It also examines the means by which it can continue to expand and leverage the market into the 21st century. Bill Rasmussen, at the time an unemployed sportscaster, was the individual responsible for first envisioning the ESPN Network. In 1978 Rasmussen was fired by the World Hockey Association where had had worked as a sportscaster and director of operations. His initial business interest was to develop a means of broadcasting University of Connecticut basketball through cable companies throughout the state of Connecticut. During this period satellite technology had recently emerged as a viable means of connecting signals to cable broadcasters throughout the region. The RCA Company had a number of underutilized satellites with which Rasmussen was able to broker a deal and lease time. Indeed, RCA had 6 transponder sites non-operational, making