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Category Archives: ESPN
Disney & Time Warner Talks Escalate
This article comes to us from the NY Post.
Negotiations between Walt Disney Co. and Time Warner Cable over continued carriage of ESPN, ABC and other Disney channels are intensifying as both companies gird for battle.
ESPN President George Bodenheimer and Sean Bratches, the sports network’s head of sales and marketing, were told to cut short their vacations and get back to the bargaining table, said a source close to the negotiations.
Both companies began waging marketing campaigns to sway consumers to their side well before their current contract is set to expire on Sept. 2. Disney wants more money for its programming, while Time Warner wants to hold the line rather than pass higher costs along to customers. ESPN is the most expensive cable network, costing pay-TV providers on average $4.40 a month per subscriber.
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Walt Disney Co. third-quarter earnings jump 40%
This article comes to us from the LA Times.
ESPN‘s World Cup soccer coverage and the strong box-office performance of films including Disney/Pixar Animation Studios’ “Toy Story 3″ helped buoy Walt Disney Co.‘s bottom line in the third quarter.
The media giant reported a 40% jump in earnings to $1.3 billion, up from $954 million a year earlier. Revenue reached $10 billion for the three-month period ending July 3, an increase of 16% from a year ago.
In a call with analysts, Walt Disney Co. Chief Executive Robert A. Iger highlighted the film studio’s summer performance, noting that it released three of the top five films worldwide in “Toy Story 3,” Disney’s “Alice in Wonderland” and Marvel Entertainment’s “Iron Man 2.” The three pictures not only were a financial success but also have fueled other businesses such as merchandise sales, he said.
” ‘Toy Story’ merchandise sales reached new heights as consumers responded to a fresh line of well-designed products available globally,” Iger said. “And this bodes well for Pixar‘s next feature film, ‘Cars 2,’ ” due in June 2011.
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Photo by Stefan Wermuth, Reuters
Disney-Time Warner Cable Dispute Could Lead to Lost Disney Channels
I am not sure why more people aren’t talking about this! This articles comes to us from WKRC in Cincinnati.
A Time-Warner cable dispute could mean local homes will no longer get Disney owned channels — which include the ESPN channels.
The debate also involves the Disney Channel, ABC Family and SoapNet. Time Warner argues it is trying to avoid paying higher programming costs to providers because it will mean customers pay much more for their cable service. But ESPN says programming costs do not drive up the rate for customers because it only represents a third of the cable company’s total cost.
Disney is directing viewers to go to other providers — including Direct TV. The deadline to reach a deal is September 2nd.
Both sides have set up websites with their views on the debate. For the Disney site, click here. For the Time-Warner site, click here.
Haitian Soccer Team Experiences Disney Magic
Six months after an earthquake devastated their nation, the Haitian National Women’s Under 17 soccer team reunited to play in the Disney Cup International youth soccer tournament at the place “where dreams come true.”
With the support of members of the U.S. Women’s Under 17 team and the Many Hearts, One Goal project, the team of 21 girls and six staff traveled to Central Florida to compete among nearly 200 elite soccer clubs. The international event was held at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World July 12-17.
Sixteen-year-old U.S. goalie Bryane Heaberlin first met the team at the World Cup qualifiers in April. The Haitian girls talent, dedication and personal tragedies left such a strong impression that Heaberlin decided to take action. She created Many Hearts, One Goal with the lofty goal of giving the Haitian team the support and resources to compete in future soccer games.
“I hope they realize they can accomplish their dreams and not to give up,” Heaberlin said in a recent interview at ESPN Wide World of Sports. “There still is a hope for their lives.”
During the Disney Cup International, the Haitian team competed in five games against athletes from across Florida, including the Clearwater Chargers, Heaberlin’s hometown soccer team. While visiting, the Haitian team practiced together for the first time in months, and spent time with U.S. Women’s National star Abby Wambach. The team found time to kick the soccer ball around with Mickey Mouse during an entertaining and fun visit to the Magic Kingdom.
For the young athletes, it’s a welcome opportunity to be normal teenagers and play the sport they love. “It’s more than a competition; I think it’s life changing,” said head coach Gaspard Dalaxis, who believes their time here wasn’t just about playing soccer – “it’s about coming together again and being happy.”
ESPN Deportes has the Winners of Safari Mundial
Ten lucky winners will travel to Walt Disney World® Resort in Florida to experience ESPN 3D viewing event of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final. ESPN Deportes announced today the winners of the ‘Safari Mundial’ consumer promotion. Ten lucky soccer fans were chosen at random to receive a five-day VIP experience at the Walt Disney World® Resort in Florida, including a special viewing event at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex of ESPN 3D’s telecast of the 2010 FIFA World Cup final.
“We are very excited to announce the winners of the Safari Mundial”, said Michelle Bella, vice president, sales and consumer marketing, ESPN Deportes. “The contest was created to give fans the opportunity to experience the exciting conclusion of the World Cup in a unique and unforgettable place, and we could not have chosen a better place than the Walt Disney World® Resort.”
The ten winners selected are: R. Ascencio (Buena Park, CA), T. Velasco (Bakersfield, CA), R. Richter (Weston, FL), A. Sandoval (Pasadena, CA), A. Ortiz Alonso (Rohnert Park, CA), R. Adolfo Torres (Houston, TX), R. Olmos (Oceanside, CA), J. Kahler (Dornsife, PA), M. Rivera (Miami, FL), and S. Chin (Sunnyvale, CA).
This amazing safari and soccer adventure will be taking place July 8 – July 12, 2010. The grand prize includes roundtrip airfare for the winners, plus three guests, five days and four nights stay at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, and Park Hopper® Passes which provide entry into all four of the Walt Disney World theme parks. During their stay, winners will also enjoy a welcome reception, meet and greet with Disney characters and famous talent, a sunrise safari brunch, as well as many other exciting activities that have been planned.
Along with all this great excitement, the winners will have the opportunity to watch the 2010 FIFA World Cup final on July 11, 2010 at the special viewing event of ESPN 3D’s telecast at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.
To enter the Safari Mundial contest online or via mobile, consumers had to be registered to ESPNdeportes.com’s free subscription and submit a sweepstakes entry form during the month of May. The ten winners were randomly selected on weekly drawings.