ESPN, Pipelines and You.

Back in the 1980's news consultants and news operations bemoaned that while news and weather coverage was evolving with the times, sports remained in a rut. It was the same "Player-Coach" interviews with a few highlights tossed in for good measure.

Ultimately predictable as heck and boring.

As cable (and later home satellite) replaced rabbit ears an upstart channel came along called the Entertainment and Sports Programing Network. We know it today as ESPN. It launched in 1979 on a wing and a proverbial prayer. Content ranged from Australian Rules Football to the Canadian Football League. But shows like Sports Center came along and changed the way sports was being reported, and more importantly watched by viewers.

Today ESPN is the definitive sports programming network in the world. Make that networks. A look at the electronic program guide shows ESPN, ESPNU, ESPN News, ESPN Classic, and of course, "The Deuce" along with a few ESPN Alternate Channels thrown into the mix including ESPN Radio which is available both on-air or by satellite. Since it's acquisition a few years back by ABC it's as powerful a sports programming juggernaut anywhere with the NFL, College Football, MLB plus a variety of network produced programming. From upstart to ruler of the sports universe.

If you like serious sports coverage, you can tune into programs like The Sports Reporters. If you think sports should be taken a tad less seriously, then check out SportsNation with Colin Cowherd and Michelle Beadle. You choose.

SportsNation blends traditional broadcasting with viewer involvement via the Internet which is another area where ESPN continues to be the lead innovator in sports coverage on ESPN websites and social media channels like Twitter and Facebook.

Ultimately it's about multiple pipelines and choices for viewers. They not only program for viewers, they empower their viewers and digitally include them in the mix of what we see and read. Those viewers become "Brand Ambassadors" by sharing content with their friends.

I've had the chance to work with ESPN on projects several times and a visit to their campus in Bristol, CT boggles the mind. It's an incredible facility filled with incredibly creative people fully aware of the multiple ways they can reach out to us with content on demand. They also market themselves with very witty promos, featuring their on-air team along with real sports figures. Their coverage is fun, and so is the way they get you to watch it.

Information + entertainment = success.

So how can all this apply to your business, big or small? Simple.

1. Continue to innovate. Every day think of a better way.
2. Your customers are your best brand ambassadors. Use them. Provide them ROI when they promote you.
3. Take advantage of all the communications pipelines available to you, both traditional and new media.
4. Above all, make your content meaningful on your customer's Main Street. If you provide good information, deals etc. they will come back to you, they will follow you and get their friends to follow you as well. Content is king.

If it works for ESPN, it can work for you.

Brian Olson
Conversation Starters LLC
"We start the conversation about you"