NICK SEIFERT NEW VP OF SALES FOR ESPN OUTDOORS

Nick Seifert, a 15-year veteran of media and marketing positions in the outdoor genre and an avid angler and hunter, has been named vice president, ESPN Outdoors sponsorship and advertising sales, it was announced today by Michael Rooney, senior vice president, ESPN The Magazine and general manager of ESPN Outdoors. Seifert will be responsible for all the advertising and sponsorships for the Great Outdoor Games, ESPN Outdoors block programming and B.A.S.S. He will work in collaboration with the existing sales forces at ESPN and B.A.S.S. and will report directly to Rooney.  

Seifert joins ESPN from Haas Outdoors/Mossy Oak Camouflage of Joliet, Ill. where he served as vice president, licensing since March. Previously, he was the national sales and marketing manager in the sporting goods division for The Outdoor Company, a division of Times Mirror Magazine, publisher of Field and Stream and Outdoor Life magazines. Since 1997, he had been responsible for the advertising sales and marketing for those and many other outdoor publications. He had joined Times Mirror in 1989 as an associate editor in 1989 and rose through the editorial ranks. In 1996, he moved to the business side as the sporting goods marketing specialist for the magazines.

While with Outdoor Life, he also served as a producer and on-air host for the company's television productions. Seifert received a bachelor of science degree in journalism and mass communication from the University of Colorado and a graduate degree in magazine publishing management from New York University.

"Nick has a terrific background to lead the ESPN Outdoors sales efforts," said Rooney. "He has a successful history and knowledge of the outdoor marketplace, including advertising sales and editorial experience in the magazine business. I look forward to his contributions to growing the Great Outdoor Games, our outdoor block programming and B.A.S.S."



ESPN OUTDOORS
* ESPN has a long history with outdoor programming; The Fishin' Hole joined ESPN in 1980 and is the network's second-longest running program, after SportsCenter. Outdoor programming has been a weekend morning staple since the mid-1980s. 
* ESPN2 televises outdoor programming - ESPN Outdoors - every Saturday and Sunday morning, as well as on weekday afternoons. Programming includes the 18-show BASSMASTER Tournament Trail.
* In April, ESPN purchased the business and assets of B.A.S.S., Inc., the largest fishing organization in the world with more than 600,000 members and, like ESPN, a leader in a variety of businesses and media. These include magazine publishing, event management, merchandising, television distribution and the Internet.
* B.A.S.S.' season-ending championship, the BASS Masters Classic, received its most extensive television exposure ever last month, with same-day coverage of all-three days of competition from New Orleans.  
* Based in Montgomery, Ala., B.A.S.S. was established in 1967 and the company is currently affiliated with more than 2,800 chapters in 47 states and five foreign countries. Its many initiatives include CastingKids, which encourages youth participation in fishing, and numerous environmental and conservation efforts.
* The second annual ESPN Great Outdoor Games were held last month in Lake Placid, N.Y., and enjoyed increased attendance and television scheduling.
* ESPN Radio has aired a Saturday morning outdoors show since October 1998.


ESPN, INC.
ESPN, Inc., The Worldwide Leader In Sports, is a multinational, multimedia sports entertainment company, comprised of six domestic television networks (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Classic, ESPNEWS, ESPN Extra, ESPN Today), ESPN International (19 international networks and syndication), ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, ESPN The Magazine, ESPN Regional Television, SportsTicker, and ESPN Enterprises, overseeing brand extensions such as the ESPN Zones, sports-themed dining and entertainment complexes, and consumer products. Based in Bristol, Ct., ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc., which is an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. The Hearst Corporation holds a 20 percent interest in ESPN.