Every Town Is a Sports Town: Business Leadership at ESPN, from the Mailroom to the Boardroom

In this lackluster corporate history, Bodenheimer, former CEO of ESPN, shares an insider’s account of the company’s early days and its climb to become the top sports network. Armed with an economics degree and a deep love of sports, Bodenheimer began in the mailroom. As ESPN flourished, so did he, beginning his rise through the ranks with successive moves to the Arlington, Tex.; Chicago; and Denver offices. In his telling, ESPN enjoyed plentiful advantages, from a company culture that treated staff members like family, to an eye for opportunity that led the network to begin regularly airing college basketball games and televising the NFL draft. Colorful on-air personalities like Chris Berman increased the channel’s visibility and helped define its brand as “fun.” Bodenheimer touches on all the highlights—the network’s acquisition by Disney, the evolution of the ESPY awards, securing rights to air the World Cup—but the writing falls rather flat. Those interested in the topic will find the details worth the effort, even if the prose doesn’t engage. Agent: Robert Barnett, Williams & Connolly. (May)