Editor’s note: April 2 is ESPN.com’s 16th birthday. Rob King, Editor-In-Chief, traces the site’s young history.
The 1995 Final Four featured far more than a festival of Razorbacks, Tar Heels, Cowboys and eventual champion Bruins. That sleepless Seattle weekend also played host to the announcement of a partnership between ESPN and the Paul Allen-owned company Starwave … a partnership that would give birth to a venture then known as ESPNETSportsZone.com.
Sixteen years later, that innovative starburst of service to fans continues to chug along under the more familiar — and pronounceable — name “ESPN.com.” Our official birthday: April 2. As we blow out each of those sweet 16 candles, we find ourselves every bit as passionate about serving sports fans as ever.
From Day 1 to today, former and current ESPN.com staffers have cherished the opportunity to serve fans. The number we’re sporting as of April 2, 2011 — the number 16 — happens to have been worn by a collection of athletes who, combined, form a pretty good mission statement.
So in the year ahead, we’re going to work to make sure that fans who visit ESPN.com each day encounter a site that’s as passionate as Bobby Clarke, as cool as Joe Montana, as sophisticated as Pau Gasol and as exciting as Denard Robinson.
Achieving that would be pretty sweet.