1. In a succinct manner, describe what the ESPN brand means to consumers.
2. What is ESPN selling? Discuss this in terms of the core benefit, actual product, and augmented product levels of ESPN.
3. Does ESPN have strong brand equity? How does its brand equity relate to its brand value?
4. Cite as many examples as you can of co-branding efforts involving the ESPN brand. For each of these cases, what are the benefits and possible risks to ESPN?
5. Analyze EPSN according to the brand development strategies from the text. What have they done in the past? What would you recommend to ESPN for future brand development?

In the 2004 movie Anchorman character Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) auditions for a position on SportsCenter with the very new and little known network, ESPN (Entertainment and Sports Programming Network). The year was 1979. After pronouncing the name of the network “Espen,” he then is shocked to find out that ESPN is a round-the-clock sports network. Through his laughter, he asserts that the concept is as ridiculous as a 24-hour cooking network or an all-music channel. “Seriously,” he shouts. “This thing is going to be a financial and cultural disaster. SportsCenter. . . that’s just dumb!”