# ESPN **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 7, 2000, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/espn/24831 "2000-07-07T06:16:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DaneH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e495f1/32.png) [@DaneH](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaneH)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2000, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/espn/24831/1 "2000-07-07T06:16:41Z")
What does ESPN stand for? (as in the sports network) ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2000, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/espn/24831/2 "2000-07-07T06:20:21Z")
Now, it doesn’t stand for anything. IIRC, it used to stand for Entertainment Sports Programming Network. ---
**Author:** ![DaneH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e495f1/32.png) [@DaneH](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaneH)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2000, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/espn/24831/3 "2000-07-07T06:22:19Z")
Why does it not stand for anything anymore? ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2000, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/espn/24831/4 "2000-07-07T06:32:09Z")
I think what **BobT** may have meant (unless he was just being flippant) is that ESPN now stands for ‘all sports, all the time’, and the original words behind the letters have really faded into the background. ---
**Author:** ![NothingMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b77776/32.png) [@NothingMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NothingMan)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2000, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/espn/24831/5 "2000-07-07T07:44:14Z")
This a very slight difference, but since we are fighting ignorance here : Actually ESPN stands for **E** ntertainment **SP** orts **N** etwork . . . at least that is how the initials would appear in the early years on logo shots on the channel. I suppose it is possible that the creators had “Programming” in mind when they picked it (otherwise it seems the channel would have been called “ESN”) but at some point they decided not to have the “P” stand for that. As mentioned above though, ESPN doesn’t really seem to mean anything anymore. ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2000, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/espn/24831/6 "2000-07-07T07:59:08Z")
From ESPN’s website… WHAT DOES ESPN STAND FOR? It doesn’t stand for anything … but the story is this. When ESPN started in 1979, we were the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network (thus, ESPN). However, the full name was dropped in February 1985 when the company adopted a new corporate name – ESPN, Inc. – and a new logo. 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 the remaining 20 percent interest in ESPN. Sorry, **NothingMan** , looks like **BobT** is closer… ---
**Author:** ![NothingMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b77776/32.png) [@NothingMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NothingMan)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2000, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/espn/24831/7 "2000-07-07T09:19:27Z")
Perhaps what I saw on the tele all those years ago was simply a clever attempt to manipulate the initials. I stand corrected. BTW **ricepad** I noted you wrote “WE” instead of “THEY” - are you in some way affiliated with ESPN ? ---
**Author:** ![Montfort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Montfort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montfort)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2000, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/espn/24831/8 "2000-07-07T14:27:41Z")
Does anyone remember when ESPN had so little sports to show that they used to have business shows on during the weekend mornings? I guess that’s where the “E” fit in, although, at the time, I didn’t quite think that business shows were all that entertaining – I wanted sports, dammit! ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2000, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/espn/24831/9 "2000-07-08T01:30:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NothingMan \* > \*\*Perhaps what I saw on the tele all those years ago was simply a clever attempt to manipulate the initials. I stand corrected. > > BTW **ricepad** I noted you wrote “WE” instead of “THEY” - are you in some way affiliated with ESPN ? \*\* It looks like he was quoting the website. ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2000, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/espn/24831/10 "2000-07-08T01:39:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Smeghead \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by NothingMan \* > > \*\*Perhaps what I saw on the tele all those years ago was simply a clever attempt to manipulate the initials. I stand corrected. > > > > BTW **ricepad** I noted you wrote “WE” instead of “THEY” - are you in some way affiliated with ESPN ? \*\* > > It looks like he was quoting the website. \*\* Bullshit…I **am** affiliated with ESPN…I watch it all the time! ---
**Author:** ![Eo\_Echo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ebca7d/32.png) [@Eo\_Echo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eo_Echo)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2000, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/espn/24831/11 "2000-07-08T03:06:32Z")
ESPN rules. But the deuce sucks, IMHO.