Sports execs see room for improvement at ESPN

By Gina Keating

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The chiefs of U.S. hockey and stock car racing on Tuesday said they saw room for improvement at ESPN, the largest U.S. sports network, such as making programming slicker and giving better perks and time slots to smaller leagues.

NASCAR Chairman and Chief Executive Brian France told the Reuters Media Summit in New York that ESPN, owned by Walt Disney Co (DIS.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), was in the midst of a learning curve in its new contract with U.S. stock car racing. He said fans have become more demanding and vocal than when the network last carried NASCAR in 2000.

ESPN, which broadcasts races along with sister network ABC, lost its contract with NASCAR in 2000 and renewed it in 2007, along with several other networks, in an eight-year deal valued at almost $4.5 billion in total.

"The production and (fan) expectation they have to be at are much higher than before ... They are finding that out," he said of ESPN, pointing to red-carpet treatment given to racing by Fox, NBC and TNT, which continued to carry NASCAR as it grew into an American sporting phenomenon.

NASCAR would like to see ESPN do more sophisticated graphics, more detailed commentary, and more original programming about NASCAR figures, such as its recent film about the late championship driver Dale Earnhardt, France said.

However, he said the relations were good with the sports network.

"We have a very, very good relationship with them from top to bottom ... the amount of money they have invested in us is unprecedented," France said.

ESPN could not be reached for comment.  Continued...