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Working at ESPN

Zippia Score 4.6

Overview

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ESPN Overview

Industry
Media
Revenue
$4B
Headquarters
Bristol, CT
Employees
1,250
Founded In
1979
Website
Organization Type
Private
CEO
James Pitaro
Social Media

ESPN is a media company focusing on sports broadcasting, news coverage, and multimedia content. Headquartered in Connecticut, the company has grown into a major player in the industry since its founding in 1979. Known for its diverse range of sports programming and live events, ESPN boasts an annual revenue of $4.0 billion and employs around 1,250 professionals.

Under the leadership of CEO James Pitaro, ESPN delivers engaging content across various platforms, including cable television networks, websites, and mobile apps. The company's workforce represents an unusually diverse demographic background, with a significant percentage being female and ethnic minorities. Despite this diversity, the company remains largely politically aligned with the Democratic Party. Notably, ESPN focuses on employee retention, with staff members staying with the company for an average of 4.8 years and earning a median salary of $60,383 per year.

ESPN's Mission Statement

We provide factual sports news to the global viewers: ESPN has been operating in more than 200 countries around the world.

4.3/5

ESPN employee reviews

Based on 6 ratings

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Job openings at ESPN
20 Positions
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Average salary at ESPN
$60,383 yearly
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On This Page

ESPN employee reviews

ESPN employee reviews
4.3/5

Based On 6 Ratings

Work At ESPN? Share your experience.
Employee Reviews
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5.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2024
Pros of working at ESPN

I was fortunate enough to have worked on an amazing property. You were given the space and resources to complete your tasks at the highest levels and it was recognized.

Cons of working at ESPN

Growth opportunities were limited. Things such as budgets changed regularly which made the planning process challenging.

ESPN Benefits

The Wellness Center.

What do you like best about ESPN's CEO and the leadership team?

Great communication.

How would you improve ESPN's culture?

There is nothing. It was cutting edge.

How did you prepare for the ESPN interview?

I had internal relationships which had been in place for years and very strong.

How does your compensation at ESPN compare to the industry average?

The comp met the average.

What's the diversity at ESPN like?

Excellent.

What brings you the most joy at ESPN?

The people. The campus, security, location.

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2.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2021
Pros of working at ESPN

Pay and benefits

Cons of working at ESPN

Growth opportunities, too much of a ceiling and if you are not part of the "in" group, you can't move up.

ESPN Benefits

Free Disney passes, free gym

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5.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2020
Pros of working at ESPN

Atmosphere

Cons of working at ESPN

Only air the biggest games so my area doesn’t always get

ESPN Benefits

Disney perks 401k stock options and matching

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4.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2019
Pros of working at ESPN

It looks fun and interesting

Cons of working at ESPN

You probably can’t say everything you want to

ESPN Benefits

Debating and money

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5.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2019
Pros of working at ESPN

It was an upbeat atmosphere that taught me a lot about the media.

Cons of working at ESPN

Sometimes the lack of organization was a struggle.

ESPN Benefits

Opportunity to learn.

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A reddit user wrote a review on Feb 2010
What kind of salaries does the talent make? I would guess the SC anchors are near $2MM/yr and radio guys like Cowherd are near $800kish...

I really do not know, but I heard on-air talent starts (like all the anchors you've never heard of) around 80K. The big fish make considerably more, but I would assume the public over-estimates their salaries big time. They really don't make THAT much ridiculous money.

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A reddit user wrote a review on Feb 2010
I was convinced you were female, given your liberal use of exclamation points. Then you mentioned standing at a urinal next to a HOFer. Or was that to throw us off. Or, are you a C with a D? Anyway, is it a sportsy sausage fest at the worldwide leader? M/F employee ratio?

The ratio is a lot more guys. Even without us being sports, broadcasting is a male dominated field. The production and technology departments are mostly male, but there are a lot of females in the other departments.

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A reddit user wrote a review on Feb 2010
Is there a lot of sports gambling going on at ESPN? I imagine there must be since everyone is so plugged into what's going in the world of sports.

I haven't noticed an increase in percentage of betting employees compared to other places I've been.

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A reddit user wrote a review on Feb 2010
How do I get a job as a video editor for ESPN?

You would have to see if there's any openings via our job boards. Unfortunately there are no new positions opening up unless someone leaves the company.

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A reddit user wrote a review on Feb 2010
As of now I'm in college, and would love to work for a major company in the production department, such as ESPN, or something along those lines. Currently I'm at Rutgers University, majoring in Journalism and Media Studies. Any advice for interning/finding a career after college?

Go Rutgers (I'm from Jersey). I would suggest every company's job boards....most of the good companies in the NYC area have programs. You luckily live in the best area of the country for broadcast!!

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A reddit user wrote a review on Feb 2010
I have a cousin and a friend who works for ESPN. I believe, correct me if I'm wrong, I was told by one of them that the ESPN Holiday party was canceled last year. Is this true? If so, why was it canceled and how disappointed were and your coworkers?

Cancelled TWICE in a row! Budget cuts. But they waste money on other ridiculously stupid stuff, it sucks!!

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A reddit user wrote a review on Feb 2010
Finally, a good IAMA! Some questions: * Do you guys actively monitor ProFootballTalk (I'm pretty sure ya'll do but it would be nice to hear you admit it), and, if so, how much of what Florio reports is legit stuff, how much is stuff he more or less "makes up", and is there a reason he always beats everyone else to the scoop? * Who makes the SportsCenter commercials? They are awesome. * What do people who work at ESPN think of Sean Salisbury? * How tough is it for someone to get a job at the worldwide leader in sports? * Is Favre coming back? (I'm a Vikings fan, I need to know!)

I'm not sure what the powers that be on the content side look for in terms of sites like that, or where they get their tips from. Sometimes random employees come up with ideas, marketing, etc. We have an out of house company to come and shoot them. He isn't talked about much, same goes for most people no longer there. It's almost taboo. Well right now, very. We have a hiring freeze going on, so only if people leave the company are there many openings. Once the economy gets better, we will be hiring again. I would recommend the intern programs, and just checking the job website. Most people at work hate him, I really don't know why we cover him so much. I'm sure no one but Brett knows the answer to that until the day before training camp.

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A reddit user wrote a review on Feb 2010
I'm in first year of (a fairly prestigious) journalism school, and ESPN is one of my targets upon graduation. Do you have any recommendations for somebody attempting to get on that career path? Also, would being Canadian and/or female have any impact?

Well it depends on what you're trying to do with that degree. I would strongly recommend our internship program. Disney is ALL about diversity, so YES you def. have a better chance.

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A reddit user wrote a review on Feb 2010
How do the people who are part of producing content get their jobs? For instance, the camera operators?

Content is the people doing the newsgathering, writing the stories, deciding what goes on the shows, etc. People on the technical side (camera ops) do not have any say/part in content. They just do what the content people tell them (although they are far smarter, technically skilled, and overall better at their job than the content people). Most people get in based on who you know, or if you have a good resume and apply. We have a huge intern program. Most people in content start out as PA's (production assistants), and they are on a 6 month or so trial period. They must impress to stay. From there, they move onto prompting, screening video for good highlights, helping the producers with the shows, etc.

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A reddit user wrote a review on Feb 2010
Why does Skip Bayless hate the Saints so much? Are you a big sports fan? What are your sports and teams? How is the culture? From their (good) marketing, it seems like a pretty fun place.

He's paid to have the opposite viewpoint all the time. I'm a sports nut, but my teams are so specific I can't tell you without giving away who I am. THe first question everyone asks is Yankees/Sox, and I'm Yanks. Huge hockey fan too. It's a REALLY fun place to work. Everyones very young there. It's location, however, sucks. There is nothing to do in CT, and there is no cultural stuff either.

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A reddit user wrote a review on Feb 2010
What do you and your colleagues think of deadspin? Also, in that vein, how often do you hear references to "You're with me, leather."?

We LOVE deadspin!! Seriously, I check that site all day long at work. Haha, it's well known.

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A reddit user wrote a review on Feb 2010
Cool IAMA. Thanks for doing this. A few questions... * Have you ever met Erin Andrews? Is she hot in person? * Do you have to be really fit to work there? I met a guy once that was trying to get a job there as on-air talent and he was telling me that he worked out all the time because if you're a schlub in Bristol you're looked down upon. Any truth to that? * Any inside scoop on the Sean Salisbury thing? Was he a total d-bag? Did he really get let go for sending people pics of his junk?

Yes, YES. Not at all. I don't know the requirements for on-air talent, but we have some UGLY people on air. THere aren't even that many good looking people that work there as a whole. The natives of Bristol are bleh, as it's a real red-necky area. Yeah, he showed them that. You should see some of the behind the scenes relationships that go on. It's insane. For every Steve Phillips situation, there's 100 more that never get caught.

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A reddit user wrote a review on Feb 2010
What's the funnest thing you've done while working there ie; worked on a top 10 list, helped with an interview etc. Are the guys we see on SportsCenter cool down to earth type of guys, or are they pricks in real life? Have you also worked on PTI and Around the Horn?

Well, I'd have to say I enjoyed my time working in the studios. I got to meet EVERYONE! They sent me to Aspen for the X-Games last year, that was amazing. The "Talent" as we call them, are hit or miss. For the most part, they're really cool people, but there are a few that are pricks. Some are primadonnas and above you. It's a very pleasant place to work, however. PTI and Around the Horn are not done at HQ, so no.

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A reddit user wrote a review on Feb 2010
How long have you been working at ESPN, also how did you initially get the job was it one of those things where you knew somebody?

3 years. I applied using Disney's career page.

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The team at ESPN

  • The founders of ESPN are Bill Rasmussen, Scott Rasmussen and Ed Eagan.
  • The key people at ESPN are James Pitaro, Bill Rasmussen and Scott Rasmussen.
Key People
James Pitaro
Bill Rasmussen
Scott Rasmussen
Ed Eagan
The Inside Scoop
ESPN, Inc., established in 1979, is the leading multinational, multimedia sports entertainment entity. The company operates radios and cable television networks; and interactive/Internet, broadband, and wireless platforms, telecasts programming on various sports, such as soccer, rugby, cricket, golf, tennis, basketball, motor racing, and others. ESPN, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. Based in Bristol, CT, ESPN has approximately 4,000 employees (approximately 8,000 worldwide).

ESPN Rankings

ESPN is ranked #78 on the Best Companies to Work For in Connecticut list. Zippia's Best Places to Work lists provide unbiased, data-based evaluations of companies. Rankings are based on government and proprietary data on salaries, company financial health, and employee diversity.

Read more about how we rank companies.

ESPN salaries

The average an ESPN salary in the United States is $60,383 per year. ESPN employees in the top 10 percent can make over $117,000 per year, while ESPN employees at the bottom 10 percent earn less than $31,000 per year.
Average ESPN Salary
$60,383
yearly
$29.03 hourly
Updated March 14, 2024

Rate the fairness of ESPN's compensation policies.

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ESPN diversity

9.5
Diversity Score
We calculated ESPN’s diversity score by measuring multiple factors, including the ethnic background, gender identity, and language skills of ESPN’s workforce.
ESPN diversity summary. Zippia estimates ESPN's demographics and statistics using a database of 30 million profiles. Zippia verifies estimates with BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. We calculated ESPN's diversity score by measuring multiple factors, including the ethnic background, gender identity, and language skills of ESPN's workforce.
  • ESPN has 1,250 employees.
  • 33% of ESPN employees are women, while 67% are men.
  • The most common ethnicity at ESPN is White (61%).
  • 16% of ESPN employees are Hispanic or Latino.
  • 12% of ESPN employees are Black or African American.
  • The average employee at ESPN makes $60,383 per year.
  • ESPN employees are most likely to be members of the democratic party.
  • Employees at ESPN stay with the company for 4.8 years on average.

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ESPN Office Locations

ESPN is headquartered in Bristol, CT

Biggest ESPN Locations

RankCityJob CountAvg. Salary
1Bristol, CT47$67,934
2Santa Monica, CA27$67,271
3New York, NY8$69,871
4San Francisco, CA6$69,501
5Glendale, CA5$67,196
6Los Angeles, CA4$67,209
7Burbank, CA4$67,282
8Charlotte, NC3$54,901
9Seattle, WA3$66,504

Videos About Working At ESPN

Magic Johnson And Jerry West Both Expected To Recruit LeBron James | First Take | June 21, 2017

ESPN Financial Performance

9.8
Performance Score

Highest paying ESPN competitors

Compare ESPN salaries to competitors, including HBO, CBS Sports Network, and Clear Channel Airport. Employees at HBO earn the highest average yearly salary of $81,323. The salaries at CBS Sports Network average $75,685 per year, and the salaries at Clear Channel Airport come in at $69,455 per year.
RankCompanyAverage SalaryJobs
1HBO$81,3231
2CBS Sports Network$75,6850
3Clear Channel Airport$69,455123
4Univision Holdings, Inc.$65,48829
5Raycom Sports$62,7650
6The Associated Press$62,3616
7NBCUniversal$57,3481,212
8Fox News$56,92112
9CNN$56,23667
10Urban One$56,23464
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ESPN FAQs

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Updated March 14, 2024

Zippia gives an in-depth look into the details of ESPN, including salaries, political affiliations, employee data, and more, in order to inform job seekers about ESPN. The employee data is based on information from people who have self-reported their past or current employments at ESPN. The data on this page is also based on data sources collected from public and open data sources on the Internet and other locations, as well as proprietary data we licensed from other companies. Sources of data may include, but are not limited to, the BLS, company filings, estimates based on those filings, H1B filings, and other public and private datasets. While we have made attempts to ensure that the information displayed are correct, Zippia is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of this information. None of the information on this page has been provided or approved by ESPN. The data presented on this page does not represent the view of ESPN and its employees or that of Zippia.

ESPN may also be known as or be related to ESPN, ESPN Inc, ESPN PR, ESPN, Inc. and Entertainment and Sports Programming Network.