Message-ID: <33173621.1075852211201.JavaMail.evans@thyme> Date: Wed, 27 Jun 2001 08:03:41 -0700 (PDT) From: rglover@halff.com To: e-mail <.brad@enron.com>, e-mail <.camille@enron.com>, e-mail <.cheryl@enron.com>, j..farmer@enron.com, e-mail <.ed@enron.com>, e-mail <.fenny@enron.com>, e-mail <.jennifer@enron.com>, e-mail <.jon@enron.com>, e-mail <.kak@enron.com>, e-mail <.kristin@enron.com>, e-mail <.kyle@enron.com>, e-mail <.larry@enron.com>, e-mail <.lynn@enron.com>, e-mail <.rochelle@enron.com>, e-mail <.shelley@enron.com>, e-mail <.tom@enron.com> Subject: FW: A&M and ESPN Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-From: "Glover, Rusty" @ENRON X-To: BRAD BARNHARDT (E-mail) , CAMILLE (E-mail) , CHERYL (E-mail) , Farmer, Daren J. , ED (E-mail) , FENNY (E-mail) , JENNIFER (E-mail) , JON CROSS (E-mail) , KAK (E-mail) , KRISTIN ROAN (E-mail) , KYLE (E-mail) , LARRY HANS (E-mail) , LYNN BENNIE (E-mail) , ROCHELLE (E-mail) , SHELLEY (E-mail) , TOM ODWYER (E-mail) X-cc: X-bcc: X-Folder: \DFARMER (Non-Privileged)\Personal X-Origin: FARMER-D X-FileName: DFARMER (Non-Privileged).pst -----Original Message----- From: Herrera, Ignacio Sent: Wednesday, June 27, 2001 9:54 AM To: Abbott, Todd; Weygandt, Andrew; Glover, Rusty; Beard, Jaime; Woodson, Todd; Ratzman, Eric; Eckermann, Derrek; Walker, Sam Subject: FW: A&M and ESPN For Immediate Release June 26, 2001 ESPN TO LAUNCH SIDELINES NETWORK'S SECOND REALITY-BASED SERIES TO PREMIERE WITH TEXAS A&M FOOTBALL ESPN will launch a 13-episode, prime-time series this fall entitled Sidelines, the network's second reality-based title under the ESPN Original Entertainment (EOE) banner. Sidelines will document the season of a prominent team as told through the eyes and ears of the less visible, less celebrated people who are involved with the team. The football Aggies of Texas A&M will be the focus of the series' premiere episodes to begin October 5. "Coach Slocum and I made the decision to be a part of this exciting venture with ESPN," Texas A&M Athletics Director Wally Groff said. "We couldn't be more thrilled that ESPN has chosen Texas A&M for this series. The opportunity ESPN gave us to showcase this wonderful institution and all of its tradition and heritage is something we could not pass up." In a "docu-drama" style, the various stories that surround the team will be explored through the voices and actions of people whose day-to-day lives are directly affected by living in the town and/or going to the school. Players and coaches will also be visible and heard from in a more peripheral fashion, but will not be the primary focus. "This is a good opportunity for Texas A&M University and we're delighted ESPN decided to feature the football program and some of the people behind the scenes," Head Coach R.C. Slocum said. "We look forward to working with them." The participants will be drawn from a cross section of people who reflect every aspect of the University and College Station, Texas. They will be students, faculty, media, local storeowners, mothers, fathers and some of the high school seniors who aspire to attend the University. "Each person has a role to play with the team, as well as a personal story," said Mark Shapiro, vice president and general manager, ESPN Original Entertainment. "Sidelines will see each person grow in character as the season progresses -- a kind of 'soap-umentary.' We'll weave the smaller personal stories together through the bigger story of the progression and fate of the team and its season." SIDELINES: TEXAS A&M STORYLINES --This is the 125th anniversary of the school's founding (1876). --The community is still very much dealing with the 1999 bonfire collapse which tragically killed 12 students almost two years ago. A 90-year tradition came to a tumultuous end. Dealing with the loss and the emotional toll it took on faculty members, students and families will be an important part of this series. The bonfire will return in 2002 but will take on a different form than has been tradition. --Texas A&M, who lost a wild, snowy Independence Bowl last year in overtime to Mississippi State 43-41, will play Notre Dame (at home), Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas St and Colorado next year. A tough schedule will provide for great drama. --The school invented the phrase "12th Man" and actually owns the trademark. One game, the Aggies were low on players and had a student suit up and stand ready just in case he was needed. Ever since, a student is chosen for every home game to suit up and play on the kickoff team. --Billy Pickard is in charge of maintaining the facilities. He's been at the University for 36 years and was the student trainer for Bear Bryant's A&M team. He was actually in Junction, Texas for Bryant's infamous grueling summer camp. The story of it was a best-selling book, The Junction Boys. --At midnight on the Friday night before every home game, A&M students gather at the stadium for what is called "Midnight Yell Practice;" 30,000 fans show up each week for this time-honored tradition. EOE, the newest franchise of ESPN Programming, will develop a wide-variety of branded programming outside of the network's traditional event and sports news genres. Using a collection of vehicles -- game shows, documentaries or reality-based shows - it's ESPN's goal to broaden its audience by appealing to younger and casual sports fans. In addition, the company is exploring new ways to connect with consumers by applying these projects across all platforms of the ESPN family - television, Internet, radio -aTm-