Anaheim Sports, Inc., formerly Disney Sports Enterprises, Inc. (DSE), was a fully owned subsidiary of
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was founded on October 16 ...
based in
Anaheim, California
Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, United States, part of the Greater Los Angeles area. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orang ...
and created in 1992 as the ownership group for the
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
Mighty may refer to:
Businesses
*Mighty Audio, an American company known for its product ''Mighty'', a portable audio player
*Mighty Animation, an animation studio based in Guadalajara, Mexico
Films
*''The Mighty'', a 1998 comedy–drama
* ''The ...
professional
hockey
''Hockey'' is a family of List of stick sports, stick sports where two opposing teams use hockey sticks to propel a ball or disk into a goal. There are many types of hockey, and the individual sports vary in rules, numbers of players, apparel, ...
team.
History
Disney Sports Enterprises
Disney Sports Enterprises, Inc. was incorporated in California on December 12, 1986.
Disney purchased a
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
expansion franchise in December 1992 for Anaheim. The team was named
Mighty Ducks after a Disney movie,
The Mighty Ducks.
The movie and the team was due to Disney CEO Michael Eisner interest with hockey which stemmed from his sons playing the game. NHL executives considered it a "coup" and ESPN gave the NHL its best deal to date for TV rights, $600 million for 5 years.
As a Disney conglomerate unit, its president reported to Disney vice chairman
Sandy Litvack
Sandy may refer to:
People and fictional characters
*Sandy (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name or nickname
* Sandy (surname), a list of people
* Sandy (Iranian music band), Iranian singer, comp ...
while financial counting as a part of its parks and resorts segment.
With the record sales of Mighty Ducks licensed merchandising, the
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...
in March 1995 turned to Disney to handle its merchandising operation.
Following the Mighty Ducks movie/pro-team marketing formula, first Disney released in 1994
Angels in the Outfield film then offered to purchase the
California Angels
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Greater Los Angeles area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West Division. Since 1966, the team has pl ...
.
[ In May 1995, DSE agreed to purchase 25% of the Angels from ]Gene Autry
Orvon Grover "Gene" Autry (September 29, 1907 – October 2, 1998), nicknamed the Singing Cowboy, was an American actor, musician, singer, composer, rodeo performer, and baseball team owner, who largely gained fame by singing in a Crooner ...
with an option to purchase the remaining ownership.[ The company then agreed to a new lease with the city of ]Anaheim
Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, United States, part of the Greater Los Angeles area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orange County, the tenth-most ...
, in which it agreed to add the city's name to the name of the baseball club in return for full management of Anaheim Stadium
Angel Stadium is a ballpark in Anaheim, California, United States. Since its opening in 1966, it has been the home venue of the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB), who relocated from Los Angeles to Anaheim following the 1965 seas ...
and an increased share of the stadium's revenues. DSE took operational control of the Angels in May 1996 which was renamed the Anaheim Angels.
Anaheim Sports
In December 1996, Disney Sports Enterprises, Inc. was renamed to Anaheim Sports, Inc. for tax purposes and to align with the teams' names.[ Anaheim Sports teams were then seen as an additional draw for people to visit ]Disneyland Resort
The Disneyland Resort is an entertainment resort in Anaheim, California, United States. It is owned and operated by the Walt Disney Company through its Disney Experiences, Experiences division and is home to two theme parks (Disneyland and Dis ...
and a key to a potential regional sports channel, ESPN West.[
By 1998, the two teams were losing money and the ESPN West channel never got off the ground, which could have justified keeping the teams. The two teams were put up for sale in 1999.][ From 1995 to 1998, the Angels lost Anaheim on average $16.6 million while only being competitive in three out of five years. While the Ducks were a money maker in the beginning, the team was expected to lose money for its third season.]Broadcom Corporation
Broadcom Corporation was an American fabless manufacturing, fabless semiconductor company that made products for the wireless and broadband communication industry. It was acquired by Avago Technologies for $37billion in 2016 and operates as a ...
had approached Disney about interactive broadcasting rights for the teams which would have allow viewers at home to purchase Anaheim tickets and merchandise via their remote controls. Instead, Disney offered to sell the Broadcom partners, Henry Samueli
Henry Samueli (born September 20, 1954) is an American businessman and engineer. He is a co-founder of Broadcom Corporation, owner of the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL), and a prominent philanthropist in the Orange County, C ...
and Henry Nicholas
Henry Thompson Nicholas III (born October 8, 1959) is an American businessman who is a co-founder of Broadcom Corporation, and former co-chairman of its board, president, and chief executive officer (CEO) of the company. , Nicholas is the 99th ...
, the two teams for $450 million.[
President ]Tony Tavares
Tony Tavares is an American accountant and sports executive. He has served as the team president for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League, and for the Anaheim Angels and Montreal Expos / Washington Nationals o ...
signed a three-year contract extension in 2000. With the December 31, 2000 retirement of vice chairman Litvack, Anaheim Sports began reporting to Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
Disney Experiences, commonly known as Disney Parks, is one of the three major divisions of the Walt Disney Company. It was founded on April 1, 1971, exactly six months before the opening of the Walt Disney World Resort.
Led by Josh D'Amaro, ...
chairman Paul Pressler. At the time, it was planned that the ESPN Zone
ESPN Zone was a theme restaurant and entertainment center chain in the United States that included arcades, TV studios, and radio studios, operated by the Disney Regional Entertainment subsidiary of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts using the Disn ...
restaurant would increase promotional efforts with the two sports teams.[ In May 2003, the company sold the Angels to advertising magnate ]Arte Moreno
Arturo "Arte" Moreno (born August 14, 1946) is an American businessman. On May 15, 2003, he became the first Mexican-American to own a major sports team in the United States when he purchased the Anaheim Angels baseball team from the Walt Disne ...
.[ The company was later merged out.][
]
References
{{reflist
Disney sports
Anaheim Ducks
Los Angeles Angels