ESPN Books and Ballantine Books Form Co-Publishing Alliance

First Title – “A Team To Believe In” by Coach Tom Coughlin – On Sale September 2, 2008

ESPN Books and Ballantine Books, an imprint of Random House, the world’s largest trade book publisher, have announced that they have entered into an agreement to publish 10-12 sports titles per year under the joint Ballantine and ESPN Books imprints.

The publishing program will include sports-related books ranging from celebrity titles to narrative non-fiction to reference.  The first title under this agreement, on sale September 2, 2008, will be A TEAM TO BELIEVE IN: Our Journey to the Super Bowl Championship, by New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin, with Brian Curtis.  This inside look at their unforgettable 2007 season will go on sale two days before the world champion New York Giants open their new season.

“We expect to be an industry leader in all of our endeavors,” said Gary Hoenig, editorial director and general manager, ESPN Publishing.  “This alliance with the world’s number one book publisher gives us the opportunity to reach that goal in a prestigious medium.”

Ballantine Publisher Libby McGuire commented: “ESPN is the #1 brand in sports. After our tremendous hardcover success in 2006 with WHY MY WIFE THINKS I’M AN IDIOT by ESPN’s Mike Greenberg, the opportunity to publish forthcoming ESPN Books exclusively was something we could not pass up. We look forward to more bestsellers together.”

The 2009 co-publishing highlights include an as-yet-untitled book on the NBA by Bill Simmons, a.k.a. The Sports Guy, beloved by ESPN fans the world over. He will offer his highly opinionated and entertaining take on his first love, basketball.  Also on the roster is the ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia & ESPN SEC Football Encyclopedia, as well as a book on the history of sports by Mike & Mike—Mike Golic and Mike Greenberg—co-hosts of ESPN Radio’s Mike and Mike in the Morning.

Select titles previously published under the ESPN Books imprint will continue to be available and will be distributed by the Random House sales force.

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