Anaheim Sports, Inc., formerly Disney Sports Enterprises, Inc. (DSE), was a fully owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company based in Anaheim, California and created in 1992 as the ownership group for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim professional hockey team.
History
Disney Sports Enterprises
Disney Sports Enterprises, Inc. was incorporated in California on December 12, 1986.
Disney purchased a National Hockey League 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 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 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. 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. In February 2005, it agreed to sell the Mighty Ducks and the Disney Ice, the team's training facility, to Broadcom co-founder and billionaire Henry Samueli and his wife.