College Basketball Authority Andy Katz Named ESPN.com Senior Writer.

Business Editors/Interactive & Multimedia Writers

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 5, 2000

Andy Katz, most recently the national basketball writer for the Fresno Bee, has been named Senior Writer for ESPN.com, it was announced today by John Marvel, executive editor of ESPN.com, part of GO.com (NYSE:GO).

In addition to covering college basketball on a daily basis, Katz will pen his "Weekly Word" column, in which he will take on a variety of topical subjects and issues. He will also continue in his roles at ESPN The Magazine and ESPN Radio Network.

Katz has covered college basketball for the past 10 years, including stints at the Albuquerque Journal and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and is a former board member for the United States Basketball Writers Association.

"This is a significant boost to our commitment in giving our users the best in online sports journalism, and another big step in the overall growth of ESPN.com," said Marvel. "Andy is one of the premier authorities in college hoops, which will enable ESPN.com to provide fans with the latest and most compelling news and information."

ESPN.com's online journalism prowess has already been on display this past year:

-- Investigative reporter Tom Farrey provides evidence pointing to possible academic fraud involving the University of Tennessee football team, including the 1998 national champion squad;

-- ESPN.com editorial staffer John Crowley phones in updates and game story for ESPN.com users of David Cone's perfect game from Yankee Stadium;

-- A six-person ESPN.com editorial team covers all aspects of the 1999 X Games in San Francisco;

-- John Marvel travels to Cuba to report on the Baltimore Orioles' historic meeting with the Cuban National team; ESPN.com is the only general sports site to be represented in Cuba;

-- ESPN.com breaks the latest story in the saga regarding Notre Dame's troubled football program: an employee of a booster had paid for skyboxes in order to entertain Irish players;

-- ESPN.com broke the Rick Neuheisel-to-Washington coaching story;

-- ESPN.com was the only online service with a staffer on-site when the NBA lockout ended in New York January 1999, resulting in chats with Charles Barkley, David Robinson, Steve Kerr and others literally as they were leaving the General Motors Building after the player vote.

In his new role, Katz will write his "Weekly Word" column for ESPN.com while also continuing to contribute to ESPN The Magazine and ESPN Radio as a writer and analyst, respectfully. He also will provide in-studio college basketball analysis for ESPNews Network, ESPN's 24-hour sports news cable network. Katz will be based out of ESPN.com's Bristol, CT office.

ESPN.com is part of EIG, which is part of GO.com. GO.com was created as part of the recent merger between Infoseek Corporation and The Walt Disney Company's online unit, Buena Vista Internet Group (BVIG). GO.com oversees many of the Web's most popular sites and services, including the GO Network portal, ABC.com, ABCNEWS.com, Disney.com, Disneystore.com, ESPN.com, NFL.com, NBA.com, NASCAR Online, Family.com and Mr. Showbiz.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties, including those relating to ESPN.com, strategic changes in GO.com's operations and factors beyond the Company's control, including technological, regulatory and economic developments. Any of these factors may materially adversely affect the development of Internet-related businesses generally or the business, financial condition or results of operations of GO.com specifically. Accordingly, actual results may differ materially from the results indicated or implied in this release. More information about GO.com (NYSE:GO) and the risks arising from an investment in GO.com is contained in the most recent filings of The Walt Disney Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission.