We visited ESPN's headquarters in Bristol, Conn. this week.
The compound is the nerve center of everything ESPN does. The top executives have offices there, the shows are shot there, the magazine is produced there, and thousands of staffers work there and live nearby.
It sounds like the Death Star, but there's actually a lot of neat touches and perks on campus, like the amazing cafeteria.
Say what you will about ESPN, but it keeps its people well fed. This place is nuts.
Welcome to ESPN Café
There's a basketball court out back.
First things first, the food is all over the map.
Bristol's on a health-food kick, hence this barley with peppers, tomato, basil and white wine vinaigrette.
Grilled chicken is healthy too.
We're pretty sure these stray mushrooms were for show.
It's not all health food, though.
Cakes with crushed M&Ms on top at work.
INFINITE SUPPLY OF RUNTS.
No cafeteria is complete without a vintage popcorn machine.
There are several cereal options.
The brick-oven pizza guy is popular.
It's also cheap as heck.
Once you get your barley and M&M cake, you eat in this sitting area overlooking a green space.
There are TVs everywhere.
TVs tucked on the dropped ceiling.
TVs behind library books.
Every table has this ESPN ornament, in case you forget where you work.
Puns abound. The salad bar is called "FIELD OF GREENS."
The pun was better than the salad options, though.
Protein bars are in high demand, apparently.
There are a handful of work stations a few steps away from the pizza man.
The food quotes are also sports quotes.
This is jam-packed at lunch time.
The path away from the cafeteria and back toward the digital center.
BONUS: This custom ESPN rug runs throughout many of the buildings (not in the cafeteria, though).
Another wild facility.
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