REPORT: ESPN THE HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH! OUTSPORTS.com reports that ESPN has “developed a history of visible gay-friendly actions that have separated it from much of the rest of the sports world.“

The website notes numerous ESPN reports covering gay athletes dating back to a 1998 “Outside The Lines” episode called “The World of the Gay Athlete”.

The net is also now an annual sponsor of the Gay Games and recruits at events for the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association.

ESPN Senior VP/News Vince Doria on ESPN hiring an openly gay on-air personality: “We’ve never had that opportunity, but my personal opinion is that it would be a very interesting thing to do. I think we’re big enough to do something like that without being overly concerned about any risk with our viewers.”

Doria’s right, the viewers would get used to it. So why hasn’t it happened? I think we all know that the viewers aren’t what Doria and ESPN management is most worried about.