The ESPN (Chilton) Sports Poll was created by the Chilton Company in 1993 and launched on January 4, 1994. The Sports Poll was the first ongoing research service to measure sports fan interests, activities and preferences in the United States. In 1997, the influence of the Sports Poll was recognized by Sporting News: "the ESPN Chilton poll, in less than three years, has become the single most utilized sports intelligence service in the U.S., a staple now of sports organizations, media and sponsoring companies. His research provides timely data on sports fan interests and behaviors year round, which is an invaluable marketing tool."