ESPN making some big cuts......

[Pinwheel1]

http://www.outkickthecoverage.com/espn-cutting-nearly-100-million-in-on-air-talent-030617

"From 1979 to 2011 ESPN had the best business model in the history of sports. (The cable and satellite bundle is the greatest money making venture in the history of media.) But starting in 2011 the business began to change. In a hurry. Most didn't recognize it, but I wrote my first article about ESPN's challenges in 2011. Right at the absolute peak of the cable market, I wrote this piece, "Why ESPN has already lost the future." I didn't get everything right -- far from it -- but my basic thesis was correct -- ESPN was a glorified middleman that most didn't need. ESPN realized this and overpaid for sports rights to ensure its continuing relevancy.

The worst TV contract in the history of sports was the result -- ESPN's rights deal with the NBA. A deal so lucrative for the NBA that every cable and satellite subscriber in the country, the vast majority of whom will never watch an NBA game, is paying over $30 a year for the NBA. That's how Mike Conley can make over $30 million a year. "

 

[illmatic99]

Zach Lowe needs an outlet.

Jalen and Jacoby are entertaining (to me).

Get them back with BS at the Ringer and call it a day.

 

[Scalma]

Do people still watch ESPN? I mean besides the live games.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Do people still watch ESPN? I mean besides the live games.

I do. Call me a dinosaur, I guess. I actually DVR the Neil Everett/Stan Verrett sportscenter to watch when I get up at 4am.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Do people still watch ESPN? I mean besides the live games.

That's a good point . If you want to watch NBA highlights you go NBATV which is much more extensive. If you want NFL highlights you go to NFLtv. During baseball season there are way too many baseball highlights for me to sit through. So the summer months I never turn it on.

Most of the games I watch are during the college football season. But even then I watch the pac 12 network more. A lot of competition now for ESPN that is more specialized to one's particular tastes.

 

[Scalma]

I used to watch PTI but I believe their success and format led us to skip Bayless, so I now hate it very much.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

I used to watch PTI but I believe their success and format led us to skip Bayless, so I now hate it very much.

His voice and opinions are what lead me to skip Bayless. I skipped him on ESPN, and I continue to skip him on FS1.

 

[BigGameDamian]

Do people still watch ESPN? I mean besides the live games.

Not really.

 

[Mediocre Man]

I do. Call me a dinosaur, I guess. I actually DVR the Neil Everett/Stan Verrett sportscenter to watch when I get up at 4am.

They are awesome

 

[santeesioux]

Do people still watch ESPN? I mean besides the live games.

No.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Stephen A Racist
Jamelle Hill
Chris Berman
The women on shows just because they are women

Can all go

Don't get me wrong, I have no issue with women, but give them a purpose other than cleavage.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Don't get me wrong, I have no issue with women, but give them a purpose other than cleavage.

You mean like great legs and ass?

 

[santeesioux]

Don't get me wrong, I have no issue with women, but give them a purpose other than cleavage.

I have noticed they've Fox News'd it up with the very prominent legs and tight dresses, lol.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

"That's terrible" he says to himself, as he searches for free streams to watch the game on tonight.

 

[ripcityboy]

I'm sorry people are losing their jobs but FUCK ESPN. There's a reason people are switching to streaming options and it isn't just convenience. ESPN show formats are garbage. I like a little talk show radio format from time to time. But convincing these shallow, blow dried dipshits that they need to be "multi-media personalities" only hurts your ratings. Ex-athletes have a rep with fans these guys will never touch. Also, excluding hockey and baseball coverage to over promote your own fucking programing, destroys the notion of complete sports coverage in the first place. Hire some fresh thinking CEO and get some new ideas..... or slowly die.

 

[PDXFonz]

Owned by Disney so at the end of THe day when ESPN goes bankrupt I know the parent company will still be alright.

 

[Strenuus]

I'm sorry people are losing their jobs but FUCK ESPN. There's a reason people are switching to streaming options and it isn't just convenience. ESPN show formats are garbage. I like a little talk show radio format from time to time. But convincing these shallow, blow dried dipshits that they need to be "multi-media personalities" only hurts your ratings. Ex-athletes have a rep with fans these guys will never touch. Also, excluding hockey and baseball coverage to over promote your own fucking programing, destroys the notion of complete sports coverage in the first place. Hire some fresh thinking CEO and get some new ideas..... or slowly die.

PREACH IT.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Maybe a chance to poach a new broadcast team.

OURS IS STILL GARBAGE!!!!!!

 

[Strenuus]

Maybe a chance to poach a new broadcast team.

OURS IS STILL GARBAGE!!!!!!

It is really odd - I loved listening to calabro on radio doing national stuff... but then he got on our team and it's so, so underwhelming.

 

[Harry's Raincoat]

OK, I'll chime in on this topic.....

ESPN has lost its way. It used to deliver a balance of news and highlights of the day or the previous day's events. That's why most people tuned in.

It doesn't seem to be that format any longer. Reminds me of MTV going from Music Videos to all the other crap that doesn't interest me.

ESPN in the morning used to show highlights - now early to mid morning its a talk show. Spare me.

Yes, I'm also an old fogy who doesn't like the constant music and loud noise at Blazers games. I prefer being able to root on my own and believe me I know when the team needs to be spurred on. I fondly remember days in the MC when end-zone / behind-the-basket fans would stomp their feet to get the team going!!

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Sounds like there will be a lockout during the 2024-25 season. The players aren't going to want to give up those yuge salaries and the owners aren't going to want to give up more than 50% of the revenue.

And that will be the season we're the favorite to win the championship. :MARIS61:

 

[Blazinaway]

NFL also seein a significant drop in viewership, IMO sports largesse/viewership/interest has peaked and a long term downtrend has begun. People are IMO getting tired of watching what has become a spectacle of overlong games, and overpaid prima donna athletes who are often not very likeable. Enjoy it now boys because the peak is here

 

[Strenuus]

NFL also seein a significant drop in viewership, IMO sports largesse/viewership/interest has peaked and a long term downtrend has begun. People are IMO getting tired of watching what has become a spectacle of overlong games, and overpaid prima donna athletes who are often not very likeable. Enjoy it now boys because the peak is here

I will enjoy the NFL crumbling. I will enjoy it very much.

 

[bradk8605]

They have to make all these cuts to make room for Woj haha.

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2017/02/woj-espn-vertical-adrian-wojnarowski-nba-reporter

 

[Voodoo]

NFL also seein a significant drop in viewership, IMO sports largesse/viewership/interest has peaked and a long term downtrend has begun. People are IMO getting tired of watching what has become a spectacle of overlong games, and overpaid prima donna athletes who are often not very likeable. Enjoy it now boys because the peak is here

This is like peak beard, but just in a pro sports format.

 

[handiman]

OK, I'll chime in on this topic.....

ESPN has lost its way. It used to deliver a balance of news and highlights of the day or the previous day's events. That's why most people tuned in.

It doesn't seem to be that format any longer. Reminds me of MTV going from Music Videos to all the other crap that doesn't interest me.

ESPN in the morning used to show highlights - now early to mid morning its a talk show. Spare me.

Yes, I'm also an old fogy who doesn't like the constant music and loud noise at Blazers games. I prefer being able to root on my own and believe me I know when the team needs to be spurred on. I fondly remember days in the MC when end-zone / behind-the-basket fans would stomp their feet to get the team going!!

It's not hard to understand why, though. The internet has dramatically changed all manners of news delivery. The current thinking is, you have to keep people engaged 24/7, otherwise they'll go somewhere else and get their breaking news. Unfortunately, that leads ESPN to providing more fluff than substance.

 

[Pinwheel1]

It's not hard to understand why, though. The internet has dramatically changed all manners of news delivery. The current thinking is, you have to keep people engaged 24/7, otherwise they'll go somewhere else and get their breaking news. Unfortunately, that leads ESPN to providing more fluff than substance.

That and I like I alluded to in another post, every sport has its own cable channel that has time to show a lot more extensive highlights. Hell every college conference even has it's own station that play provides highlights and commentary. ESPN can't compete with all of them on a nightly basis.

 

[bodyman5000 and 1]

30 dollars per cable/satellite customer? Yeah, no.

 

[stampedehero]

Please dump Berman and Vitale. All the bobble heads on the NFL preview show ought to be canned too. ESPN is not the same and has gotten to be a manly version of Bravo. SRV ...would agree.

 

[PDXFonz]

So ESPN overpaid their role players in order to retain them and now they are paying for it?