I would submit that even though cable sports networks like ESPN thought they might be immune to what is happening in broadcasting, this situation is just a confirmation of the gradual decline of cable television viewing in general. Just in the last year alone, ESPN has lost several million subscribers. The average age of the CT viewer is almost 70 yrs. old and declining and the 45 and under crowd gets more and more their information and even watches sporting events from alternative i.e. online sources and is watching cable television less and less.
The "glory days" of endless profits from sports properties is over.
The "glory days" of endless profits from sports properties is over.
2
Like most of the media these days, ESPN has too many people interested spouting off their own opinions, and not enough reporting of actual facts. Just do the play by play already. The only journalistic sports program beyond the actual games, is HBO's Real Sports. ESPN should learn from them. Plenty of intriguing stories in sports, it's just that ESPN does not know how to tell them, and is too caught up in the celebrity reality genre. At least they finally got rid of Britt McHenry. Should have happened a long time ago.
It all began when Disney took over. Instead of all sports, it became only sports that Disney/ESPN broadcast along with all the cross promotions and Disney politics. No more hockey. No more auto racing. No more Australian Rules Football. Just NBA, NFL and a smattering of baseball. If ESPN doesn't broadcast it, it's not sports. If it's not over produced or over analyzed, it's not ESPN.
What's killing them is the overpaying for the rights' fees in the rush to be Number One in sports just as the Mouse is in "Family Entertainment". All these folks are collateral damage to poor planning and corporate hubris. As most cases of collateral damage the innocent suffer while Stephen A Smith survives.
What's killing them is the overpaying for the rights' fees in the rush to be Number One in sports just as the Mouse is in "Family Entertainment". All these folks are collateral damage to poor planning and corporate hubris. As most cases of collateral damage the innocent suffer while Stephen A Smith survives.
1
The elephant in the room is that they are overpaying for the rights to air many of these sports. There needs to come a point where they just say the price is too high and they will walk away. But they seem incapable of doing that, so the fees keep jumping. In the past they would twist the arms of the cable companies to pass these fees along to subscribers whether they want it or not, and while that still happens, the cord cutters have finally found a way to give voice to their dissatisfaction.
I am sympathetic to those who resent paying for ESPN when they don't even watch it. If it weren't for the fact that my wife is a sports nut, I would probably cut the cord myself.
I am sympathetic to those who resent paying for ESPN when they don't even watch it. If it weren't for the fact that my wife is a sports nut, I would probably cut the cord myself.
1
Katz, Elmore, Stark...these guys actually make sense and are worth listening to! Yet you're keeping the fools who try to figure out ways to argue about nonsense every afternoon. You've got some real problems with your decision-making folks (is that the right spelling?).
The article misleadingly states that the cost of broadcasting professional sports has been rising. In reality, the rising costs can be attributed to athletes, teams owners, and broadcasters have acting as if the public and unlimited discretionary cash and an unbounded willingness to spend more money on sports entertainment. In truth, American consumers have increasingly limited resources to expend on entertainment and are increasingly unable and unwilling to pay for television and tickets. Greed cost ESPN and its employees. If they want more viewers, they will have to forego raising broadcast fees for some time, while players and owners are going to have to become more realistic about their own future income prospects.
5
I doubt that ESN is losing money. Rather I suspect that it is just not making as much as its Disney owners demand. More significantly, how many more subscribers will cut the cord and ultimately what will happen if the cable providers are required to unbundle their offerings?
3
I love ESPN and I love SportsCenter, but it's true, I cut cable because I'm so busy and don't watch that much TV. What I do watch I stream on Netflix, Hulu or HBOGo, it's less expensive that way. If ESPN had a more easily accessible online format where I could watch SportsCenter or games, I would watch more. If the UFC had more coverage on ESPN I'd be more inclined to watch it as well.
Ok, I'm going to say it...
"Die ESPN, Die!"
You're the reason my cable bill is too high.
I'm tired of subsidizing what I never watch so a bunch of
couch-potatoes can see (rich) grown men and women chase a ball around.
All you ESPN addicts should read a book, whydoncha.
"Die ESPN, Die!"
You're the reason my cable bill is too high.
I'm tired of subsidizing what I never watch so a bunch of
couch-potatoes can see (rich) grown men and women chase a ball around.
All you ESPN addicts should read a book, whydoncha.
11
Another way to look at it: The $1.9 billion annual rights fee ESPN pays to broadcast the Monday Night Football, one (always bad) playoff game, highlights and the draft translates roughly to $100 million per game. Even if the laid off personalities somehow accounted for $75 million annually (averaging $750,000 each in salary/benefits etc., which itself is probably a ridiculously inflated figure) -- the net savings from the layoffs would equal about three quarters of the Saints-Vikings season opener. There is obviously more math to it than just that, but it sure seems like a drop in the bucket, to end up firing so many talented employees.
3
I think a lot of the people are turning away because most of the games are boring and the announcers are annoying. Every now and then you get a game that is interesting like the Super Bowl was this year. Who wants to watch some guy shoot 25% from the free throw line or throw 5 interceptions. I just like watching the highlights.
ESPN losing $$$$???? C'mon...
I suppose it shows my declining interest in and viewing of ESPN when I don't recognize most of the Tweeter names in this article. Maybe it's a generational thing, as most things these days seem to be...
Cable TV is a huge ripoff of consumers. for the last 30 years, tbe industry has been consolidating supposedly to benefit consumers... yea right. the result is very expensive content and to add more salt to consumer wounds, we still have to swallow ridiculous amounts of advertising.
Cable/ESPN: Learn from the internet, from Spotify and Pandora, free (or genuinely very low costs) with no subscription wbich comes with the advertising or if we pay, as we all do, then much less or no advertising.
Like the music industry before, we know when we are getting ripped off and you the i dustry can either wake up or eventually loose to those companies who get it.
Cable/ESPN: Learn from the internet, from Spotify and Pandora, free (or genuinely very low costs) with no subscription wbich comes with the advertising or if we pay, as we all do, then much less or no advertising.
Like the music industry before, we know when we are getting ripped off and you the i dustry can either wake up or eventually loose to those companies who get it.
5
Didn't Danny Knell play QB for the NY Giants at on point then was released to make room for Kerry Collins?
I used to love SportsCenter, not it's like an afterthought! Some of those announcers should have been gone a long time ago like Chris Berman - next to go should be Chris Fowler who I think is a hack.
I used to love SportsCenter, not it's like an afterthought! Some of those announcers should have been gone a long time ago like Chris Berman - next to go should be Chris Fowler who I think is a hack.
1
It's most of the Olympic announcers and color commentators we can do without. Like the annoying ex-gymnast who loves to nit-pick a routine rather than let us first enjoy what we just saw. Same with those darn figure-skating and diving analysts. And they save their most poignant critiques for non-American athletes, as if the judges are listening to their broadcasts before filling out their scorecards and will be influenced by their opinions. And those incessant heart-warming background stories that last far longer than the actual performances. Please spare us those folks - thankfully we only hear them every two years.
5
Len Elmore is a great game analyst and I'm sorry to see him get the boot. He may not have the "flair" of more popular analysts, but he knows the game and gives an honest and pertinent assessment of what's going on. His experience as a player (starting with Woodside Junior HS 125 in Queens), then at Power Memorial, through starring at Maryland, 13th round pick by the Bullets, played a number of years in the NBA and in the old ABA, plus work as a player agent, qualifies him to be on the air. And he has a nice voice on top of all that. Hope he surfaces somewhere else. Perhaps he can replace Sir Charles or Shaq who have outlived their place at the dias. Good luck Len.
2
I have many, many sports channels as part of my cable package. I watch not one of them. I resent having to pay the bloated salaries of pituitary gland cases while receiving nothing in return. Ditto the Dumpster and his co- conspirators.
7
They need to dump Dick Vitale! Who needs his self aggrandizing stories of yesteryear. BORING! Adds nothing to the game.
6
Used to wake up excitedly to watch SportsCenter every morning from the time I was in 1st grade until about 11th grade (2011) it's sad to see because I have tried to watch the network from a sentimental viewpoint but the channel has changed into a race-baiting debate, sad but with instant scores who needs highlights?
1
I cry crocodile tears. They force their way onto cable causing mandatory and material upcharges to cable packages. I can cut the cord, but my elderly relatives, who can least afford their rising cable rates, not so much. The cost of those multi-gazillion dollar broadcast contracts amount to a form of extortion. continue.
8
How on earth can ESPN be losing money? You can't go to a gym locker room, bar, airport terminal, barber shop, etc. without at least 2 flat screen TVs tuned to it.
4
If it weren't for an invalid relative, we'd have dumped cable/dish long ago.
It's coming.
It's coming.
8
This being Disney, the only surprising thing is they didn't make them train their H1B replacements as a condition of their severance package.
17
Talk. Talk. Talk. Talk. It is enough to make you vomit. Color Commentators. The concept cracks me up. Good.
4
I have always refused to subscribe to any cable package that included ESPN once I learned that those cable packages were significantly more expensive overall due to the excessive demands ESPN made. Mike & Mike is the only show they had that I would consider paying for and now the ESPN geniuses have decided to, get this, "improve" it by essentially ending it! Those guys are morons (ESPN, not Mike & Mike!)and I for one am happy to dance on their graves. RIP.
3
I only watched ESPN on Monday night football but they completely lost me when they did a whole afternoon on Aaron Hernandez and acted like his suicide was a tragedy. When a cold blooded murderer dies its time to have a party.
6
Not surprising. espn adds too much to the cost of cable packages and doesn't always show Regional games without charging an additional premium. The channel of jocks is just not worth the price it's asking.
7
LOL, how utterly AMAZING the real reason for the lowered ratings and revenue attached thereto is not mentioned here.
The correlation between the beginning of the slide to oblivion by ESPN coincides almost exactly with the days they began eschewing their business model of "all SPORTS all the time" in favor of political commentary and very BIASED political commentary at that.
Sports fans of all stripes want to tune in to watch SPORTS and perhaps to hear some commentary about SPORTS and those athletes involved in the sport as far as their success (or not) on the playing field.
But ESPN under the direction of Disney, which owns it decided that taking a political position on gun rights, Kaepernick and others refusing to stand for the National Anthem, gay rights and on and on was really IMPORTANT and were so blind they had no clue to what it would lead.
Tens of millions of viewers GONE!! And even NOW they will not admit to their monumental error and instead blame it on some bogus "change in viewing habits.
sad.
The correlation between the beginning of the slide to oblivion by ESPN coincides almost exactly with the days they began eschewing their business model of "all SPORTS all the time" in favor of political commentary and very BIASED political commentary at that.
Sports fans of all stripes want to tune in to watch SPORTS and perhaps to hear some commentary about SPORTS and those athletes involved in the sport as far as their success (or not) on the playing field.
But ESPN under the direction of Disney, which owns it decided that taking a political position on gun rights, Kaepernick and others refusing to stand for the National Anthem, gay rights and on and on was really IMPORTANT and were so blind they had no clue to what it would lead.
Tens of millions of viewers GONE!! And even NOW they will not admit to their monumental error and instead blame it on some bogus "change in viewing habits.
sad.
7
I never watch ESPN, nothing really good on to watch unless they have ransomed a college football game I want to watch. But any of their "talk" or "analysis" shows are just awful to have to sit through. I cut the cable a few years ago and when I go to my favorite sports bar I always have them put on the golf channel for the tv I'm watching.
3
Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered. I dropped cable a year or so ago and moved to Sling. I pay for the sports package, including ESPN. Periodically, I have to go thru the verification process to use the Watch ESPN app. It's annoying. They gladly take my money every month, yet treat me like a pirate when I want to use the service. I am customer, not a criminal.
1
Gee, what an incomplete article! There's no mention of the hard Left bias of most of the ESPN on air personalities. There's no mention of the rabid anti Conservative bias of the ESPN news readers. Maybe people who watch sports on TV are interested in sports instead of being preached to by a bunch of Socialists (extraordinarily well paid socialists, I might add, who generally earn huge amounts compared to the average viewer)? The Leftist press, the Leftist Hollywood types, the Leftist Media, and Hillary Clinton all blame the audience, while they insult and mock 50% of their potential audience as bitter clingers, deplorables, neanderthals. I have a business, don't discuss politics with my customers, and I don't go around insulting half my customer base to their faces. My company is thriving. Maybe ESPN should have stuck to the business of non bias, all sports broadcasting and left the editorial work to The New York Times? Just a thought!
6
You know...I'm fairly liberal, and I absolutely agree with you. I agree especially with the insult and mock part, and not discussing politics with your customers. We seem to have lost our manners as a country.
2
Almost everyone laid off is looking forward to "what's next"! That's the spirit! But what's next might not be what one desires.
3
Spot on observation!
2
Bring NHL back.
Perhaps the change in viewership is because of the lack of diversity of Sports the Network chooses to focus on. It's the middle of the Stanley Cup (Hockey) and I still have to read reports on what John Wall wore to a press conference instead of the interesting match up between the Pens and the Caps. (I am a fan of all sports, I understand Basketball is also in their playoffs) you would think you'd focus on both playoffs instead of early season baseball (as my team are the Mets) or anything else. I mean we just left that golden time for sports during the Masters, NBA/NHL Playoffs AND baseball... but all I saw were articles about that terrible father Ball, and a few minor scores.
What also has been bad for ESPN is their terrible coverage of Soccer, mind you I understand that soccer isn't as big in the US, but it's growing! All they talk about is the English Premier League (where I love Arsenal) but there are other huge leagues, La Liga in Spain and the French. Even MLS is growing.
Finally, Steven A Smith and the Skip Bayless should be fired, they yell at each other, their guests and just about anyone else who makes the mistake of disagreeing with them. Unfortunately they are often wrong, SAS hasn't predicted a correct NFL Superbowl winner in 8 years.
Mind you I do like Around the Horn, I think it is very interesting to hear from different City's major sports analyst. But come on ESPN needs to change, or should I say the monopoly called Disney?
What also has been bad for ESPN is their terrible coverage of Soccer, mind you I understand that soccer isn't as big in the US, but it's growing! All they talk about is the English Premier League (where I love Arsenal) but there are other huge leagues, La Liga in Spain and the French. Even MLS is growing.
Finally, Steven A Smith and the Skip Bayless should be fired, they yell at each other, their guests and just about anyone else who makes the mistake of disagreeing with them. Unfortunately they are often wrong, SAS hasn't predicted a correct NFL Superbowl winner in 8 years.
Mind you I do like Around the Horn, I think it is very interesting to hear from different City's major sports analyst. But come on ESPN needs to change, or should I say the monopoly called Disney?
7
Fire Smith and Bayless. If I wanted to watch yelling I'd go to my Mom's at thanksgiving. Not what I want regarding sports talk. These two do nothing but yell and pontificate. Useless.
3
Many of the less recognizable names are digital journalists and columnists. The ones the company should be keeping. The ones doing mobile writing, video and podcasts. Cancelling all our ESPN products today and deleting the app.
2
What happened to ESPN? 5 years ago they were on top of the world charging cable companies ridiculous rates to carry their programming!
3
ESPN and Disney did this to themselves. Signing these long term billion dollar contracts to broadcast football and basketball was ridiculous. Which makes them have to up their cable operator fees. Which makes the viewer's cable bill go up, which makes people want to cut the cord.
So if you think letting a handful of ESPN talent go is going to make things better, think again. All it really does is make news headlines.
They got rid of the wrong people at ESPN. The ones who should have lost their jobs are the ones at the top.
So if you think letting a handful of ESPN talent go is going to make things better, think again. All it really does is make news headlines.
They got rid of the wrong people at ESPN. The ones who should have lost their jobs are the ones at the top.
8
While the talent didn't deserve it, ESPN itself does. Not only did ESPN lock itself into long-term contracts and relied on cable, but it failed to develop alternatives from the ground-up. They had power to avoid TV Everywhere and develop their own streaming service; only now are they doing that. Meanwhile, they failed to recognize and develop alternative sports that they could have developed and either put on additional networks or, more importantly, used as bargaining chips. For instance, look at the National Lacrosse League which, behind the NBA and NHL, is the third-most average attended indoor professional sport. ESPN could have secured rights to broadcast/stream and helped develop and promote that league. Instead, with disrespect, the NLL gets no coverage other than highlights of excellent goals. The NLL, recognizing the changing landscape and snub by ESPN, has launched their own streaming network, NLLTV, in its first year. The subscriber base has already surpassed expectations and, as the league grows, so will its respect. ESPN had the chance to get in on the ground floor, but instead let it slip by.
What is more disconcerting is the long-term shock this will all have on the sports world. ESPN will not get into pricey long-term contracts anymore. This will have an adverse impact on the NFL, MLB, and NHL although each of those entities is smart enough to pursue alternative broadcast/streaming partners.
What is more disconcerting is the long-term shock this will all have on the sports world. ESPN will not get into pricey long-term contracts anymore. This will have an adverse impact on the NFL, MLB, and NHL although each of those entities is smart enough to pursue alternative broadcast/streaming partners.
2
Wonder what took 'em so long? This is just a first step and will lead to a no-sports network. If we are lucky........
1
And yet ESPN, inexplicably, still employs ace college softball star Jessica Mendoza as one of their commentators for Sunday Night Baseball.
1
Some very talented and hard working sports reporters now know what it feels like to be "downsized". I hope they write extensively about the experience, and be the voice of the many talented and hard working engineers, factory workers, and others in the US who have seen their jobs vanish in an instant.
2
...Yet, for an undisclosed reason or reasons, they are failing to embrace the inevitable future and stream, with commercials if need be, their content through their web site - which should nullify the lost cord-cutters and may even move to expand their audience...
I only watch ESPN during football season and if there is professional tennis on the network. I wish ESPN would turn over all of the tennis matches to the Tennis Channel. There have been numerous times when matches (except the Grand Slam matches) have been preempted or started during the middle of a match. ESPN apparently doesn't care that much about tennis fans so they should turn it over to the Tennis Channel.
ESPN's talking heads. They're spammers, irritating obstacles you need to zap with your remote. They're only good for one things: making you mad enough to hit a heavy bag really hard. Try this: Cancel ESPN and actually go do some sports.
2
I stopped watching and listening to ESPN because I couldn't take their relentless comedic approach to sports or the obvious "issue of the day" mandates.
1
I'm sick and tired of all the unnecessary, overhyped, sensationalistic, boring analysis.
Gee whiz, I just want.to.watch.the.game.
Gee whiz, I just want.to.watch.the.game.
4
It's a terrible shame this falls, for the most part, on the people who are most innocent and can afford it least. The unlikely upside would be if this forces a rethinking of the ridiculous money washing around sports at the upper echelons. Greedy owners, players and execs, paid off by greedy media moguls who thought the well would never run dry. Maybe the reckoning has begun. But I doubt it.
1
ESPN blasted its left wing views too many times. It fired Curt Schilling.
America, motherhood and apple pie. And the American flag, which ESPN happily covered as it was disrespected by Kap. Half (maybe more) of Americans don't want left wing verbal trash thrown at them when they are escaping the burdens of life by watching sports. ESPN offends, and offended, its audience, and still doesn't get it.
America, motherhood and apple pie. And the American flag, which ESPN happily covered as it was disrespected by Kap. Half (maybe more) of Americans don't want left wing verbal trash thrown at them when they are escaping the burdens of life by watching sports. ESPN offends, and offended, its audience, and still doesn't get it.
2
Gotta pay for Disney expansion somehow...
1
Hard times at ESPN -- I hope Danny Kanell resurfaces on a different national show -- I enjoyed his radio show.
I stopped watching ESPN commentary or news shows about 5 years ago. Much like the magazine "Sports Illustrated", it seemed that there was always an "issue" to be discussed and argued about.
As for ESPN's broadcasts of events, where did they ever get the idea that cramming more people in the booth is a good idea? As many other commenters here have pointed out, the talking is endless in most of these broadcasts...most of it just plain boring.
A final note...why are Steven A. Smith and dick Vitale still employed?
As for ESPN's broadcasts of events, where did they ever get the idea that cramming more people in the booth is a good idea? As many other commenters here have pointed out, the talking is endless in most of these broadcasts...most of it just plain boring.
A final note...why are Steven A. Smith and dick Vitale still employed?
27
They're popular with the young(er) demographic. Old demos have more $$s, the younger ones actually spend it. And they're certainly more susceptible to advertising. Viagra and Life Insurance notwithstanding.
".why are Steven A. Smith and dick Vitale still employed?"
".why are Steven A. Smith and dick Vitale still employed?"
3
Couldn't agree more. The NBA is especially hard to watch because of all the commentators talking among themselves with the game only incidental.
1
The good news is that the least important ESPN personalities already left: Berman, Olbermann, Bayless and an assortment of dead-head-wood.
6
The bad news is that "dead-head-wood" fans are still leaving, too. Used to be that "Did you watch the game?" didn't illicit the response, "What game?"
Too much choice means too little community in the room. Monday morning is now just a bunch of people poking their phones, reaching out to the infinite, online nobody-in-particulars.
The end of civilization as we thought we knew it. Hey, can I borrow your charger...?
Too much choice means too little community in the room. Monday morning is now just a bunch of people poking their phones, reaching out to the infinite, online nobody-in-particulars.
The end of civilization as we thought we knew it. Hey, can I borrow your charger...?
2
Ever since Lee Leonard and George Grande left ESPN, things haven't been the same, and everybody knows it.
1
"With ESPN locked into long-term contracts for programming rights with various sports leagues, savings must primarily come from a reduced staff."
Okay, let's translate this. Those at the top with questionable abilities to forecast and negotiate, overpaid gargantuan sums under imbecilic one-sided terms for the rights to broadcast sporting events for decades to come, now people who actually work for a living must suffer the consequences. Oh, and the same morons with questionable abilities get to keep their jobs and their ridiculous salaries and their drivers and their maids and their nannies and their houses in the Hamptons and their guaranteed Ivy League education for their kids and their wine cellars and on and on and on and on. Good God, but is anyone else tired of this bullsh%t yet?
Okay, let's translate this. Those at the top with questionable abilities to forecast and negotiate, overpaid gargantuan sums under imbecilic one-sided terms for the rights to broadcast sporting events for decades to come, now people who actually work for a living must suffer the consequences. Oh, and the same morons with questionable abilities get to keep their jobs and their ridiculous salaries and their drivers and their maids and their nannies and their houses in the Hamptons and their guaranteed Ivy League education for their kids and their wine cellars and on and on and on and on. Good God, but is anyone else tired of this bullsh%t yet?
78
Yes. Yes, I am. Same thing just happened where I work (I'm a lowly employee but survived). Same story. Those that caused the fiscal crisis are still here, with zero accountability and executive level bonuses all around. Scandalous. I have no particular love for espn these day, but my hearts out to those off-air terminations.
1
How can this not be a Times pick? It perfectly describes how corporate execs choose who to layoff after their own screwups. Oh, wait...never mind.
Rich people aren't the only problem. As we improve ourselves, those around us improve as well.
I don't watch ESPN specifically because of the ties worn by on-air personalities on all sports networks. One might assume this is a trivial thing, but a tie can reveal a lot about a person, and the ties on ESPN and all sports networks display to me a level of weirdo douchery that I feel doesn't play well with modern audiences. But maybe I'm stating the obvious? Give me an announcer in a t-shirt, and let's play ball!
16
ESPN focuses on sports that I am only marginally interested in if at all. That is: College Football, the NBA, and college basketball. Which means that if I were a cord cutter, I would not miss ESPN at all. Others probably feel the same way for similar or other reasons AND HAVE BEEN ACTING ON IT.
The network seemed to be building a kingdom and amassed a vast number of on-air talent (and who knows how many people behind the scenes). I think the kingdom seems to be collapsing, but I think the talent being let go will land on their feet.
The network seemed to be building a kingdom and amassed a vast number of on-air talent (and who knows how many people behind the scenes). I think the kingdom seems to be collapsing, but I think the talent being let go will land on their feet.
8
Completely agree, I love baseball, hockey and soccer. I watch the Major Tennis Tournaments and sort of care about the Masters. I like Syracuse Basketball because I live 30 mins from there. But ALL I see is basketball. Or to be more focused, LeBron James or LaVarr Ball. I like the MN Timberwolves as a team, but I'd like to see the "alternative sports" like Hockey get more of a conversation. Or better analysts other than Barry Melrose.
2
I'm the opposite and mostly only care about the three sports you mentioned. But even though I'm a cord cutter, I can still stream the games I want to watch through ESPN using a friend's cable login (when they're not blacked out, which seems to be all the time).
I would be happy with ESPN disappearing entirely and services like Amazon Prime streaming games and charging a small fee per game, similar to how they currently do with movies. That way we wouldn't have to deal with stations cutting away before games end to go to other programming, blackouts, commercials, obnoxious commentary, etc.
I would be happy with ESPN disappearing entirely and services like Amazon Prime streaming games and charging a small fee per game, similar to how they currently do with movies. That way we wouldn't have to deal with stations cutting away before games end to go to other programming, blackouts, commercials, obnoxious commentary, etc.
1
Here's the poster child for how ESPN went wrong: Joe Lundardi doing his NCAA bracket in August. Let the season play out ... or at least tip-off in November.
9
Not getting this:
If you spend $35 billion for rights to broadcast the NFL, the NBA and college football it seems to me that you could lay off your entire workforce and still not make money if your ratings and subscriber base are dropping and your beloved eyeballs are moving to other, less easily monetized forms of sports consumption.
If you spend $35 billion for rights to broadcast the NFL, the NBA and college football it seems to me that you could lay off your entire workforce and still not make money if your ratings and subscriber base are dropping and your beloved eyeballs are moving to other, less easily monetized forms of sports consumption.
38
Its unfortunate that anyone loses employment, but, simply put, this doesnt come as much of surprise. There likely will be more pruning as well. There is too much sports worship in this country in general, and too much ESPN in particular. ESPN doesnt need the 5 or 6 channels of 24/7 broadcasting that they currently have. 2 channels would be plenty. Sometimes, less is more....
19
I've watched them since the early 80s and you're correct they overextended themselves.
3
ESPN is essentially the reason I don't have cable. ESPN is the highest cost contributor to monthly standard cable bundle (owned by Disney so no option to get one without the other). Did I mention I don't watch sports or care about access to a 24 hour sport's center? It's a rip off and consumer choice is all or nothing. More and more are saying 'nothing please' when presented with that ultimatum.
20
Sports are so overexposed. Today I saw that a group led by Jeb Bush and Derek Jeter were looking to pay $1.6 Billion for the Florida Marlins. The Marlins sold for $230 million less than 10 years ago. I think we are at the point of a bubble in franchises. The TV networks will not pay the rights fees that allow for the high values of the teams and players. At some point it had to level off. Who can afford to go to games anymore and frankly they are too long and boring.
26
Enough with the "games are too expensive" falsehood. Most MLB teams offer tix some days for under $20. I paid $6 for Yankee tix last week. Seek and ye shall find.
3
Yeah, I can make my own, better, hot dog for a lot less than $10!
I think there is a big shift on the horizon coming for professional sports. The proliferation of sports coverage is reaching a saturation point that even the most rabid fans are growing tired of. Schedules are expanding, ticket prices are escalating, competing, twenty four hour sport channels are running out of scoops to talk about and often their analysis becomes redundant and boring. The history of our fascination with sports is a story of change. The next big paradigm shift in athletics may be the collapse of professional sports as we now know it.
30
Agree, we have seen every play televised at least a dozen times. If you don't care rabidly about the teams involved you have no interest in seeing the same play 13 times.
I feel bad for all these folks but honestly this happens in business everyday to the best of us, to bad! Move on, all the tweets please.
7
Hopefully they get back to just being a sports channel -- and preferably sports that people actually watch. We don't need reports on E-sports, we don't need reports on high school sports, we don't need reports on women's sports (with tennis being the only exception, and with Serena Williams on the verge of leave, we soon won't need it all together), we don't need 25 guys talking about football, we don't need 20 guys talking about basketball. Just get back to the basics.
19
Jettison poker and fantasy sports. Enough already!
13
Many do fantasy sports for fun or cash. That's why gambling interests are trying to get in. A quick Google tells me that 41 million play fantasy football. When yo get over 10% of our population its a big market.
Well, "Travis" in Toronto, Canada - Just slamming women's sports "we don't need reports on.... women's sports...." Nice. Stay in Canada, please.
3
This is the tip of the iceberg. Sports franchise values as we know them are about to plummet. Right along with the stratospheric salaries our athletic court jesters have been paid. Courtesy of cable television customers.
The fools who plan to buy Loria's Marlins are about to get taken for the ride of a financial lifetime.
Eyeballs are migrating away from cable. With them goes revenue.
Beware LA Dodger owners. Beware others who thought that their cable tv revenues were only going to grow.
Welcome to the new reality. If you're an athlete, make sure the payment of your contract is ensured by a large insurance company.
Why? You're going to need it.
The fools who plan to buy Loria's Marlins are about to get taken for the ride of a financial lifetime.
Eyeballs are migrating away from cable. With them goes revenue.
Beware LA Dodger owners. Beware others who thought that their cable tv revenues were only going to grow.
Welcome to the new reality. If you're an athlete, make sure the payment of your contract is ensured by a large insurance company.
Why? You're going to need it.
13
Cable is shrinking but more and more online sports is jumping on. Did YOU miss Amazon paid 50million to the NFL just for 10 Thursday night games.
You are prescient! This, "...a group led by Jeb Bush and Derek Jeter were looking to pay $1.6 Billion for the Florida Marlins. The Marlins sold for $230 million less than 10 years ago." is similar to the reason JEB! squandered 135 million to lose early in the primaries, JEB! hasn't a clue financially. Boy are we lucky we got a businessman for a President instead of a coddled ultra rich spoiled frat boy looking for a nice business card to hand out to other heads of state, burnish the family legacy and a way to fill his empty hours! Big money for big sports teams depends upon cable TV. People are migrating away from cable TV in droves (to escape stations which they don't use, like ESPN) so JEB decides NOW is the time to invest a huge sum in something which depends upon cable TV bundles! Must be his rich Daddy buying him a job since the 135 mil they spent trying to get him the last job wasn't enough to buy him an attractive occupation.
2
ESPN lost its way. From celebrating sports to legal docket trolling for every bit of bad news. Self destruction secondary to negativity. Chris Berman's love of the athlete gave way to a steady diet of who failed to be perfect today.
10
My thoughts exactly. Where has the "rumblin bumblin stumblin" and the humour and sense of fun that characterised ESPN in its early days gone? Seemingly replaced by poor legal reporting, and erroneous "DeflateGate-style" trolling. Unfortunate that good people lost their jobs, but some good old fashioned soul searching is needed to prevent further losses. Good luck.
2
Why all why all the hating on Stephen A.? Could it be that he's an African American conservative? Sad.
2
I didn't even know Stephen A was a conservative. I just know that like another long winded gasbag (The all knowing Dickey V) he likes to hear himself talk and offer opinions about everything under the sun. I like to watch sports but the long running self promotion is becoming tiresome. Granted the Dicky V knows everything about college bball, but the schtick that made him a celebrity has gone on toooooo long to be interesting anymore. Its the same old commentary .
4
no...it's because he's an obnoxious blowhard...
5
Jim, This is the smartest thing said today on this trend. Well done!
2
It just flat out costs too much to be a sports fan. They are going to lose a generation of fans because of their stupid greed.
19
When seats are empty let me know. When NFL games aren't watched let me know. Last year veiwers went down BUT it was a Chicago Cubs playoff and World Series year which boosted baseball ratings and an election year with politicking on game days.
Agree, even something like a spring training game is over-priced, and "over-stadiumed". Ridiculous.
1
A high profile example of how no one, no matter how hard working or talented, is immune from a lay off. It doesn't matter how high a performer you are, or how many times you saved your department, or how many awards you've won. You are expendable. They need you until they don't, and all the love tweeted by the now unemployed on-air personalities is meaningless.
6
Looking at the list of tweets from laid off ESPN people, you know what, not one of them was worth squat anyway. Good riddance to the dead weight shown on this post.
3
My gripe with ESPN is the content not the cost!
I never watch ESPN except for a specific game.
Better they should can Stephen A. Smith.
I never watch ESPN except for a specific game.
Better they should can Stephen A. Smith.
13
While they;re at to please lay off the three morons who do Sunday Night Baseball. Nice of you to black out other channels so you can have the obnoxious village idiots waste our time. I have to mute the sound.
7
Not only do I mute the sound, the games are on Sunday at 8:00pm. How many Sunday day games are wasted? Can kids run the bases at Citified at midnight? Also, Cuts into quality TV drama time in the evening.
4
As if there are not enough stations to carry everything? Sunday baseball takes up 1 of how many channels? PBS shuts down? All the movies channels? ESPN has a few cgannels, HBO has more. The networks don't broadcast on Sunday nights?
1
No one should lose sight of this fact: This is Disney. DISNEY. The scum sucking vampire maggot slave lords of entertainment, run by mindless accountants and a CEO whose entire laser-like focus is on stock price and his bonus.
Their first reaction to ANYTHING is to lay off employees, which of course reflects immediately onto the bottom line.
Disney cares NOTHING about delivering a quality product, nothing about their employees. The corporation makes billions every year on the backs of those employees whom it abuses endlessly.
I worked for them on a freelance basis on and off for a few years, but stopped returning their phone calls the instant I became successful and something, anything, better was available. You have but to look at the visual quality of the shows they put on the various Disney Channels and ESPNs to see how the lowest paid crews in all the land deliver utter mediocrity on a regular basis.
The people in the entertainment industry were not surprised by this move in the least. No one I know in the biz (and I know many people after working in it for 45 years) works for Disney unless there is absolutely no other choice. It's like being a Walmart greeter, but without the joy.
Their first reaction to ANYTHING is to lay off employees, which of course reflects immediately onto the bottom line.
Disney cares NOTHING about delivering a quality product, nothing about their employees. The corporation makes billions every year on the backs of those employees whom it abuses endlessly.
I worked for them on a freelance basis on and off for a few years, but stopped returning their phone calls the instant I became successful and something, anything, better was available. You have but to look at the visual quality of the shows they put on the various Disney Channels and ESPNs to see how the lowest paid crews in all the land deliver utter mediocrity on a regular basis.
The people in the entertainment industry were not surprised by this move in the least. No one I know in the biz (and I know many people after working in it for 45 years) works for Disney unless there is absolutely no other choice. It's like being a Walmart greeter, but without the joy.
26
When the first day of the NFL draft is a big event, it's time to turn off the TV and download a good book to read instead. Yes I am serious.
31
Amen.
2
Got to keep those fantasy league folks engaged...
I find it sad that all the ESPN people were like, "Thanks ESPN for taking my job away, on to new challenges. So excited." I mean, come on people, you just lost your job and now you probably own a house in Bristol Connecticut, i.e. the middle of nowhere.
I wish people wouldnt just lie all the time on social media. I wish one person would have said, "Well, ESPN fired me today. It really sucks because I dedicated my life to this company and now I wont be paid money anymore. Its going to completely suck to find a new job in a skrinking sports caster economy. I hope I can make money soon or Ill lose my house." Something true would have been good.
I wish people wouldnt just lie all the time on social media. I wish one person would have said, "Well, ESPN fired me today. It really sucks because I dedicated my life to this company and now I wont be paid money anymore. Its going to completely suck to find a new job in a skrinking sports caster economy. I hope I can make money soon or Ill lose my house." Something true would have been good.
22
Pretty much what Kennel said.
3
I confess to never being in ESPN's core audience, but there is some truth to the political content complaints. In the past, I would watch ESPN at the gym to catch up on sports news and the highlights, now all I see are shouting matches and political lectures, with a few sports themes thrown in. Was an occasional viewer in the past, now I never even give it a glance. Too bad, because I don't think many of those impacted today had anything to do with the program strategy.
12
Until ESPN figures out a way to give viewers an on-demand choice of games via their TVs, they will not be able to compete with live streaming via Internet and other wireless platforms that already have that capability. Also Interest in sports is largely local and regional so broadcasting national games is probably an old business model that they also need to rethink, and do so now. ESPN was an innovative concept back in the day, but for some reason it has not been able to adapt to the rapid changes in the ways people access content now. Too bad so many talented and hardworking writers and other staff members bear the brunt of bad business decisions of executives.
4
Good. Their sports coverage is biased. And don't get me started on how political they've become.
7
I bet that guy Skip, only got his job, cause his name is Skip!
6
ESPN rocks. I will happily continue to pay for the service. Sorry it's not enough to keep people from losing their jobs, but one lap around the comments section and I know this layoff is really at the feet of a generation of spoiled deadbeat gold-bricking TV sports fans.
Cable companies have only themselves to blame for the demise of cable. They charge a fortune for tons of channels most people don't even want. And many online streaming packages, especially for spsorts, are pathetic. Why on earth would anyone pay for streaming sports services like the ones offered by MLB or NHL or NBA when you can't even watch your local teams?
11
I wish The Times had written about my company's lay-offs in 2007. It would've been heartening to read the "sympathetic" comments from readers.
Ethan Sherwood Strauss (and others), you will be missed.
Ethan Sherwood Strauss (and others), you will be missed.
9
Sorry for people losing their jobs but maybe ESPN should not have extorted cable customers.
15
I stopped watching ESPN years ago. The inane graphics, meaningless commentary, and countless commercial interruptions became insufferable. I love sports...at its best, the competition, drama, and compelling stories are incomparable to any tv drama. ESPN managed to suck the life out of live competition, and the thrill of reliving those moments. I feel for those that were laid off...they deserved a better "sports leader".
12
Unfortunately, the writing was on the wall from five years ago. ESPN was paying too much to football, baseball, basketball and college sports for the programming. Some idiot executives made the decision to pay that money out expecting the money to never run out. Well it did. Something tells me that when these sports contracts come up for renewal, the sports networks may not be so generous. And, then we will start hearing about more layoffs at sports headquarters in NY and at the college levels. Everyone was too greedy and some very good sportscaster etc. lost their jobs because of it.
9
My friends and I read and discussed nearly every article on Grantland, which had sophisticated and smart sports journalism. Since ESPN got rid of Grantland, I never discuss ESPN with anybody except about how bad and unwatchable it is. Between the beating of stories into the ground to drive a "narrative" and the inability to just announce a sporting event without becoming part of the story, ESPN has become intolerably bad. Unfortunately, it seems like today's moves are aimed at doubling down on blowhead personalities at the expense of good journalism. They shouldn't expect their current irrelevancy to change.
6
I don't have cable TV but travel and watch ESPN when I can but I must say it is turning into an over analyzing bore. When you start doing mock NFL drafts 24/7, projecting NFL playoff matchups a month or two in advance, commenting ad naseum about NCAA football final 4 matchups and who's in and who's on the bubble in March Madness. I mean where are all the highlights of yesterday's sports? 30 for 30 is tremendous. The rest is just a bunch of hot air.
9
This organization lost it's identity and mojo about 5 years ago when it velieved it was maibstream media, not cable/satelitte, way overspending for the NFL and NBA, but especially playing puppet master with their NCAA Basketball deals and the realignment that resulted in a bloated and bland conferences like the Big 10 (how many teams? Nebraska? Rutgers? ) and ACC (Syracuse? Louisville?) College basketball has suffered from this
This was topped of with possibly the greatest overhead investment in useless name only "gasbag" analysts ... paling every sports and news network. They way overstaffed on the NFL: how many insiders, explayers, excoaches, exgms do you need, I mean Hugh Douglas? Mike Ditka? Who is Louis Riddick?
Hiring Frank Coliendo? Mike Golic Jr. (a favor for dad)? Fiscal responsibility?
They spent like drunken sailors, now they are cutting per Daddy Disney's direction.
I've been involved in making decisions like this, never to this magnitude, this is only round one. Now anyone still at ESPN, who in their own interest felt threatened about being cut this round, are now essentially looking elsewhere.
The competition are most likely already talking to them and a drain of talent, thus quality will continue and the "empire" will falter.
This was topped of with possibly the greatest overhead investment in useless name only "gasbag" analysts ... paling every sports and news network. They way overstaffed on the NFL: how many insiders, explayers, excoaches, exgms do you need, I mean Hugh Douglas? Mike Ditka? Who is Louis Riddick?
Hiring Frank Coliendo? Mike Golic Jr. (a favor for dad)? Fiscal responsibility?
They spent like drunken sailors, now they are cutting per Daddy Disney's direction.
I've been involved in making decisions like this, never to this magnitude, this is only round one. Now anyone still at ESPN, who in their own interest felt threatened about being cut this round, are now essentially looking elsewhere.
The competition are most likely already talking to them and a drain of talent, thus quality will continue and the "empire" will falter.
4
ESPN wants to be the TMZ of Sports except they don't have the knowledge, talent or strategy to do so in a way that will work.
The other problem is the people left are cheap and they are hoping can be a brand on many different outlets like cable, facebook, twitter, snapchat..etc..etc.
except for the fact they are very few outside of the Dan Le Batard show that understand those mediums. If they are hoping Scott Van Pelt or Michael Smith/Jemele Hill are the answers, they have already lost the plot.
The other problem is the people left are cheap and they are hoping can be a brand on many different outlets like cable, facebook, twitter, snapchat..etc..etc.
except for the fact they are very few outside of the Dan Le Batard show that understand those mediums. If they are hoping Scott Van Pelt or Michael Smith/Jemele Hill are the answers, they have already lost the plot.
1
Well I'm done with pro sports other than basketball. Baseball is a joke, steroids and behavior a mother wouldn't tolerate in children- spitting and crotch grabbing- is the norm on national TV. Obscene salaries, obscene players. The NFL is sanctioned violence. And owners pull stunts like the Raiders just did to a city that loved them heart and soul.
Greed, avrice and violence, I've had enough. I will not watch football or baseball and I long ago abandoned cable for over the air TV.
ESPN, don't let the door hit you in the behind.
Greed, avrice and violence, I've had enough. I will not watch football or baseball and I long ago abandoned cable for over the air TV.
ESPN, don't let the door hit you in the behind.
8
It's about time the world gets its priorities and remuneration in line with saneness. It starts with overpaid people playing games to overpaid commentators and public subsidies of billionaire owners stadiums. Who in the world is worth $60 million for 4 years to handle a ball? Maybe this will be the beginning (although I doubt it) of rational bidding for broadcast rights. Multi-billion dollar contracts to broadcast a game!? Just plain sick.
And that's just the beginning for our rip-off society. I can't wait until the medical profession, higher learning establishments and business executives and directors getting obscene payoffs all get hit for ripping off our economy. All of this must stop before there is nothing left society will have left for them to steal.
And that's just the beginning for our rip-off society. I can't wait until the medical profession, higher learning establishments and business executives and directors getting obscene payoffs all get hit for ripping off our economy. All of this must stop before there is nothing left society will have left for them to steal.
15
I could care less if they went bankrupt. Have never watched it, but they still stick it to us on cable or satellite bill. TIRED of subsidizing blind worship of sports celebrities.
5
Nobody likes to see people lose their jobs (unless those losing are politicians), but ESPN in particular, and sports in general, represents a financial house of cards. ESPN's monolithic business model based, oddly enough, on revenue from customers who don't even tune into the network was bound to begin failing. Their insatiable demand for content led to an unsupportable financial model ill equipped to adapt to the changing climate. I don't know anybody who tunes into sportscenter any longer...what with up to the minute phone updates now standard, and who want to sit around and watch the spring football game of Northwest State Tech University on some obscure ESPN channel. The writers and personalities have been widely overpaid and underworked and that bird has unfortunately come home to roost for many of those now looking for other opportunities. I for one have long ago left the cable world after tiring of paying for worthless channels like ESPN.
10
ESPN 8, the ocho!
2
Finally a huge dose of reality at ESPN. Sadly, the American thirst for sports programming has allowed ESPN to become a 24-hour platform upon which ESPN employees celebrate themselves and not the games they cover. Its line-up has come to consist of show after show in which so-called "anchors" act as though they are the center of the sports universe, with the games and athletes being entirely secondary. They show a small snippet of sport simply to serve as a launching point for their endless opinions, social commentary and sophomoric attempts at humor. And, among many of the people I know, the constant self-aggrandizement of the ESPN staff is driving away viewers in droves. Personally, I would enjoy my sports news much better without ever again hearing Scott Van Pelt, Steven A. Smith or Cari Champion. I can't imagine three people more pleased with themselves and less attuned to what others think.
Hopefully, the Disney brass has figured out that fewer employees might mean more real sports coverage, less cult of personality, happier viewers and more profits.
Hopefully, the Disney brass has figured out that fewer employees might mean more real sports coverage, less cult of personality, happier viewers and more profits.
10
ESPN has been a cash cow for Disney for decades. Then they started paying far too much for broadcast rights. It shouldn't be the reporters and other mid level employees who pay for management's mistakes.
7
I grew up one town over from Bristol in Wolcott, CT. I remember the early days of ESPN when they mostly had fringe sports on the air. I was in college when Sportscenter was at its peak in the mid 1990s. The mid 2000s Page 2 website was solid, especially with Gregg Easterbrook's TMQ, Jim Caple, Jane McManus, and when he was in the hands of a skilled editor, Bill Simmons.
The decline in all of their properties is a strange thing to behold. I remember when they first began to shoehorn soccer highlights in at the top Sportscenter—a contract-related change no doubt, but the anchors couldn't hide their indifference. Their web talent was culled over time, though it's again baffling why Jemele Hill has risen to the top of their list. Her writing is amateurish and reactionary, especially in contrast to the talent whose shoes she was unable to fill. She specifically was the final straw on giving up on the website. As for the television side, count me in as a former cable subscriber who can find much better sports packages online or on free tv.
It looks like ESPN is banking on their bluster to carry the company into the future. It must appeal to someone. Me, I enjoyed the old strategy of highlights mixed with thought-provoking programs like Outside the Lines and 30 for 30. So it goes.
The decline in all of their properties is a strange thing to behold. I remember when they first began to shoehorn soccer highlights in at the top Sportscenter—a contract-related change no doubt, but the anchors couldn't hide their indifference. Their web talent was culled over time, though it's again baffling why Jemele Hill has risen to the top of their list. Her writing is amateurish and reactionary, especially in contrast to the talent whose shoes she was unable to fill. She specifically was the final straw on giving up on the website. As for the television side, count me in as a former cable subscriber who can find much better sports packages online or on free tv.
It looks like ESPN is banking on their bluster to carry the company into the future. It must appeal to someone. Me, I enjoyed the old strategy of highlights mixed with thought-provoking programs like Outside the Lines and 30 for 30. So it goes.
5
Welp, I guess Ron Burgundy was right.
6
I've been watching ESPN since the early 80s, surprised they Laid Off: Dilfer, Stark, and Kanell.
I hate to see good people get the axe (I'm a fan of Pierre LeBrun) but much of this is ESPN's fault. Rising subscriber prices + decreasing on air quality = reduction in viewers.
At one time, ESPN was really the "worldwide leader" in sports. Now its just the worldwide loser. I must admit, their 30 for 30 Series is top notch, but almost everything else is a waste of time.
At one time, ESPN was really the "worldwide leader" in sports. Now its just the worldwide loser. I must admit, their 30 for 30 Series is top notch, but almost everything else is a waste of time.
15
Here's a thought...Stick to sports and stop the self righteous race baiting and gay baiting liberal agenda..and woman sports except maybe tennis is unwatchable.
5
Oh, I love my spawts. And I love my gun. And I love my bible. Think? Don't know how to do that.
14
Americans want to watch sports -- actual games -- and once a day highlights of sports they missed. Maybe they want to hear some loudmouths talk about the game's players and coaches -- in the context of the games.
They don't want to go to a sports network to have their sense of social justice refined. There are other places to get a secular sermon. Those in search of one don't turn on ESPN for that.
They don't want to see Caitlyn Jenner win the "Courage" award over some young woman who played college basketball while battling cancer that would take her life. They don't want to be told that an out-of-the closet football player is this generation's Jackie Robinson, and if you don't believe that you are a bigot. They don't want to see Colin Kaepernick endlessly lionized -- even if they are fine with him expressing his First Amendment rights.
Leave the facile moralizing to the New York Times and various cable 'news' networks. Focus on the second letter in your acronym.
They don't want to go to a sports network to have their sense of social justice refined. There are other places to get a secular sermon. Those in search of one don't turn on ESPN for that.
They don't want to see Caitlyn Jenner win the "Courage" award over some young woman who played college basketball while battling cancer that would take her life. They don't want to be told that an out-of-the closet football player is this generation's Jackie Robinson, and if you don't believe that you are a bigot. They don't want to see Colin Kaepernick endlessly lionized -- even if they are fine with him expressing his First Amendment rights.
Leave the facile moralizing to the New York Times and various cable 'news' networks. Focus on the second letter in your acronym.
19
ESPN should never have mixed sports with Leftist "political correctness" politics,
Just more proof of how out of touch the Democrats are with most of America,
Just more proof of how out of touch the Democrats are with most of America,
11
Surprise. The left-wing ESPN (East Coast Sports Programming Network) is having to let people go. I only watch it when a team that I follow is playing and the game is only on that network. They cut away from the game you watching and care about to show you some game that you care absolutely nothing about. If it doesn't occur on the east coast and involve the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox or Cubs it doesn't matter. Therefore, ESPN doesn't matter to me.
5
Am I supposed to feel "sorry" for these folks?
5
Over exposure of professional and big time college sports. A lot of bloviating hot air from the on air "journalists" Just too much, repetitive, talk it to death. Miss the old days at ESPN, guys like Keith Olbermann, bright with a cutting sense of humor. They need to blow it up and start over or just shut it down.
8
Too many sports channels - ESPN, Comcast CSN, Fox Sports and all major network has their own sports network.
Too many channels and too much talking...
Too many channels and too much talking...
9
Get off the couch. Play your game, whatever it is. TV sports is pure decadence, a kind of pornography for the whole family. Let it die...
7
I didn't see any management firings listed? Weird
17
No, "Thomas Mummertz" in Massillon, Ohio, not weird, just SOP. They will go down with the ship. Oh, yea, and with bloated golden parachutes. Solution ? You have to get to be a member of the Club. Same in any big organization.
1
ESPN became to political for me Curt Shilling got canned because he was against transgender bathrooms. The stupidest firing was the tennis commentator got canned for saying Venus Williams went to the net and took a gorilla swing. She obviously wasn't trying to make a racist comment. I guess only whites can take gorilla swings at the ball. She is suing for wrongful termination and I hope she wins.
10
Here is a shocking revelation: people don't like smug, sarcastic, know it all, loud, so called expert, people. This applies to media, friends, and political movements.
18
You're sounding a hair like a smug, sarcastic know-it-all yourself there, bud.
23
In the end ESPN executives paid too much for NFL, NBA, and the NCAA football playoffs. For that mistake, though, only the employees will pay, not the Disney stockholders, or the executives. They still get bonuses.
29
I hope Direct TV drops the channel and takes the $5 to give back to the customers...
7
Sorry to see people lose their jobs (although especially the faces listed here should have some savings to cushion the blow) but I am not an espn fan at all so don't mind them starting to break up.
7
ESPN is People Magazine, or TMZ, with a sports slant for a large period of its programming day. Much like the way Food Network used to be about food and chefs teaching viewers about food, but is now an amalgamation of weird game shows. Other than the actual games they show, ESPN programming is unwatchable, "Thirty for Thirty" notwithstanding.
22
This is the beginning of the collapse of the value of non-NFL and non-college football live sports rights. MLB, NBA and NHL got paid huge amounts because these sports cable channels needed content to fill-up television time. However, that content does not generate sufficient advertising income without subscription fees for ESPN, CBSSN, FS1 and NBC Sports to make money. There will be a clear shake-out in terms of what non-NFL athletes get paid. The value of non-NFL sports has crested, which is a good reason to sell the Miami Marlins. NFL profits have been sufficient to offset these losses. Now with subscriber pressure these cable television companies have actuarially determine the lifespan returns of their long-term contractual commitments. Television is a different business than life insurance.
8
Is giving NFL and NCAA football a pass just a personal preference? Ratings for these sports are also dropping and they are very expensive to cover. ESPN's suite of channels should fill the schedule with all sorts of competition (sans gambling and auto sports, which stretch the definition of sport), and back off on all the talk.
3
I can't say I'm surprised by ESPN having to lay off a large number of people, though I feel bad for those laid off. ESPN thought they owned the golden goose and realized only recently that all sorts of technologies are much more nimble than a goose...
Along with the other comments here - many of which are quite valid, I would add that they have put a lot of their SportsCenter 'eggs' into the Scott van Pelt basket, and it makes no sense to me. He tries to be much too cute and much too clever, and I end up turning the channel. ESPN has other commentators who are clearly better than SVP, and continuing to prop him up only exposes their own ignorance about what people value in a sports broadcast.
As others have said, just stick to the scores and otherwise INTERESTING and ENLIGHTENING sports stories, not all kinds of fluff driven by their over-the-top contracts with professional sports leagues.
Along with the other comments here - many of which are quite valid, I would add that they have put a lot of their SportsCenter 'eggs' into the Scott van Pelt basket, and it makes no sense to me. He tries to be much too cute and much too clever, and I end up turning the channel. ESPN has other commentators who are clearly better than SVP, and continuing to prop him up only exposes their own ignorance about what people value in a sports broadcast.
As others have said, just stick to the scores and otherwise INTERESTING and ENLIGHTENING sports stories, not all kinds of fluff driven by their over-the-top contracts with professional sports leagues.
7
In its early days, ESPN was fun to watch, with a wide variety of sports. Now it's mostly shouting men, 3 sports and too much talking. I have cut the cord and have stopped following the teams I used to. Today you can't follow your favorite college team without a special subscription. I wonder how young fans are going to establish an allegiance when they can't see their local teams play.
22
I can't believe Stephen Smith and Chis Berman are not out!
They should be first to let go.
They should be first to let go.
Have John Skipper, Robert Iger, et al. taken big pay cuts? Didn't think so.
11
Cable pricing models are Stone Age. If they don't figure it out quick they're history. Do you think nfl.com needs cable deals?
5
I'll bet the NFL is worth more than the state of California. That's America.
ESPN charges by far the highest per-subscriber rate of any cable channel (welcome to Tier 2), making the network the No. 1 offender in your too-expensive cable bills. So people hit the wall and cut the cord - or in ESPN's case, the golden goose.
18
You could see this coming a couple months ago, if you weren't a millennial without enough attention to watch anything longer than a 30 second video clip.
ESPN didn't have the foresight to realize that catering to a 90 second attention span audience would drive away people who would watch a 30 minute program.
The death knell for ESPN sounded two months ago when they announced that The Sports Reporters, the greatest actual sports commentary program on tv, with real knowledgeable sports writers, and the best hosts on tv sports for decades, would end in May.
Sports journalism on ESPN is dead.
ESPN didn't have the foresight to realize that catering to a 90 second attention span audience would drive away people who would watch a 30 minute program.
The death knell for ESPN sounded two months ago when they announced that The Sports Reporters, the greatest actual sports commentary program on tv, with real knowledgeable sports writers, and the best hosts on tv sports for decades, would end in May.
Sports journalism on ESPN is dead.
19
My son was among those at ESPN who lost their jobs today. He's a great writer, who's won multiple national awards and just published his first book last fall. Most of those who were hit by today's layoffs are not on-air personalities. They are dedicated writers. Commenters who think this is about politics are wrong. Turning this event into a chance to vent one's political spleen is misplaced. Find another venue for that. This is about market share, the loss of cable subscribers to other online venues, and corporate cultures that neither give nor inspire loyalty in their workers. This is yet another sad day for journalism and journalists, and for people who work hard at their chosen crafts, in the midst of tough times.
131
My sympathies to your son. It may not be his fault, but part of the loss of market share is due to politics. As I have commented elsewhere, it also involves their inability to follow one game at a time, continually switching away from the game that you actually care about to show highlights from something else. In addition, the announcers will talk about events and games other than the one you are watching. Tell me about the shift, if the infield is playing in or back, not about announcers prattling among themselves.
Again, my sympathies to your son, as losing one's job is one of the most stressful events in life.
Again, my sympathies to your son, as losing one's job is one of the most stressful events in life.
2
I suspect many of the institutions built by the baby boom generation will go away with them
I feel you, except that Ive read literally 1000s of posts from alt-right people saying political correctness is why they stopped watching ESPN.
Im a gay transgender woman who is super queer. I appreciate ESPN for what they did, but I know as well as any other that people like me dont watch sports.
The alt-right is obsessed with boycotts and their own forms of capitalist justice. I think there is a large group of alt-right bigots who actually did bail on ESPN for their politics.
Regardless of this article, most people believe ESPN is losing it because of political correctness, even if thats no entirely true. There will be an article on Breitbart with 10000 comments confirming my suspicions out today at the latest I bet.
Im a gay transgender woman who is super queer. I appreciate ESPN for what they did, but I know as well as any other that people like me dont watch sports.
The alt-right is obsessed with boycotts and their own forms of capitalist justice. I think there is a large group of alt-right bigots who actually did bail on ESPN for their politics.
Regardless of this article, most people believe ESPN is losing it because of political correctness, even if thats no entirely true. There will be an article on Breitbart with 10000 comments confirming my suspicions out today at the latest I bet.
3
Everyone seems to be using this as a venue to condemn ESPN's television content, but a lot of the people losing their jobs were very talented reporters and skillful writers who contributed to some excellent written content. I actually see this move as ESPN saying that it doesn't care so much about the quality of its written work, and I think that's just going to further tarnish its brand.
16
I never really liked ESPN, but would watch it sometimes to get the basketball highlights and scores. It's just an annoying experience. The announcers always talk in this sarcastic type tone. Like you the viewer doesn't know anything and they know everything. Hey you didn't know he could dunk the ball, well look at this. But the thing that really makes me stay away is when they show the replay of basketball games at around 3am or so. Working at night I would miss the game in the evening and want to watch it later. But it's impossible. They don't show any of the game. They have sideline interviews, statistical analysis and everything else. But very little actual playing time. You might get a couple minutes before a commercial break and than the girl comes on to say they are moving ahead because of time constraints. It seems to me that anyone tuning in at that time is definitely in the game. But ESPN doesn't get that. If they had any brains they would follow Knick model with the replay. The Knicks don't have any interviews, statistics, cut out all timeouts and most foul shots, and they get in the whole game.... ESPN seems like it was a good idea that is run very badly. Now I watch very rarely maybe to see a 30/30 episode that looks good. Otherwise I avoid it.
Orange, NJ
Orange, NJ
5
I hope ESPN reads these comments because they are spot on. I used to love catching SportsCenter once a day. It was clear, concise, and some sharp humor. Now that they are in bed with every league, they are just promotional blowhards. And to boot, everything about it is bloated and ugly. The graphics are downright awful and they only seem to hire based upon the talking head's past sports success, not their on-air abilities. Look at NBC's Sunday Night Football. Most popular show on TV last I checked. Smart, intelligent, and insightful commentary. ESPN could learn a lot from that.
15
The more Political ESPN got the more clients they lost. These TV people never seem to learn that when they take political sides they are alienating half their audience.
14
ESPN needs to return to what made it great..
Highlights and witticisms from anchors
Wacky sports past mid-night
Instead, we get droning commentary about the same 5 topics for 14 hours straight from Mike and Mike to 11 pm sports center. Talking heads making up stories because there really isn't that much news for a network trying to fit sports in a 24-hour cycle.
Return to the old "Never iffy if it's Griffey" days and exit the drivel produced by these talking heads... I tuned out because there's no highlights just rumor mongering and dung spewing
Highlights and witticisms from anchors
Wacky sports past mid-night
Instead, we get droning commentary about the same 5 topics for 14 hours straight from Mike and Mike to 11 pm sports center. Talking heads making up stories because there really isn't that much news for a network trying to fit sports in a 24-hour cycle.
Return to the old "Never iffy if it's Griffey" days and exit the drivel produced by these talking heads... I tuned out because there's no highlights just rumor mongering and dung spewing
26
Spot-on, Johnson. When some superstar gets arrested, they'll go 4 hours on Mike & Mike on the topic and another 24 on the network just obsessing on it. Greeny on Mike & Mike even defended such coverage once, while I was dying to hear something different. They lost the fact that the station was for sports fans. They reduced highlights and added opinion; they put up too many channels, too many talking heads. They lost what got them to the top and that was not taking themselves so seriously and not obsessing on one or two topics. They treated the sports fans like they were morons.
1
I gotta admit, I find myself wondering if football analyst Steve Young is on the list. Not only is his salary quite high for a side gig (~$1M / year), he embarrassed the network two months ago by admitting that he doesn't spend much time preparing for his role, nor even really watching much of the games that he was supposedly analyzing.
1
ESPN should count their blessings that they have lasted even this long. No matter what, I am stuck with a bazillion ESPN channels in my cable package that I never spent one second of my life watching. It is infuriating that I am forced to pay for this to get something that I do watch, like CNN. I look forward to the day that ESPN collapses altogether and I no longer have to pay for that garbage.
4
Other than for live NBA games, I stopped watching ESPN in the last few years especially as they've promoted Stephen A. Smith as their big star of the network. He has to be most annoying commentator on TV (and I mean most annoying, even more than political commentators on CNN/Fox News/MSNBC!). When I saw this article, I was hoping to see his name be one of the casualties. Since it isn't, I shall continue to stay away (except for NBA playoffs).
13
When will the Left learn that its move toward race baiting and identity politics is killing its brand?
A political movement that once spoke to the masses now speaks only to the fringe. I am a conservative, but I really do wish the Left would come back from the abyss it has fallen into.
Beware the Ides of ESPN, New York Times. You might be next.
A political movement that once spoke to the masses now speaks only to the fringe. I am a conservative, but I really do wish the Left would come back from the abyss it has fallen into.
Beware the Ides of ESPN, New York Times. You might be next.
7
Does it seem eviller if you capitalize it?
2
But the NYTs can't (really) miss you if you only threaten to leave.
2
ESPN has ruined college football. The greatest college football game used to be the Rose Bowl where the Big Ten champ played the Pac-10 champ. No more of those. The college football playoffs are lame and incredibly uninteresting.. Sad.
10
How did ESPN manage this?
2
I stopped watching ESPN about 4 years ago due to their political points of view all the time. I watch sports and sports news to GET AWAY from political opinions. I find myself watching more Fox Sports, CBS and NBC Sports these days.
17
ESPN used to be cool and had an upstart, trendy feel about it. Now it seems more like a corporate shill for their league partners, with commentators that take conventional positions and all sound the same. When you throw in the political commentary, it really turns people off.
56
Like many others, I used to enjoy ESPN back in its heyday, but like MTV it lost its way and became unrecognizable at best and unwatchable at worst.
62
I feel bad for most of those ppl..... But I gotta admit, I ain't sad Danny Kanell is gone..... Never, ever liked that guy.
1
Trent Dilfer being released?! He is the best football analyst still left on that station. We watched Sunday NFL Countdown religiously for years...That group had a great chemistry until they let the crew go (Swamie, Tom, Keshawn, Coach, CC.) The show went completely downhill once Tom Jackson was let go and this past season was painful to watch -- so we didn't...
5
Agree about Sunday NFL Countdown. I watched this for years, but found myself turning to the NFL Network's pregame show on Sunday after Tom Jackson left.
Too many non-sports options out there. Who cares what a bunch of ex-jocks and their sidekicks bloviate on and on about? Sports are best watched live or with happening music in the background.
4
I don't watch sporting events on any media, broadcast, cable, streaming, internet, etc. I'm not a sport. But, every month I am forced to pay $ 10.00 for access to ESPN -- a channel(s) I never watch. There are some Sundays, when the sports-gods all align and every available broadcast channel except for PBS is dawn to dusk with a mix of sporting events. If ESPN were to go dark tomorrow, I would not care, but I am pretty sure that Comcast would not reduce my monthly bill by that ten bucks.
The greedy cabal of professional leagues, sport-tainment networks, cable and satellite providers, and now internet streaming services don't exactly make me want to ever be a "fan." And don't get me started about the scam of municipalities building stadiums with public monies to benefit billionaire team owners.
The greedy cabal of professional leagues, sport-tainment networks, cable and satellite providers, and now internet streaming services don't exactly make me want to ever be a "fan." And don't get me started about the scam of municipalities building stadiums with public monies to benefit billionaire team owners.
13
ESPN killed the golden goose. You have to work very hard to alienate sports addicts but they did a great job with the constant talking about themselves and nothing about actually sports news. Its trajectory followed the demise of MTV as a cultural force to cultural farce.
26
The irony is not lost on me that one of the primary motivations for cutting the cord two years ago was how expensive cable had become in large part driven by high cost the of sports channels which we couldn't unbundle if we wanted to.
4
A massacre. It might be easier to list those who they kept.
2
Wepn in NYC is a failing radio station and it won't be long before most of the staff there is gone as well
1
we will not cry for you espntina....not foreseeing that digital streaming would lead to cord-cutting is on you. And thankfully it is cord-cutting that allows us to no longer be held hostage in your overpriced cable packages. Although we will be now be extorted for outrageous internet fees....so I guess we will need those tears after all.
3
Cable news is no different. Blah blah. Talk outweighs good games 10 to one on espn. Talk outweighs actual real breaking news on cable 100 to one. I watch neither. Saves much time and sanity.
6
I recently cancelled my FIOS television cable because I was paying for dozens of sports stations that I never watch ever ! One cannot get a cable package without tens of sports stations and I wish ESPN was not part of my current cable package. I don't know why anyone, other than the on air personalities and their families,cares about this. I wish my weekly NY Times subscription fee was funding relevant reporting.
3
When I moved to the US in 1995 I really enjoyed ESPN's Sportscenter with Dan Patrick and Keith Olbermann - it was fresh, witty, fast paced and didn't take itself too seriously. We didn't have anything like it in the UK.
Fast forward 22 years and I don't watch anything on ESPN unless a playoff game happens to be on.
They have lost what made them great, with far too many silly shows and talking points programs.
Fast forward 22 years and I don't watch anything on ESPN unless a playoff game happens to be on.
They have lost what made them great, with far too many silly shows and talking points programs.
10
Check your next cable bill for the increased ESPN assistance surcharge.
9
Cable bill?
I cut that cable 7 years ago.
Nobody pays for cable anymore. All games are streamed online live for free. All you need is a good anti-spam SW and ad-block to your browser.
I cut that cable 7 years ago.
Nobody pays for cable anymore. All games are streamed online live for free. All you need is a good anti-spam SW and ad-block to your browser.
#1, who cares? Not me, unless the answer to #2 is "yes."
#2, does this mean my cable bill will go down?
#2, does this mean my cable bill will go down?
8
The fact that all those laid-off folks had a Twitter account to go to is sort of emblematic of the problem, isn't it?
4
Having been laid off at one point, I know that it is difficult to lose a job. That being said, when may I expect a reduction in my cable bill? The fact that I'm forced to pay a subsidy on my satellite bill for umpteen channels of ESPN that I don't watch is galling to me.
7
ESPN has driven avid sports fans like myself who used to watch their channel all of time, often in the background, by getting away from what they were good at. I used to watch the 11pm ET Sports Center with Olbermann and Patrick back in the 90s religiously. They used to show sports highlights and I could get a feel for my favorite sports teams and leagues by tuning in.
They moved from that to screaming windbags like Stephen A. Smith who inject leftist politics in a sphere where everyone wants an escape. SportsCenter no longer is a program where one can watch all the highlights from games. Throwing Caitlyn Jenner and Colin Kaepernick in the face of sports fans trying to escape the daily grind has turned off legions of viewers like myself. I feel terrible for those let go as management has let them and their viewers down.
They moved from that to screaming windbags like Stephen A. Smith who inject leftist politics in a sphere where everyone wants an escape. SportsCenter no longer is a program where one can watch all the highlights from games. Throwing Caitlyn Jenner and Colin Kaepernick in the face of sports fans trying to escape the daily grind has turned off legions of viewers like myself. I feel terrible for those let go as management has let them and their viewers down.
11
As a member of the part of the population that believes that sport is a waste of time, and thinks that spending money on watching it is the equivalent of paying to read back issues of the Reader's Digest. I welcome the fall of these damnable networks that trap cable and satellite subscribers with their crummy packages.
3
Am I the only one who thinks there's a typo in the ESPN chief's statement?
"“Dynamic change demands and increased focus on versatility and value, and as a result, we have been engaged in the challenging process of determining the talent — anchors, analysts, reporters, writers and those who handle play-by-play — necessary to meet those demands,” Mr. Skipper said in the statement."
Shouldn't it read "“Dynamic change demands an increased focus on versatility and value..." ?
Must really be understaffed at ESPN when they can't even proof-read their PR statements.
"“Dynamic change demands and increased focus on versatility and value, and as a result, we have been engaged in the challenging process of determining the talent — anchors, analysts, reporters, writers and those who handle play-by-play — necessary to meet those demands,” Mr. Skipper said in the statement."
Shouldn't it read "“Dynamic change demands an increased focus on versatility and value..." ?
Must really be understaffed at ESPN when they can't even proof-read their PR statements.
5
A lot of comments think that lower rights fees for college football and basketball is good for colleges. The problem is that all of those women's and men's scholarships in non revenue sports will be reduced. Which means less scholarships for students of color. So when you raise a toast to lower rights fees, you are also toasting the loss of opportunity for thousands of young women and men.
I wonder where many of them will go. The greater their visibility--like Ed Werder's--the easier it may be to land another gig quickly, say at Fox Sports. But the money and position of power will be diminished greatly. As a former broadcaster who transitioned to a non-TV job, I know they will each eventually discover what it means to have "a life," and to not take themselves so seriously.
1
I used to love ESPN, but I haven't watched in 2 years and haven't missed it one bit. I cut the cord and haven't looked back. Lately, I walk out of establishments that torture patrons with ESPN (SportsClips, bars, etc.)
ESPN 'talent' stopped being sports journalists and became sports promotion personalities. They stopped questioning leagues, athletes and teams, and became business partners with them instead. That's not journalism, but propaganda.
Now I have to seek out good sports journalism elsewhere. I rarely find it in the NY Times; even the Gray Lady's sports reporters tend to simply repeat what they are told by obviously biased sources.
ESPN 'talent' stopped being sports journalists and became sports promotion personalities. They stopped questioning leagues, athletes and teams, and became business partners with them instead. That's not journalism, but propaganda.
Now I have to seek out good sports journalism elsewhere. I rarely find it in the NY Times; even the Gray Lady's sports reporters tend to simply repeat what they are told by obviously biased sources.
48
Check out HBO Real Sports if you want journalism beyond the games.
1
I was looking to see if Mendoza or Boone were on the list. I turn off the sound whenever they announce a game.
1
My first reaction to this article is that it reminds me of the website of Sul Ross State University - all sports and no academia. Truly.
We haven't owned a television for well over 10 years because of the inanity of football.
We have lots of TV's but no television.
We haven't owned a television for well over 10 years because of the inanity of football.
We have lots of TV's but no television.
5
Just as with the number of college bowl games - many now played in half-empty stadiums, perhaps we're past the saturation point. I used to follow my college football team, until it required a cable subscription to watch most of the games each year. And those games on cable had aggravating frequent commercial interruptions - in spite of the monthly cable fee and hassles. There are much better uses of my time and money.
The huge broadcast rights fees that ESPN and others pay to university athletic programs allow those programs to pay their coaches salaries that are stratospheric when compared to the salaries of the university's professors, the university's actual raison d'etre. A re-alignment is certainly in order, and if ESPN's financial difficulties spur that, higher education will be stronger for it.
The huge broadcast rights fees that ESPN and others pay to university athletic programs allow those programs to pay their coaches salaries that are stratospheric when compared to the salaries of the university's professors, the university's actual raison d'etre. A re-alignment is certainly in order, and if ESPN's financial difficulties spur that, higher education will be stronger for it.
52
I would tune in if the sports network actually showed games, but it's just endless sports talk which amounts to blah blah blah.
ESPN has taken the MTV route, the 'music' network shows anything but music while the 'sports' network shows people talking about sports. BORING.
When I turn on the tv for sports, I want some action not endless blah blah blah. These layoffs should be replowed into play by play and color commentary talent.
ESPN has taken the MTV route, the 'music' network shows anything but music while the 'sports' network shows people talking about sports. BORING.
When I turn on the tv for sports, I want some action not endless blah blah blah. These layoffs should be replowed into play by play and color commentary talent.
28
ESPN should've sacked its entire baseball department which lost all of its credibility when Disney acquired the network back in the mid-1990s. Isn't it something that Karl Ravech, the most bush-league of its on-air personalities, gets to keep his job (albeit with a ""significantly reduced" role), while a true professional like Ed Werder doesn't. Additionally, what's left of its hockey coverage is based on pettiness for having lost the NHL contract a decade ago. For those of you who want to fax Stephen A. Smith to Borneo, why stop there. Fire the equally obnoxious Max Kellerman while you're at it.
11
It's coming to an end, the gravy train, the goose and the golden eggs all the nonsense of professional sports. The constant bombardment of sports, business and politics is beyond saturation and we are footing the bill (athletes, owners, reporters ad nauseum) 24/7 wall to wall dribble with all wetting their beaks at our expense. We are suckers, we should be calling the shots, we the consumers without us they are nothing. For openers lower cable fees or cut cords, lower ticket prices and yes owner lower salaries and profits and make sports affordable for families again without breaking the budget. If they don't like tough we're not buying ! Too many being paid too much for nothing other than filling our insaitable appetites to be entertained, shame on us !
16
It is a sad day for so many of the people and I do feel for them. But the mere fact that I no longer have to listen to Kannell give his really stupid opinions almost makes it a positive happening.
2
That's nothing. ESPN's biggest problem is that folks are getting fed up with so-called "basic cable." ESPN is always included even when people inform their cable provider that they have zero interest in sports. This happens for plenty of channels, but ESPN is by far the biggest offender because they charge the cable companies more. The cable companies will either have to adapt by making ESPN optional while charging more for those who opt in. But they've been slow to react, so customers are taking matters into their own hands. Cable as we know it might be on a death march, with ESPN at the helm carrying the conductor's baton.
The outrageous amounts ESPN has been paying the sports leagues is the biggest factor behind the explosion in player salaries. The NHL is the most stable with regard to salaries, the NBA the least. Wait and see what the next round of NBA contracts are going to look like. When ESPN's business model collapses so will the salaries of the athletes as well as the valuations of the sports teams. The only way out of the dilemma would be to force those who actually want to watch the games pay for the privilege, like a pay per view movie. The collapse will be a damn good thing. Although lord only knows we need our bread and circuses while Nero fiddles.
The outrageous amounts ESPN has been paying the sports leagues is the biggest factor behind the explosion in player salaries. The NHL is the most stable with regard to salaries, the NBA the least. Wait and see what the next round of NBA contracts are going to look like. When ESPN's business model collapses so will the salaries of the athletes as well as the valuations of the sports teams. The only way out of the dilemma would be to force those who actually want to watch the games pay for the privilege, like a pay per view movie. The collapse will be a damn good thing. Although lord only knows we need our bread and circuses while Nero fiddles.
36
Let's be honest, most of ESPN's day is spent on sports gossip - just like sports radio. The difference is the radio is subscription free while ESPN gives you tons of ads and a stiff subscription fee. As someone who is not a fan of ESPN or of sports so-called journalism, they could cut it back to one channel and many fewer talking heads.
The other is the constant worship of the academically challenged Southeastern Conference- especially in football. They do have a complex financial relationship with the SEC, but the Alabama worship continues unabated. Maybe the on air graphics for Universities should show the 4 year graduation rates for their Football and Basketball "student-athletes".
Finally, I am tired of subsidizing Disney and ESPN. Find a streaming package, satellite package or cable package without a subsidy of ESPN. I know of one package on Sling TV and it just substitutes Fox Sports for ESPN. Some of us would rather BBC World News in our package and no sports channels.
Greed is killing sports and ESPN is the poster child for what is wrong with television. I hope it tanks hard and takes Disney with it.
The other is the constant worship of the academically challenged Southeastern Conference- especially in football. They do have a complex financial relationship with the SEC, but the Alabama worship continues unabated. Maybe the on air graphics for Universities should show the 4 year graduation rates for their Football and Basketball "student-athletes".
Finally, I am tired of subsidizing Disney and ESPN. Find a streaming package, satellite package or cable package without a subsidy of ESPN. I know of one package on Sling TV and it just substitutes Fox Sports for ESPN. Some of us would rather BBC World News in our package and no sports channels.
Greed is killing sports and ESPN is the poster child for what is wrong with television. I hope it tanks hard and takes Disney with it.
30
Part of ESPN's problem with retaining viewers is its penchant for social activism. Adam Schefter of ESPN said today that the company would be better off with more reporting and less opining.
I completely agree
I completely agree
20
The irony is that the layoffs today seem to be confined to reporters not the commentators.
38
ESPN was good back when the sports anchors did a SPORTS show...The last couple decades its been all schtick and bad attempts at humor by people who aren't funny....They've made tuning into sports news rather painful...
The only sports show I could listen to was Colin Cowherd, and he went to FOX Sports....Then again, I only listen to him when Howard Stern isn't on....
The only sports show I could listen to was Colin Cowherd, and he went to FOX Sports....Then again, I only listen to him when Howard Stern isn't on....
9
Looks like folks have caught on to being ripped off by ESPN and Cable, paying $5 a month for something a lot of people NEVER watch! Customers are sick of swallowing "bundles" of cable stations, and paying for programming they hardly ever watch. Good for the cord cutters, in cities where they can make that choice.
77
We just got a new FIOS basic package. There are no sports channels at all. But the price is no cheaper.
1
I knew very few people who subscribed to HBO before they announced their streaming service. Now, most of the people I know between the ages of 20 and 50 who have any interest in TV dramas subscribe to HBO. A quick web search confirms that their subscriptions have been rising steadily over the last few years.
I haven't watched ESPN in over a decade. I'm a big sports fan, but I have no desire to sign up for a $100/mo cable package so I can get ESPN. If they would have offered a streaming service I would have subscribed as soon as I heard about it.
All these struggling TV networks talk about cable cutters, and then proceed to do absolutely nothing to win those cutters back.
I haven't watched ESPN in over a decade. I'm a big sports fan, but I have no desire to sign up for a $100/mo cable package so I can get ESPN. If they would have offered a streaming service I would have subscribed as soon as I heard about it.
All these struggling TV networks talk about cable cutters, and then proceed to do absolutely nothing to win those cutters back.
13
When you optionally subscribe to HBO you get quality original content and no commercials. Your $10 extorted by bundling that goes to ESPN gets you channels of gasbags gossiping about sports and lots of commercials.
I hope Comcast and other Cable, Satellite and Streaming operators pay attention: ESPN should be optional. Same for Fox, CBS and NBC Sports.
I hope Comcast and other Cable, Satellite and Streaming operators pay attention: ESPN should be optional. Same for Fox, CBS and NBC Sports.
1
This should not be a surprise to anyone. I haven't tuned in to Sports Center for several years. If I want to check on sports scores or videos I just tap my smart phone.
10
It's unfortunate anyone has to lose their job but this reckoning in sports and cable is long over due. All sports programming should be on it's on tier so those who want it can pay for it. The reason ESPN has committed so much for those rights is because they know we all have to pay for it. Maybe they will think twice the next time those deals need renewing.
35
It's unfortunate when anyone loses a job. But I think ESPN is an excellent illustration of the limits of inanity. Hours and hours of sports talk, and of course the trenchant analysis that, too often, sounds like, "Well, to win, they need to run the ball, convert on 3rd downs, and get into the end zone."
The only time I've enjoyed ESPN is when an actual game is going on. But I suppose I'm in the minority on this one.
The only time I've enjoyed ESPN is when an actual game is going on. But I suppose I'm in the minority on this one.
85
"Well, to win, they need to run the ball, convert on 3rd downs, and get into the end zone."
Or, better yet, the time-honored "Well, you know Marv, the team that wins is the one that wants it most."
Or, better yet, the time-honored "Well, you know Marv, the team that wins is the one that wants it most."
8
Or as John Madden would say "For the Giants to win this game they need to score more points than the Cowboys".
1
Can you say sports saturation?
How many channels are there available on satellite or cable? Too many.
Plus we all mostly own a computer/phone to watch whatever we want, whenever we want.
How many channels are there available on satellite or cable? Too many.
Plus we all mostly own a computer/phone to watch whatever we want, whenever we want.
28
Perfect. Maybe now ESPN can get back to talking about sports without politicizing sports. Turning sports into just another arm of the liberal crusade turned off a lot of viewers.
16
Really all these guys do is trade insults and inside jokes with one another...when I watch my baseball team broadcast on ESPN, the amount of blather and "aren't we cool?' talk is just awful!
People liked Jack Buck, Vin Scully, even Harry Caray because they talked about the GAME!
When ESPN broadcasts the Master's golf tournament, you get a bunch of clowns who know nothing about golf, talking incessantly. They show "talking heads" instead of golf. I would rather watch the Three Stooges actually playing golf...anyone...than two more jock sniffers in Butler Cabin!!!
People liked Jack Buck, Vin Scully, even Harry Caray because they talked about the GAME!
When ESPN broadcasts the Master's golf tournament, you get a bunch of clowns who know nothing about golf, talking incessantly. They show "talking heads" instead of golf. I would rather watch the Three Stooges actually playing golf...anyone...than two more jock sniffers in Butler Cabin!!!
39
Only a couple of the firings were talking head types. The majority of the layoffs were well respected writers and journalists. ESPN will never let go of the gasbag shouters.
37
Agree, Mike. I see most sports sites have fewer articles and more videos - because apparently people can't be bothered to read and prefer watching pictures. Just like our moronic Commander-in-Chief.
The U.S. is getting dumber by the day, and proud of it, too!
The U.S. is getting dumber by the day, and proud of it, too!
3
Professional sports are taxing, to all of us. The finances around this industry have become so tortured that something is bound to snap and when that happens, look for a humbling of NFL etc.
Meanwhile, by various means we all pay for the hobbies of Paul Allan etc.
Meanwhile, by various means we all pay for the hobbies of Paul Allan etc.
30
Sorry for the personal losses, but ESPN has been unwatchable for the past 10-12 years. All you have to do is look at one of their overwrought, garish sets to know why. ESPN fell quickly in love with itself and it showed. "Hey, how cool are we?" Even the zipper is insufferable. I especially enjoy their parenthetical addition to every injury reference (knee). Thanks for that! Heinous and appalling.
66
ESPN is owned by Disney, right? All CEO Bob "no amount of money is ever enough" Iger has to do is what occurred with Disney's IT workers. Hire H1-Bs, have the existing broadcasters train them, and then fire the current team and threaten them with no severance if they talk. C'mon Bob, we need someone to announce live!
39
[[Disney has long relied on ESPN’s steadily climbing cable subscriber fees as a profit engine. But cable networks across the board have been losing viewers to online media, which has slowed growth, and Wall Street has responded unfavorably.]]
Steadily climbing cable fees?
And you say people are dropping their ESPN coverage?
Whaaaaaat?!?!?!?
Steadily climbing cable fees?
And you say people are dropping their ESPN coverage?
Whaaaaaat?!?!?!?
15
I love sports. That is to say, I love _doing_ sports. But I have never understood the attraction of watching amazing professionals who are a zillion times better than I could ever be doing things I could never do.
Unhappily, a big part of the attraction is the "thrill" of watching people get very badly injured for life (as in football) or even killed (as in auto racing).
Unhappily, a big part of the attraction is the "thrill" of watching people get very badly injured for life (as in football) or even killed (as in auto racing).
1
Indeed, ESPN needs to figure out an over-the-top (OTT) streaming option. Showtime and HBO already have direct pay, OTT services which have attracted many cable cutters (like me).
5
i agree. My guess though, is that the cable companies, most of whom we have our internet thru won't agree to stream such a service, as it would effectively be cutting them out all together, yet using their network to distribute the content.
1
ESPN made the mistake of getting caught up in political narratives. Sports fans watch sports to get away from politics, etc. If you want political narrative, read the New York Times!
40
You really believe that ESPN got "caught up in political narratives" and that's why viewership is down? Nothing to do with the evolving landscape of TV viewership broadly or the economics of live sports broadcasting in the age on the internet? The numbers this article cited for their broadcast deals with the various sports leagues seem very high given what advertisers are now paying for live broadcasting (apart from mega events). The rating for live sporting events are down. I don't recall there being "political narrative" segments during playoff games... unless I somehow missed it. Perhaps some perceived "political narrative" is why you may not watch ESPN but there isn't any evidence that that's why their viewership is down.
10
Maybe they can apply for some of those new coal jobs.
Sorry - unemployment is never funny, but the Eastern Sports Preference Network has never been particularly relevant here out west.
33
It's increasingly irrelevant in the east as well if you are interested in any sport that is not the NFL.
3
My wife is a Red Sox fan, and even she is tired of their hyper-hyping of every single Yankees-Red Sox game that they broadcast.
11
I think you mean ESPNY.
What about the 50 at the bottom end of the pay scale who run the cameras or fix the lights or drag wire or check electricity safety (I have absolutely no idea, obviously, how TV works technologically) or edit the copy -- in other words, the behind-the-scenes people who actually do the actual work.
These are the people who make it happen, who don't have agents, and who don't make six or seven figures a year and may struggle finding work elsewhere.
What about them? Don't they count?
These are the people who make it happen, who don't have agents, and who don't make six or seven figures a year and may struggle finding work elsewhere.
What about them? Don't they count?
47
Yeah--they count. They get to keep their jobs, so don't cry for them. In TV, those with the highest paying jobs are the most vulnerable.
1
No Steven A Smith?
He hasn't said a relevant or intelligent thing this decade.
Ratings continue to plummet.
He hasn't said a relevant or intelligent thing this decade.
Ratings continue to plummet.
62
So does this give fuel to the idea that big tech companies like Facebook and Google are syphoning off large amounts of money from news creators without adequately compensating them for the work.
4
No, because if you click on an ESPN video on Facebook or YouTube, you get an ad; or you click through to the channel's site. Either way, revenue for ESPN. This is a result of people cutting the cable chord. Sports channels charge way, way more for carriage than any other type of programming.
3
It is unfortunate but I've got to believe at least part of it is content. Outside of actual games, I think there is simply too much content, much of it in the form of drama and soap opera stuff that a good number of sports fans are simply not into. Cover the actual sport and the games and leave the screaming and drama out. Additionally I would like to think that the NBA and college football are just not as popular as the cost would make you think, especially when you are surrounding all the extracurricular content and marketing around it. Try using knowledgeable sports folks more and someones view of what is marketable less.
73
This can only increase America's collapsed national IQ.
100
ouch
2
How can you fire that many people and not include Stephen A Smith? That guy is a living breathing advertisement for earplugs, not only for how loud he is, but how much he feels compelled to share his ignorance.
131
I couldn't agree more. Just watching Stephen A Smith is enough to change the channel.
19
could not agree more. I don t t give this network the time of day if he s on the air. insane how he stays and other good intelligent people get let go. says all you need to know about espn.
15
I know!!!!!
I met that guy once...had the personality of a moldy, wet mop.
And my perception has nothing to do with the color of his skin. He's not a "black" jerk, he's just a jerk.
Never want to see someone get fired.
The again, never say never.
I met that guy once...had the personality of a moldy, wet mop.
And my perception has nothing to do with the color of his skin. He's not a "black" jerk, he's just a jerk.
Never want to see someone get fired.
The again, never say never.
10
Wow, I might watch more if there were fewer blowhards trying to impress each other. How about moving more female commentators from token roles to full, on-camera? I might turn the sound on again. The only exception to my recommendation is the team of four that comment at half-times of the NBA games. They offer content, insight, and often humor.
16
Have you ever caught Jessica Mendoza announcing baseball games? 70% of her commentary is useless, the equivilent of People Magazine. When she sticks to actually analysing the game, she is ok.
4
Great idea to eliminate these gas bags. How much meaningless blather -- by the play-by-play guys, analysts, and commentators -- can even the most dedicated sports nut put up with?
Indeed, when I'm forced watch the Mets on ESPN, I have to turn off the sound.
Indeed, when I'm forced watch the Mets on ESPN, I have to turn off the sound.
48
Where to start? Too many commercial breaks, taking forever to actually get real sports news, the Fox News approach of evangelizing and politicizing sports, taking sides, creating fake drama, the overwrought machoism coverage of sports. I was a dedicated Sportscenter fan but it took way too long to get any news and the hosts are just smug, look-how-smart-I-am folks.
Oh and then cable and ESPN colluding to not offer normal ESPN as a standard channel, really? Stop fleecing your subscribers, you're not that special.
Oh and then cable and ESPN colluding to not offer normal ESPN as a standard channel, really? Stop fleecing your subscribers, you're not that special.
134
Also, they an't really call themselves a "sports" network. They almost exclusively cover the NBA and NFL at the expense of tapping into other profitable markets like auto racing, hockey, mixed martial arts, etc.