D. L. Hot-Flamethrower Posted June 1, 2016 Posted June 1, 2016 Just like most things of this type, when they get too big they start to become institutional.
Damian Posted June 1, 2016 Posted June 1, 2016 ESPN bought the broadcast rights to ACC basketball, so ESPN plus NFL Sunday ticket and I get all my sports covered. They have done some cool specials like the 4 Falls of Buffalo, but the talk shows are lame.
RyanC883 Posted June 1, 2016 Posted June 1, 2016 Great post by the OP. My thoughts: 1. I rarely watch ESPN unless they have a game on it that I have an interest in watching, which might be 1-3 times a year. 2. The only reason I have not cut the cord is because the local sports channel that carries the local MLB and Hockey team (Pirates/Penguins). If I could get that channel w/o cable, or watch those teams w/o cable, I would cut the cord tomorrow. Hopefully MLB and NHL offer a streaming product so people can watch the teams of the cities where they reside. I have Direct TV online version the past 2 years. It's a work in progress, but improved greatly from the 1st to 2nd year.
Southern Bills Fan Posted June 1, 2016 Posted June 1, 2016 ESPN reminds me of MTV back in the day. It was great back when they only did music videos. Once it turned into 24 hour a day reality shows, it sucked. ESPN is the sports version of reality shows. They rarely show live sports, except the NBA, which is the only major sport that I don't watch. Even the talk shows seem to be more about hip-hop than sports.
nucci Posted June 1, 2016 Posted June 1, 2016 ESPN, which started out as a fantastic idea, has devolved into a representation of everything that sucks with TV sports. It's now little more than a gossip station designed primarily for self promotion, with some badly over-produced games mixed in. It is by far the worst network for the NFL and awful for baseball compared to any local baseball network I've seen. Ditto for college football. SportsCenter and the rest of the blathering talking head shows have been unwatchable for years (I still miss the SportsReporters, which died with Dick Shaap). I couldn't give a rat's ass if ESPN disappeared forever. In fact, it would probably be a good thing. I concur
BarleyNY Posted June 1, 2016 Author Posted June 1, 2016 Australian Football, motor sports, cliff diving, anything but talk. C'mon man! Exactly! And don't forget Women's Beach Volleyball!
North Buffalo Posted June 1, 2016 Posted June 1, 2016 ESPN, which started out as a fantastic idea, has devolved into a representation of everything that sucks with TV sports. It's now little more than a gossip station designed primarily for self promotion, with some badly over-produced games mixed in. It is by far the worst network for the NFL and awful for baseball compared to any local baseball network I've seen. Ditto for college football. SportsCenter and the rest of the blathering talking head shows have been unwatchable for years (I still miss the SportsReporters, which died with Dick Shaap). I couldn't give a rat's ass if ESPN disappeared forever. In fact, it would probably be a good thing. Already cut the cord last year as cable became too expensive and doesnt allow me to pick and choose what channels I want to watch. Even Comcast that owns msnbc is irritating me that they dont do live streaming.
YattaOkasan Posted June 1, 2016 Posted June 1, 2016 Agreed, great topic by the OP. I have the cut the cord. I am usually able to find a live stream somewhere on the webs, but occasionally I have trouble with streaming. I only use ESPN for college basketball. I have enjoyed Around the Horn and PTI but sportscenter has really gone downhill.
B-Man Posted June 1, 2016 Posted June 1, 2016 ESPN is failing because its just MSNBC with better visuals........ The New York Post noted that Oppenheim did not say that Berman would remain at ESPN, but only that he was not retiring. The Post suggests that the agent’s remarks “carries the whiff of a power struggle at the Worldwide Leader” and that they may “have grown weary of his over-the-top shtick.” The network has also lost an enormous number of subscribers in recent years, making the possible high-profile departure perhaps a cost-cutting move.
North Buffalo Posted June 1, 2016 Posted June 1, 2016 Agree abt blathering idiots which in turn has cut out broadcasting of a lot of sports I use to be able to watch.
BarleyNY Posted June 1, 2016 Author Posted June 1, 2016 Just like most things of this type, when they get too big they start to become institutional. That true, but much like the government it's often a lot nicer to have them around to complain about (even with their myriad faults) than not around at all. I hate what ESPN has become, but they pay the NFL a lot of money. Here is a couple articles worth reading: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-08-27/why-espn-pays-four-times-more-for-nfl-games-than-nbc-cbs-and-fox http://www.forbes.com/sites/sportsmoney/2011/12/17/billions-of-dollars-through-tv-deals-coupled-with-cba-means-huge-windfall-for-nfl-players/#c34f1a0224d7 So here is the basic issue: - ESPN's (stupid) contract with the NFL pays an average of $1.9B per season. - The CBA guarantees the players 55% of national TV revenues (maybe their only concession this time around). - That works out to about $32.6M per team per season on average toward the salary cap. That's for the length of the contract. - ESPN pays over 4 times what other networks pay per viewer for NFL games. If they paid the going rate, each team's salary cap would be reduced by over $24M per season (on average). I don't see ESPN folding, but I could see them filing Chapter 11 at some point to get out of this and other deals. The NFL could sell those rights to some other network, but probably at a much lower price. The NFL has been growing at an amazing pace. The salary cap was growing by 8% on average - and that was before this year's big jump. I just don't think that kind of growth is sustainable under current operating practices. The NFL isn't going to want to see a shockwave of a cap (and profit) reduction come through and they'd definitely try to stave that off, but I'd wonder how. International games or teams are very possible. So is an extended season. Pay per view maybe, but that has to coexist withor replace DirectTV's deal. Heck, they could put advertising on jerseys. I don't know, but I do expect to see them get creative in regards to increasing revenue. Great post by the OP. My thoughts: 1. I rarely watch ESPN unless they have a game on it that I have an interest in watching, which might be 1-3 times a year. 2. The only reason I have not cut the cord is because the local sports channel that carries the local MLB and Hockey team (Pirates/Penguins). If I could get that channel w/o cable, or watch those teams w/o cable, I would cut the cord tomorrow. Hopefully MLB and NHL offer a streaming product so people can watch the teams of the cities where they reside. I have Direct TV online version the past 2 years. It's a work in progress, but improved greatly from the 1st to 2nd year. Thank you. If I watch ESPN it's to catch a game or highlights usually. If I'm driving I'll listen to Mike and Mike or whatever is on sometimes. Or more often the NFLN station. I have Sirius. I'm thinking that NFL Replay might be the way to go. I didn't get it last year cause they really raised the price. But I can watch replays of every game, including the ones where all the filler between snaps is cut out. Plus All 22s are available.
North Buffalo Posted June 1, 2016 Posted June 1, 2016 Basic economics, they reached their inelasticity price point and it is a steep curve.
Never NEVER Give-up Posted June 1, 2016 Posted June 1, 2016 I had a sick feeling when I heard Disney bought espn a few years ago. It's now been confirmed - that WAS the death knell.I only watch espn for games I want to see (Bills, Pirates, Bandits (indoor laX), Sabres/hockey news which has all but disappeared and 30 for 30 if the topic is of interest. The rest of it is crap.
H2o Posted June 1, 2016 Posted June 1, 2016 I have ESPN for NCAA Football and the NFL games. If it weren't for those two I would have clipped cable as well. Plus my kids still "have to have" all of their Nickelodeon and Cartoon channels at the age they are now. I have Netflix for movies and 5 RedBox locations within a 3 mile radius. Cable could be very expendable in a few years.
Mr. WEO Posted June 1, 2016 Posted June 1, 2016 I just looked up today's programming line up for ESPN. From 12:00am to 12:00am...not a single sport to be seen. Hours upon hours of sports talk and highlights. ESPN is the same crap. Why can't they figure it out. Show some GD sports. Like actual contests. ANY FREAKIN THING! What live sports do you imagine could be televised all day every day? It's a 24 sports network, they have to fill 24 hours with content. Live sport never have and never will fill that 24 hour period. Australian Football, motor sports, cliff diving, anything but talk. C'mon man! NBCSN has your number...
North Buffalo Posted June 1, 2016 Posted June 1, 2016 (edited) What live sports do you imagine could be televised all day every day? It's a 24 sports network, they have to fill 24 hours with content. Live sport never have and never will fill that 24 hour period. NBCSN has your number... Ah wrong there is always some race, soccer game, cricket, baseball, hockey game even basketball going on somewhere in the world and vid has become a lot cheaper. Edited June 1, 2016 by North Buffalo
PromoTheRobot Posted June 1, 2016 Posted June 1, 2016 When ESPN started they used to broadcast stuff like Australian Rules Football late at night. That was a blast to watch. They'd be way better if they'd go back to that kind of thing rather than doubling down on Hot Takes!USFL too.
KD in CA Posted June 1, 2016 Posted June 1, 2016 Skip Bayless ruined ESPN for me. My all time favorite Onion article: http://www.theonion.com/article/cancer-diagnosed-with-skip-bayless-35368
Captain Hindsight Posted June 1, 2016 Posted June 1, 2016 My all time favorite Onion article: http://www.theonion.com/article/cancer-diagnosed-with-skip-bayless-35368 I just moved into an apartment and opted for just the Wifi. Do not miss cable at all. If I really want to watch a baseball game or football game thats on, I'll go to a bar. But unless the Bills are on, I dont really watch any sports
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