Ed Werder out at ESPN

[boyst]

13 hours ago, Pete said:

ESPN is cut throat culture.  

ESPN has sold out.

[The Cincinnati Kid]

Haven’t watched a “show” on ESPN in years and likely won’t ever again. Classic SportsCenter in the mid90s to mid00’s was solid. They’ve gone away from their bread and butter.

[BADOLBILZ]

3 minutes ago, EasternOHBillsFan said:

 

Entertainment varies from the Broadway theater to three card monte on the street, so the definition of entertainment varies.

 

Rich Eisen, Stuart Scott, Chris Berman and Tom Jackson were all consummate professionals in the same industry, now replaced by people like Stephen A. and Pat McAfee, so yeah, I know the difference.

 

Eisen, Scott, Berman and Jackson were sports news show anchors.    That's their identity and even in the case where they grew into different roles that's still roughly what they had to be.   And even what they did didn't pass as "professionalism" to the generation of news anchors before them.   Eisen was seen as a bit of a punk at ESPN, actually.  

 

Stephen A and McAfee have shows dedicated to bar room level sport talk on the news topics of the day.   Entirely different genre.  

 

So no, you don't know the difference.

[EasternOHBillsFan]

5 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

Eisen, Scott, Berman and Jackson were sports news show anchors.    That's their identity and even in the case where they grew into different roles that's still roughly what they had to be.   And even what they did didn't pass as "professionalism" to the generation of news anchors before them.   Eisen was seen as a bit of a punk at ESPN, actually.  

 

Stephen A and McAfee have shows dedicated to bar room level sport talk on the news topics of the day.   Entirely different genre.  

 

So no, you don't know the difference.

 

So they replaced a professional sports lineup with bar room level sports talk lineup.

 

Two different levels of sports entertainment from the same network.

 

Sorry, but you are wrong, and you proved my point perfectly.

Edited May 24 by EasternOHBillsFan

[Florida Bills Fanatic]

As a business, ESPN is not a profit driver for Disney.  They are under pressure to reduce costs and bring in viewership to increase advertising revenue.  There are probably more changes coming.  There are many more sources of good sports information and ESPN doesn't have the near monoply that they once have. IMHO, ESPN is almost irrelevant.

[DrDawkinstein]

13 hours ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

I mean, really.   When did pro sports become all about entertainment value? 

 

Oh yeah.........that's all it ever was.

 

 

 

Even more so for Sports media/journalism. Folks act like it should be some institution of integrity. It has always been merely a marketing arm for the entertainment leagues that are covered. We arent solving world hunger over here.

[Captain Hindsight]

6 hours ago, machine gun kelly said:

This is happening all over.  Boomer and Sims are out at CBS.  They are looking for young cheap labor.

It probably has more to do with just rebranding. I'm 35 and boomer and Simms have been on CBS as long as I can remember. Same with Jimmy Johnson and Terry Bradshaw on Fox. At some point, they have to change things

[blitzboy54]

16 hours ago, EasternOHBillsFan said:

Sports media is now for hype, loud voices, drama, and foolishness. The days of the professional are over.

 

I think Mina Kimes and the like are examples of smart analysis vs the Stephen A's of the world but to your point I agree the inmates are taking over the asylum. 

Edited May 24 by blitzboy54

[Gugny]

11 hours ago, Mike in Horseheads said:

To some extent I agree on that.  But talent like Dan Patrick, Rick Eisen and Dan Lebatard left on their own because of management.  Same with Tony Kornheiser on the radio side. I hardly ever have ESPN on in the car anymore with the people on there know

Are you looking to throw down?

 

I will drive Horseheads right now and snap you in two, you pinko.
 

[Mr. WEO]

On 5/23/2024 at 7:27 PM, major said:

ESPN cuts a real reporter and keeps people like Stephen A around 🤦‍♂️

 

they cut a Jerry Jones shill.

 

Amazing he lasted 26 years.

[The Cincinnati Kid]

On 5/24/2024 at 10:59 AM, Captain Hindsight said:

It probably has more to do with just rebranding. I'm 35 and boomer and Simms have been on CBS as long as I can remember. Same with Jimmy Johnson and Terry Bradshaw on Fox. At some point, they have to change things

Also Phil Simms is the absolute worst. Just so freaking awful. There aren’t words to correctly express just how terrible he is at his job. Literally nobody worse exists. Maybe ever.

[Captain Hindsight]

7 minutes ago, The Cincinnati Kid said:

Also Phil Simms is the absolute worst. Just so freaking awful. There aren’t words to correctly express just how terrible he is at his job. Literally nobody worse exists. Maybe ever.

He does suck 

[Beast]

Werd to your mother.

[T master]

On 5/23/2024 at 4:11 PM, dpberr said:

26 years.  His contract expired and it was not renewed.

 

https://nypost.com/2024/05/23/sports/espns-ed-werder-out-after-26-years-in-stunning-development/

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2024/05/23/ed-werder-longtime-cowboys-nfl-reporter-leaving-espn/73818693007/

 

Typical corporate move ! Get rid of the guys that cost the company more money because they been around so long yet the ones that will get more views because of their professionalism and their gift of delivery of the product they are selling . Everything is a changing ... And not usually for the better !! 

 

ESPN has been going in to the toilet for years any way this is just one more rung down the ladder !! 

Edited May 27 by T master

[Radar]

On 5/23/2024 at 6:27 PM, EasternOHBillsFan said:

Sports media is now for hype, loud voices, drama, and foolishness. The days of the professional are over.

As is true of all media. Journalism is dying. 

[nedboy7]

7 minutes ago, Radar said:

As is true of all media. Journalism is dying. 

people want to read things they agree with. 
critical thinking is dying. 
The algorithms are ruining the brain.