That show might be the worst thing ESPN has ever put on.
They need to bring back stump the schwab and maybe I would tune in.
and Cheap Seats!
That show might be the worst thing ESPN has ever put on.
They need to bring back stump the schwab and maybe I would tune in.
I think paying for sports is going downhill with millennials and as a consequence means less money for sports the futureThe liberal angle is just bogus. If that were the reason that ESPN was failing, wouldn't you expect it to only affect them? It's not though. Their competitors are seeing big dropoffs as well. FS1 is down lots of subscribers, too. They just had a big employee layoff about a year ago. Cable subscriptions are down across the board. Unless your theory is that viewers are so angry at ESPN's liberal view that they're cancelling their entire cable subscription in protest, then that angle just doesn't hold water.
There are legitimate reasons why ESPN is not doing as well as they were (and to be clear, they're still very, very profitable). Being too PC/Liberal is way, way far down the list.
They call that doing it on the cheap.I first noticed SportsCenter (and ESPN in general) taking a step in the wrong direction back when Brett Favre was going through his retirement phase. Every...single...telecast...was like an episode of TMZ. I grew to despise Favre simply from the over-saturation. It was a tired subject and they beat it into the ground.
Unfortunately SportsCenter has become worse. They take one subject and completely kill it. In this day and age when people have shorter and shorter attention spans they drag out one or two stories and beat it to death.
MLB Network and NFL Network have saved me from the habit of instantly waking up and tuning into SportsCenter. I know I'll get every single highlight from every single game. I don't need to see every moment of Steph Curry's press conference with his daughter and I don't give a flying **** which no-name player protested the National Anthem.
I think paying for sports is going downhill with millennials and as a consequence means less money for sports the future
They lay offs were 50 on air and 50 off air. We will likely only about hear the on air people because they're relatable.Since it's Friday, do you think some of the major personalities are going to be let go? The reports are that ESPN is laying off close to 100 people and so far they are at 65
I agree. What's been happening with ESPN is a reflection of a change in the way sports are consumed in this country. And, to a larger degree, what's happening with cable is a reflection of a change in the way entertainment is consumed. We're witnessing a giant behemoth trying to adjust to market forces. That's the driving factor behind all of this. I have no doubt that things will settle down eventually as the new landscape takes shape, but things will be a lot different. Mountains will now be valleys and swamps will become deserts. But cable and ESPN aren't going away. There have been a lot of references to ESPN "dying" amidst this round of layoffs. It's not dying. It's still incredibly profitable. I have no doubt that ESPN will be around for years and years and years. They still offer a service that lots of people want. There's just a shift in the way people want it.I think paying for sports is going downhill with millennials and as a consequence means less money for sports the future
Netflix has 83 million subscribers, and has enjoyed pretty constant growth. It has multiple deals with a wide variety of studios and production companies to stream content and create new exclusive content. And it's frankly the most recognizable name brand in content-streaming today.
The smart move for Disney, then, is to buy Netflix and move ESPN over to that platform. There are several options for the specifics -- make it an add-on service like the DVD option, or go for sheer quantity of subscribers by simply adding ESPN to the service at no extra charge (at first, anyway) to subscribers, and in either case providing advertising space during the streaming broadcasts. Keeping the games available for one month, for anyone wanting to save up a block of games to binge on (perhaps creating a new way of viewing sports programing) or re-watch them, would provided added advertising potential (albeit at a lower rate than during the live broadcast and subsequent first 24 hours of "rerun" streaming). And the fact this would make ESPN content more readily available on mobile devices via the Netflix app -- where ad revenue could again be generated to greater affect at higher rates, due to the large subscriber base -- shouldn't be forgotten.
Once Disney has Netflix, then they are in a position for a very different approach to Fox for a deal. Netflix’s subscriber base is approaching 100 million worldwide. They’ll break through in China and India (where they're already available but not yet making a big push) fully in the next decade, that’s inevitable and will send their subscriber rate into the stratosphere. So, with that platform, Disney can approach Fox about trading the Marvel franchises back, in exchange for a good deal for Fox movies on Netflix. Offer to top any HBO or other outlet offers for Fox content, and offer FX exclusive broadcast TV rights to Disney movies when they go to broadcast television. A combo of exclusive FX access to Disney premiere on broadcast networks plus a great deal for streaming Fox movies on Netflix is the deal to offer.
I really hope Disney either purchases Netflix or puts a deal in place to have ESPN carried on Netflix. Check out this article from Forbes about how a Disney acquisition of Netflix could help ESPN:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/markhu...erger-would-rescue-espn-in-2017/#1e51798b4ff7
If ESPN gets on Netflix and raises it to more than $10, people will just start dumping Netflix. I know we would.
So does ESPN have to honor contracts? If so, why lay them off unless some financial restructuring is going to take place