O.T. ESPN Layoffs expected to start Wednesday...

[easttexastrash]

As long as they don't touch Kirk Herbstreit I am happy. And as long as Burke doesn't get anywhere near a WCBB game...

 

[huskyrob1]

Saving a bunch of money is not a good reason?

ESPN is in a bad spot right now. They've overpaid for content. And revenues are weakening as more folks cut the cord. They need to cut costs somewhere.

Take the ten highest paid employees no matter who they are, and fire all ten.

 

[Vowelguy]

Take the ten highest paid employees no matter who they are, and fire all ten.

Most of the top folks have contracts, and I'm sure can't be fired w/o cause.

 

[JordyG]

I was a Trent Kilfer fan and from herein I'm going to miss every dime he brought to the table.

 

[Puppy Love]

I didn't realize that Hannah announced both. She's the Walter Cronkite of her generation.

I believe she is married to Dan Hicks of NBC.

You can find the video on line. The Saunders announcement was a class act. I don't know how she held it together. i wanted to press 'like' for your post but it didn't seem appropriate.

 

[j66kicker]

Take the ten highest paid employees no matter who they are, and fire all ten.

That would probably include Jon Gruden at $5+ mil per year

 

[BigBird]

Talking head television is cheaper to produce than sports afield. Of course, if you overpay the talking heads, you can make those productions expensive and unprofitable too.

Some have asked "why this?" or "why now?" There is a shareholders meeting upcoming, and the ESPN brass want to look like they are "doing something." Being bold. Taking charge. Use whatever business school jabber you want. It is all just a corporate illusion.

ESPN needs to re-negotiate those rights fees, like yesterday. The cuts today are painful for those involved and most assuredly will not put the company in the black or any zip code close to the black.

 

[Paesano]

The problem with ESPN and UConn has always been the fact that they are overloaded with cuse grads. Cuse is always overrated and it is catching up with ESPN. That and way too much emphasis on football.

 

[MilfordHusky]

You can find the video on line. The Saunders announcement was a class act. I don't know how she held it together. i wanted to press 'like' for your post but it didn't seem appropriate.

Thanks. I understand--it's awkward to like posts involving negative news. A like often means gratitude for relaying the info--and not perverse pleasure over someones demise.

 

[Roger G]

I guess I dont watch enough to have seen the supposed 'politics'. I never saw it during my many hours of watching.
But it doesn't matter. That's not the reason.
Their flagship program SportsCenter has become less relevant in age when you can watch highlights anytime at the push of a button.
Because of its high carriage fees, ESPN was getting a lot more of its revenue from subscribers than other cable channels. As a result, when subscriber numbers started falling, ESPN was especially exposed.

Here's some of the "supposed" politics. Call them what you will.
On Same Day Massive Layoffs Begin, ESPNW Celebrates Black Power Icon and Fugitive Cop Killer

 

[Vowelguy]

Here's some of the "supposed" politics. Call them what you will.
On Same Day Massive Layoffs Begin, ESPNW Celebrates Black Power Icon and Fugitive Cop Killer

1) I hardly would count a post from Breitbart as proof of anything
2) In order for someone to be offended by a story on ESPNW, there would have to be actual readers of ESPNW.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Unfortunately I woke up this morning and The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz is still on and still patting themselves on the head while delivering a show which you would think was generated in the basement of a frat house.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Talking head television is cheaper to produce than sports afield. Of course, if you overpay the talking heads, you can make those productions expensive and unprofitable too.

Some have asked "why this?" or "why now?" There is a shareholders meeting upcoming, and the ESPN brass want to look like they are "doing something." Being bold. Taking charge. Use whatever business school jabber you want. It is all just a corporate illusion.

ESPN needs to re-negotiate those rights fees, like yesterday. The cuts today are painful for those involved and most assuredly will not put the company in the black or any zip code close to the black.

The shareholders' meeting being that of The Walt Disney Company. The guys/girls at Disney in charge of the ESPN performance probably told their buds at ESPN "you got to give us something to sell", "we're dying here", so that explains what was done in the short term. Then they went back to the broads, the booze and the cocaine.

 

[Wbbfan1]

Don't understand letting Andy Katz go, he was one of the most knowledgeable BB people around.

 

[Wbbfan1]

ESPN said it was a mistake/oversight.

ESPN Yanks Poem Praising A Convicted Cop Killer

An editor’s note at the bottom of the updated piece reads: “An earlier version of ‘Five Poets on the New Feminism’ featured Revolution by Dr. DaMaris Hill. We have decided it is not an appropriate selection for our site, and have removed it from the feature.”

 

[Wbbfan1]

Like it or not, ESPN isn't sticking to sports

This column IMO is one of the reasons ESPN is losing viewers on their non Sporting Event shows.

 

[Vowelguy]

Like it or not, ESPN isn't sticking to sports

This column IMO is one of the reasons ESPN is losing viewers on their non Sporting Event shows.

So hundreds of people every day are deciding to drop their entire cable subscription because some folks are occasionally mentioning the Bachelor on ESPN?

Who knew the Bachelor had that kind of impact?

 

[huskyrob1]

Don't understand letting Andy Katz go, he was one of the most knowledgeable BB people around.

He is very knowledgeable, that's why he got paid the big bucks, hence that's why he got the axe.

 

[uconnfan68]

Take the ten highest paid employees no matter who they are, and fire all ten.

Brilliant! But think how much you'd save with the top 100!

 

[BigBird]

Now it's about ESPN's politics? Rubbish.

No, ESPN's Layoffs Aren't A Result Of Its 'Politicization' Of Sports | The Huffington Post

I am far more annoyed by the things that ESPN won't say than the things that they do. But I wll agree that (across the board/across all networks) it would be preferrable to see actual sports events as opposed to video of people arguing about sports events.

 

[j66kicker]

Unfortunately I woke up this morning and The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz is still on and still patting themselves on the head while delivering a show which you would think was generated in the basement of a frat house.

Le Batard has said on air that he has a contract and can't be fired (unless they want to buy him out 100%). I got the feeling his contract includes Stugotz and his dad too. Like a contracted "show" similar to Colin Cowherd's on Fox - he has his own company, hires his own co-hosts, etc, contracts with Fox Sports to provide the whole show. ??

 

[triaddukefan]

Le Batard has said on air that he has a contract and can't be fired (unless they want to buy him out 100%). I got the feeling his contract includes Stugotz and his dad too. Like a contracted "show" similar to Colin Cowherd's on Fox - he has his own company, hires his own co-hosts, etc, contracts with Fox Sports to provide the whole show. ??

I've been a fan of Le Batard for years. I remember getting up early on Sunday mornings.... well staying up late on Saturday nights and listening to his one hour radio show... probably early 2000s.

 

[Vowelguy]

Le Batard has said on air that he has a contract and can't be fired (unless they want to buy him out 100%).

Of course. Most people on TV more than 5 minutes will have a contract.

 

[BigBird]

Le Batard has said on air that he has a contract and can't be fired (unless they want to buy him out 100%). I got the feeling his contract includes Stugotz and his dad too....

There was a hint "leaked" last week to the effect that if those who have active contracts do not re-negotiate a wage cut, they will be employed but reassigned to less prominant roles.

Does ESPN have a bureau in North Korea? Look out, Dan.

 

[Roger G]

1) I hardly would count a post from Breitbart as proof of anything
2) In order for someone to be offended by a story on ESPNW, there would have to be actual readers of ESPNW.

You should be their PR guy. "Ah Heck, you're not reading us anyway. How can we offend you?" Sounds about as successful as the current modus operandi.