OT - ESPN Layoffs

[UCweCONN]

Pretty sure Berman is retiring....he's been there since the beginning

Much like his act.....

 

[auror]

Sucks for those losing their jobs but espn did this to themselves. I remember back in the 90s everyone literally would get up early to watch sportscenter before going to work or school. They played highlights of every game rather than only large market teams. It was highlights not a sports gossip show. I haven't watched anything but live sporting events on espn in over 10 years. I could care less about pop culture and all the bs sportscenter and espn has turned into to. It's no longer ESPN it's turned into E!SPN.

It's weird that when you stopped watching ESPN sports highlights syncs up to the widespread use of internet enabled smartphones and broadband internet saturation.

 

[Walker11]

It's weird that when you stopped watching ESPN sports highlights syncs up to the widespread use of internet enabled smartphones and broadband internet saturation.

This is true but I would absolutely watch a show that was 100% highlights like the old days. The market isn't as big but it hasn't disappeared. I could find all the individual highlight clips of games I want to watch on youtube (for the NBA at least) but the old-style Sports Center shows are the perfect background distraction.

I don't want to watch Michael Smith and Jemele Hill give their opinions about a handful of topics. Unfortunately, this is totally the way things are going. If you read Skipper's press release, they want to focus even more on personality driven Sports Center shows. Mike Greenberg is up next and I am sure he will find a way to leave folks underwhelmed while pocketing 5 mil. per year. All the while the best beat writer on the best and most interesting team in the fastest growing league gets s...canned over his 80k salary.

 

[Vowelguy]

This sounds good for CT...

They cut fewer than 10 people in Charlotte and the SEC network is still based there. Impact on CT is less than minimal.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Truth be told, I'd probably watch previous day's replays the following afternoon.

With so much social media and other distractions during live games watching a replay can actually be more relaxing. And yes, I get that anyone can record a game and watch it on their own time.

I'd guess that replays couldn't get worse ratings and definitely save money over producing afternoon shows with personalities and content no one cares about.

 

[Robertelamin]

They need to get back into bass fishing and lumberjack games

 

[UConn990411]

Number 1, I doubt she belittled UConn EVERY time. And number 2, not everything is about UConn, so just because she maybe didn't speak glowingly about us doesn't make her a bad reporter.

She definitely wasn't fair when it came to UConn, and fair is something reporters are supposed to be (or at least attempt to be).

 

[methodology]

It's weird that when you stopped watching ESPN sports highlights syncs up to the widespread use of internet enabled smartphones and broadband internet saturation.

No I stopped watching when they stopped showing highlights of every game. When my teams got cut from having a 30 second highlight clip I stopped watching has nothing to do with Internet and smartphone cause honestly I never watch highlights now I just look at box scores. If espn was back to how it was in the early-mid 90s I would watch it and have it on in the background all the time.

 

[4in16]

Did the cuts hit ESPN 8 "the OCHO" ?

 

[kobe]

The American's lead basketball color broadcaster was let go. Bodes well for the AAC.

 

[UC313]

When i was a kid i would rattle off baseball stats like it was my first name. Catch that same 30 min SC 3-4 times over. I want every game, a 4-5 player stat line and a trend or two. Thats it. Gimme the beef and only the beef.

And please shut SAS up. His voice could be attached to katy perry's puppies and id still want to punch them.

 

[Vowelguy]

When i was a kid i would rattle off baseball stats like it was my first name. Catch that same 30 min SC 3-4 times over. I want every game, a 4-5 player stat line and a trend or two. Thats it. Gimme the beef and only the beef.
.

Everyone who says they'd watch the old Sportscenter are likely the minority. I doubt ESPN said "hey, let's completely change our flagship show for no reason." I assume they saw ratings erosion, and had research showing that viewers' interest in a highlights show was waning.

 

[Mano]

Everyone who says they'd watch the old Sportscenter are likely the minority. I doubt ESPN said "hey, let's completely change our flagship show for no reason." I assume they saw ratings erosion, and had research showing that viewers' interest in a highlights show was waning.

Perhaps, but when you have four different channels and need to scale things back you'd think they could find an hour to put two guys on with just highlights and stats and next to none of those expensive talking heads that they're now shedding. I'd watch that, and I'd wager a whole heck of a lot of fantasy nerds from that supposedly burgeoning market would too.

 

[Deepster]

Slightly OT. What has espn really ever done for Bristol? Sure. They've stayed there when they didn't "have to" but I am sure they have the sweetest of sweetheart deals with real estate and taxes. The talent lives in Avon/Canton and moves out when they're done. Talent flies in and out otherwise. Bristol still has plenty of warts and really hasn't benefitted socially from having a company of that magnitude headquartered there. and that doesn't include the lack of impact they've had helping the state of CT and city of Hartford.

 

[MadDogRevival]

Mike Greenberg is up next and I am sure . . . .

I'd rather eat my radio than listen to this guy more than 60 seconds. I have never heard a person work so desperately to be unoffensive and PC. It's painful to listen to. Seems like a swell guy, but I can't brook a man who has to couch every opinion in bubble wrapped, trite rhetorical crutches that function to round off any edginess. Yuck.

 

[Fishy]

The American's lead basketball color broadcaster was let go. Bodes well for the AAC.

Our contract renegotiation will worse than Custer's last act.

 

[8893]

The American's lead basketball color broadcaster was let go. Bodes well for the AAC.

Because he was so iconic and we all felt so connected to him?

Who was it again?

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Well, everyone knows Custer died at Little Bighorn. What this book presupposes is... maybe he didn't.

 

[Jaker]

Hopefully a bunch of Cuse communication grads are getting pink slips.

 

[JSM1970]

Bristol is a total dump

They get $$ they wouldn't otherwise and certainly some benefit of people working there and the references

Slightly OT. What has espn really ever done for Bristol? Sure. They've stayed there when they didn't "have to" but I am sure they have the sweetest of sweetheart deals with real estate and taxes. The talent lives in Avon/Canton and moves out when they're done. Talent flies in and out otherwise. Bristol still has plenty of warts and really hasn't benefitted socially from having a company of that magnitude headquartered there. and that doesn't include the lack of impact they've had helping the state of CT and city of Hartford.

 

[Showballot]

Sucks for those losing their jobs but espn did this to themselves. I remember back in the 90s everyone literally would get up early to watch sportscenter before going to work or school. They played highlights of every game rather than only large market teams. It was highlights not a sports gossip show. I haven't watched anything but live sporting events on espn in over 10 years. I could care less about pop culture and all the bs sportscenter and espn has turned into to. It's no longer ESPN it's turned into E!SPN.

You're completely omitting the simple fact that people can absorb content and view highlights on so many different platforms. For all you know, kids today wake up and go to espn.com, NBA.com, or an instagram page to view highlights.

 

[Showballot]

No I stopped watching when they stopped showing highlights of every game. When my teams got cut from having a 30 second highlight clip I stopped watching has nothing to do with Internet and smartphone cause honestly I never watch highlights now I just look at box scores. If espn was back to how it was in the early-mid 90s I would watch it and have it on in the background all the time.

You're like 70.

 

[Showballot]

Slightly OT. What has espn really ever done for Bristol? Sure. They've stayed there when they didn't "have to" but I am sure they have the sweetest of sweetheart deals with real estate and taxes. The talent lives in Avon/Canton and moves out when they're done. Talent flies in and out otherwise. Bristol still has plenty of warts and really hasn't benefitted socially from having a company of that magnitude headquartered there. and that doesn't include the lack of impact they've had helping the state of CT and city of Hartford.

Maybe the talent doesn't want to permanently live there because they enjoy where they live much more?

 

[Walker11]

I'd rather eat my radio than listen to this guy more than 60 seconds. I have never heard a person work so desperately to be unoffensive and PC. It's painful to listen to. Seems like a swell guy, but I can't brook a man who has to couch every opinion in bubble wrapped, trite rhetorical crutches that function to round off any edginess. Yuck.

They like their talent to be either lukewarm and disgustingly inoffensive, or shockingly abrasive and controversial. Weird strategy. Doesn't leave much room for the fair minded, normal personalities like Russillo. I have heard ESPN brass say they want Mike and Mike to be a show where moms can listen while they drive their kids to work. What moms are listening to ESPN?

I don't really know what their strategy should be. They are either way.

You're like 70.

Some people wish ESPN was still sports and analysis. Not only 70 year olds.

 

[2Husky]

. I have heard ESPN brass say they want Mike and Mike to be a show where moms can listen while they drive their kids to work. What moms are listening to ESPN?

What kids are being driven to work?

Really niche market to target