The news with ESPN is getting worse

[uconntailgater]

The cable box subscriber base is really starting to hemorrhage for ESPN. A subscriber loss of 422,000 from the months of February-March. Those are big numbers. You wonder how long they can stay in business under the current business model. I believe their political activism is starting to really affect their bottom line. I believe the high-priced talent will be first on the chopping block.

ESPN Loses 422,000 Viewing Homes over the Last Month - Breitbart

 

[uconntailgater]

Their "Outside the Lines" video archive had seven links listed and only two were about actual sports. The other five were of political persuasion.

 

[Chin Diesel]

In before this gets moved to the Cesspool.

I cut the cord almost a year ago and still watch sports on ESPN channels. It's all the fluff between shows I never watch anymore. It's been at least 5 years since I've sat down to watch Sports Center. ESPN has programming issues and that's why people are tuning it out.

As for the politics angle, it's not the viewpoints that ESPN is taking that hurts as much as it is them taking viewpoints. Their failure is failing to recognize that people watch sports to get away from the political world not to have it be an extension of the political world. If ESPN had mostly right leaning views they'd be losing viewership because of that too.

 

[Exit 4]

No one watches sports for politics. Its the anti-politics.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

I stopped watching non-sports ESPN programming mostly because it's just bad. It has nothing to do with politics or social views, it's that their coverage is too heavily based on what they read on social media, pot-stirring idiots like Stephen A and Bayless, and not about the actual games themselves.

 

[Husky25]

I stopped watching non-sports ESPN programming mostly because it's just bad. It has nothing to do with politics or social views, it's that their coverage is too heavily based on what they read on social media, pot-stirring idiots like Stephen A and Bayless, and not about the actual games themselves.

Outside The Lines and Sports Reporters was possibly the best hour of non-live action programming on the Mothership. The problem is they caught lightning in a bottle with both shows and proceeded to spread both genres too thin. Sports doesn't have to be provocative to be entertaining, yet ESPN basically grew to require the equivalent of a 24/7 hot take. Now what did they do? Cancel Sports Reporters and expand POSs like Around the Horn, First Take and that dumpster fire with Bomani Jones and Dan LeBatard.

 

[huskyrob1]

The cable box subscriber base is really starting to hemorrhage for ESPN. A subscriber loss of 422,000 from the months of February-March. Those are big numbers. You wonder how long they can stay in business under the current business model. I believe their political activism is starting to really affect their bottom line. I believe the high-priced talent will be first on the chopping block.

ESPN Loses 422,000 Viewing Homes over the Last Month - Breitbart

I think one nail in the coffin could be that huge lawsuit from the tennis reporter. They destroyed him and his life, last I heard he had a heart attack caused by all the stress. There have been legitimate firings of sports commentators over the years for things said on air, such as Rick Barry and Tom Brookshire, but this tennis reporter was totally innocent.

 

[The Funster]

Haven't watched anything other than sporting events on ESPN for years. they became more about personalities and hype than about the sports they were supposedly covering.

 

[uconntailgater]

I was at the gym today (5-6 PM) and the TVs that were in front of me had a series of ESPN channels on. Even though the sound was off you can tell these late afternoon shows were awful. You can tell these talking heads were trying to create buzz and excitement over seemingly normal occurrences that happen every day in sports. Who would voluntarily sit down in front of the TV and actually watch this stuff is absolutely mind-boggling.

 

[Stinger92860]

I refuse to watch any espn show which does not include UConn. They have ruined college sports for me.

 

[Waquoit]

I like it when folks criticize ESPN for "political content." It's the racists and self-identifying.

 

[traitor71]

I can only echo what others are saying. Their non live sports programming is unwatchable. I think they fail to realize that the average person, sports fan, etc does not spend all day obsessing over social issues. We turn to your network because we want sports, we want to be entertained and if we want social commentary, politics, etc...we will go to other networks for that.

 

[uconntailgater]

This isn't good news for their business model.
Poll: ESPN Barely Ranks in Top 20 of Most Chosen A La Carte Cable Channels - Breitbart

 

[Fishy]

I like it when folks criticize ESPN for "political content." It's the racists and self-identifying.

Or people who like sports.

 

[Stinger92860]

I like it when folks criticize ESPN for "political content." It's the racists and self-identifying.

Sample Waquoit conversation.

I don't agree with you. Waquoit: That's because you are a racist.
No, I just have a different opinion. Waquoit: It's always about you.

Are there racists? Of course, and they should not be tolerated, but not everyone is a racist, because they have a different pov.

 

[dennismenace]

Haven't watched anything other than sporting events on ESPN for years. they became more about personalities and hype than about the sports they were supposedly covering.

Agreed. Reminds me of Howard Cossell

 

[UConnJim]

This isn't good news for their business model.
Poll: ESPN Barely Ranks in Top 20 of Most Chosen A La Carte Cable Channels - Breitbart

Breitbart does not do the survey justice (follow the links in the article) as the survey is more complicated than this article states. Respondents were asked for their ideal cable package AND what they would pay for each channel. If 41% of respondents said they wanted ESPN in their cable bundle at any price, that would be good news for ESPN. Unfortunately, the survey said 41% of respondents said that ESPN is the 19th ranked cable channel that people would want in a bundle, BUT they would be willing to only pay $1.82/month!

 

[Waquoit]

Sample Waquoit conversation.

I don't agree with you. Waquoit: That's because you are a racist.
No, I just have a different opinion. Waquoit: It's always about you.

Are there racists? Of course, and they should not be tolerated, but not everyone is a racist, because they have a different pov.

What?

 

[dennismenace]

I was at the gym today (5-6 PM) and the TVs that were in front of me had a series of ESPN channels on. Even though the sound was off you can tell these late afternoon shows were awful. You can tell these talking heads were trying to create buzz and excitement over seemingly normal occurrences that happen every day in sports. Who would voluntarily sit down in front of the TV and actually watch this stuff is absolutely mind-boggling.

I belong to a gym where ESPN actually bought (subsidized) the some of the TV's and they had one put in the locker room (sorry, no other channel allowed) with the volume up (the one's outside are muted because of different channels) so now we have to listen to this crap in mid afternoon coming and going. No one pays attention and just talks over it. It's just an annoyance. Just big egos, PC and arguing.

 

[Dibbie]

ESPN has been dead to me for years....only watch college sports such as softball or baseball, because it's about the game and not the announcers. I tried watching the Cubs Cardinals game on Sunday and the 3 talking heads sucked, especially the female they're forcing in. I have never, not once, gone to espn.com to get my online updates.

 

[uconnbill]

What?

In English. People want to getaway from politics and the rest of the world and enjoy a sporting event. Why is that hard to understand?

 

[UCHuskies08]

What?

You made a dumb post. It's ok, you can try again next time.