Three to Sell ... not so thinly disguised

[HGN]

The Three-To-See was ok with me.........ESPN tried their best to promote the Tournament games , and the 3 Stars they were hoping would make FF fame. Only one did. And that one got eliminated in the Semi-Final.

I had no problem with The Three-To-See........ESPN had no way of knowing who the Champion would be. They obviously wasn't watching the real Three-To-See , which was Stef , KML , and Stew'ie.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

If we all want to follow WBB, then it needs all the advertising it can get. I thought the ESPN stuff was a bit over the top (i.e. I didn't need to have them thrown in my face, I already knew who they were!) but then, I wasn't the target audience. I already follow WCBB as much as anyone, and, if the WNBA brand isn't my favorite, I follow it more than most and plunked down for 2nd row seats at 4 games in Phoenix this year (no, not due to BG). Isn't my favorite version of the game, but . . .

 

[EricLA]

If we all want to follow WBB, then it needs all the advertising it can get. I thought the ESPN stuff was a bit over the top (i.e. I didn't need to have them thrown in my face, I already knew who they were!) but then, I wasn't the target audience. I already follow WCBB as much as anyone, and, if the WNBA brand isn't my favorite, I follow it more than most and plunked down for 2nd row seats at 4 games in Phoenix this year (no, not due to BG). Isn't my favorite version of the game, but . . .

It better be cuz of DT!

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I'm with Sarals. Not sure what the reason for opposition could possibly be. Is it any different than on the men's side? If you have Kentucky and UNC in the NC game, it would be a wet dream for the NCAA from an interest/advertising perspective. Vitale has multiple orgasms every time he calls a Duke game. As Sarals pointed out, it was no different than Maya's junior and senior years when much of the advertising during the NCAA run revolved around her. Those years she was the most exciting player and ESPN never missed an opportunity to profile that.

I didn't like Skyler during college, was ambivalent about EDD, and had a hard time rooting for Griner, but you can't deny that those 3 were among the most compelling story lines of the tournament, and they were seniors to boot. The fact that ESPN was trying to help increase interest in the WNBA should be a surprise to no one. It's like complaining about commercials.

Brainwashing? Hardly. It appears you were immune, and I have no doubt that 99.9% of the rest of the country was immune as well. I don't see you complaining about ND getting a huge NBC contract in football or all the hype that surrounds the kids coming out of college for the NBA or NFL draft. I don't like the NCAA either, but let's not pretend they have it in for WCBB. I'd be more likely to care if you were soapboxing regarding men's hoops or football.

I have no problem with everything you said. I think you have correctly interpreted everything about the media. However, all media quickly focus and over-concentrate on a few messages/news bites of the moment, however long that moment might be. One of the best things WCBB has going is the fact that you cannot stereotype those who excel at it. The target market is never going to be Mr." pass me another brew" and those who market the women's game should catch on to that fact.

 

[wire chief]

Yeah, forget the three to see. Hey everybody, watch Kelly.

 

[EricLA]

Yeah, forget the three to see. Hey everybody, watch Kelly.

One thing I'm really looking forward to this WNBA season is how she does. I doubt she'll be in the top 5 in rookie scoring, but her body/game seems more ready for the WNBA than a player like Griner. And I mean that as no criticism of Brit - just that against big/strong centers every single night I'm not sure her strength is there to put up big numbers in a grinding schedule.

Let me just add I do expect Brit to be in the top 2-3 in rookie scoring - I'm just curious to see how she will fare against some of the best centers in the world...

 

[vtcwbuff]

Merriam Dictionary
persuasion by propaganda or salesmanship

Definition of brainwashed from Merriam Webster -
Definition of BRAINWASHING

1
: a forcible indoctrination to induce someone to give up basic political, social, or religious beliefs and attitudes and to accept contrasting regimented ideas

Nobody at ESPN is forcing anyone to do anything.

 

[Coler]

I had no problem with it, other then the fact that it should have been "2 to see" focusing on Griner, and Delle Donne, because in my opinion Diggins isn't at the talent level that the first two are. But I suppose "3 to see" is more catchy.

I just want the season to get here already!

 

[earl the pearl]

Overall, I have been watching less and less of ESPN. It's not just the "3 to see" promotion, it is the continual self- promotion of the upcoming sports they will be covering. I understand they are trying to increase ratings, but they pound the viewers with too many promos, which detracts from the game you are trying to watch. Maybe I just turning into a old grouch, but I find myself tuning ESPN out.

 

[rocky rococo]

The young women go to college for (at least) four years. They graduate, with degrees in their chosen fields. Huge wealth doesm't wait in the professional game, even the very best paid pro wbb players barely see their incomes rise above upper-middle-income, and that's by playing in Europe or Asia for 2/3 of the year. For the average WNBA player, her pay is genuinely middle class. There's simply not enough money in pro wbb for it to be corrupting or corrupted.I can understand and feel that sense when I see what the NFL and the NBA have done to the concept student-athlete. The WNBA is far far away from wreaking that sort of havoc.

 

[Vowelguy]

Merriam Dictionary
persuasion by propaganda or salesmanship

By this definition, all marketing and advertising would be considered brainwashing.

 

[Husky68]

I'm not sure you are trying to accomplish, but I never asked you to check anything with me. So I don't get your snark. But I do understand why you may feel defensive - no one seems to agree with you.

You referred to ESPN as attempting a brainwashing of people. Your word, not mine. You continue to argue and are looking more and more foolish. There are very few people on this planet who think of brainwashing as simply trying to "persuade" anyone. It's more associated with cults and nefarious activities. You are the one who came on the board with your mini rant, and now your panties are in a bunch because no one agrees with you, and several have called you out for your post.

And by the way, in your original post, you referred to what ESPN did as "brainwashing in it's worst state". A tad over the top, no? So to backtrack and try to use "persuasion" as your definition is not really accurate. Maybe it's time to give it a rest. If not, you can go at it all day long and still not convince anyone...

Talk about changing the meaning of a phrase - you state poster referred to ESPN as "brainwashing in it's worst state"; what actually was written was "what it might be called in its worst state - brainwashing". So poster thinks in its worst connotation it MIGHT be called brainwashing and you state it as brainwashing in it's worst state. Hmmmmmmm.
Also, as the poster wrote the phrase it sure looks like he could have been referring to the milder definition of brainwashing, something that you dis out of hand. Why does a dictionary have a 2nd or 3rd meaning to a word if only the 1st is acceptable? Maybe dictionaries expect that the context of what is written by the writer, like "might be ... in its worst state" preceding the word could suggest the 2nd and less "physically/mentally" invasive meaning is attempted to be used and that it's on the reader to put it all together or not. Red the post and did not get the Manchurian Candidate type interpretation of brainwashing, but maybe that was just me.

Thethesarus.com has:
Main Entry:
brainwashing [breyn-wosh-ing, -waw-shing] Show IPA
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: indoctrination
Synonyms: conditioning, influencing, persuasion

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. Intensive, forcible indoctrination, usually political or religious, aimed at destroying a person's basic convictions and attitudes and replacing them with an alternative set of fixed beliefs.
2. n. The application of a concentrated means of persuasion, such as an advertising campaign or repeated suggestion, in order to develop a specific belief or motivation.

 

[Icebear]

By this definition, all marketing and advertising would be considered brainwashing.

Many do consider them so.

 

[Icebear]

Brainwashing was, specifically, used as a slang term for the repatriation techniques used by the Communist Chinese during the Korean War. My honors thesis in college was on the application of these by the Unification Church in the 1970s. Former Yale professor Robert Jay Lifton was one of the foremost experts on what he termed "thought reform."

 

[Waquoit]

To coin a phrase my mother used to use, "Three to See" stinks on hot ice. (I have no idea what that means but it sounds pretty bad).

First, it's bad storywise. A good thing about sports is that you don't what going to happen until the games are played. ESPN wrote a script and stuck to it even when reality went another way. Way too much EDD after she lost. Diggins, too. Both a couple of phonies, IMO. The only real person out of the three was Griner.

And as much as I am not particular fans of the three, they were used way too much as free labor. None of these women got a penny from ESPN.

 

[pksundevil]

To coin a phrase my mother used to use, "Three to See" stinks on hot ice. (I have no idea what that means but it sounds pretty bad).

First, it's bad storywise. A good thing about sports is that you don't what going to happen until the games are played. ESPN wrote a script and stuck to it even when reality went another way. Way too much EDD after she lost. Diggins, too. Both a couple of phonies, IMO. The only real person out of the three was Griner.

And as much as I am not particular fans of the three, they were used way too much as free labor. None of these women got a penny from ESPN.

Phonies? The "IMO" caveat is laughable. This is a case where an opinion is clearly wrong.

 

[meyers7]

Talk about changing the meaning of a phrase - you state poster referred to ESPN as "brainwashing in it's worst state"; what actually was written was "what it might be called in its worst state - brainwashing". So poster thinks in its worst connotation it MIGHT be called brainwashing and you state it as brainwashing in it's worst state. Hmmmmmmm.

Ah, someone else caught that. I was going to correct eric, but I see you already have. Good job.

 

[alexrgct]

I had no problem with it, other then the fact that it should have been "2 to see" focusing on Griner, and Delle Donne, because in my opinion Diggins isn't at the talent level that the first two are. But I suppose "3 to see" is more catchy.

I just want the season to get here already!

Two to view?

 

[meyers7]

Overall, I have been watching less and less of ESPN. It's not just the "3 to see" promotion, it is the continual self- promotion of the upcoming sports they will be covering. I understand they are trying to increase ratings, but they pound the viewers with too many promos, which detracts from the game you are trying to watch. Maybe I just turning into a old grouch, but I find myself tuning ESPN out.

They all do it. ABC, NBC, CBS, TNT, FOX, AMC, FSC, TBS, etc, etc. etc.

And yea, you probably are turning into an old grouch.

 

[meyers7]

To coin a phrase my mother used to use, "Three to See" stinks on hot ice. (I have no idea what that means but it sounds pretty bad).

Not sure about "hot" ice, but something stinks so bad that it even stinks when frozen/ice cold.

 

[FairView]

To coin a phrase my mother used to use, "Three to See" stinks on hot ice. (I have no idea what that means but it sounds pretty bad).

First, it's bad storywise. A good thing about sports is that you don't what going to happen until the games are played. ESPN wrote a script and stuck to it even when reality went another way. Way too much EDD after she lost. Diggins, too. Both a couple of phonies, IMO. The only real person out of the three was Griner.

And as much as I am not particular fans of the three, they were used way too much as free labor. None of these women got a penny from ESPN.

They received exposure, positive press and reputation building that is worth millions. Do you think Michael Jordan gets paid when he is profiled on 6o Minutes? The value of their endorsement and advertising contracts are based on their appeal and images. I am sure the 32C boost is very significant.

Regarding how it played out story wise, that's just typical ESPN. They stick to the script. I am personally not a fan of any of the three -- for three different reasons, and that't not what this post is about. However, I am sure most of the readers of this board would have been much more open to the story continuing too long if the players wore National Flag Blue.

 

[alexrgct]

To coin a phrase my mother used to use, "Three to See" stinks on hot ice. (I have no idea what that means but it sounds pretty bad).

First, it's bad storywise. A good thing about sports is that you don't what going to happen until the games are played. ESPN wrote a script and stuck to it even when reality went another way. Way too much EDD after she lost. Diggins, too. Both a couple of phonies, IMO. The only real person out of the three was Griner.

And as much as I am not particular fans of the three, they were used way too much as free labor. None of these women got a penny from ESPN.

Yeah, their endorsement deals don't have anything to do with the promotion/push from ESPN.

 

[EricLA]

I had no problem with it, other then the fact that it should have been "2 to see" focusing on Griner, and Delle Donne, because in my opinion Diggins isn't at the talent level that the first two are. But I suppose "3 to see" is more catchy.

I just want the season to get here already!

It would have to been called the "2 to do", which while catchy, does not exactly connote a warm fuzzy image!

 

[Vowelguy]

Many do consider them so.

Who cares? Is that the point here? No.

My point is that what ESPN is doing is advertising, plain and simple. Criticize the whole discipline if you want, but don't single out ESPN as doing anything worse or better than anyone else.

 

[Icebear]

Who cares? Is that the point here? No.

My point is that what ESPN is doing is advertising, plain and simple. Criticize the whole discipline if you want, but don't single out ESPN as doing anything worse or better than anyone else.

It is all about changing perceptions and opinions concerning one type of product or another. That is what I was saying. It was neither for or against your thought just related to it.