ESPN's Black Wednesday

[BigRedBuster]

The main cause for ESPN's financial troubles.

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2015/10/26/Media/ESPN.aspx

Looking at those contracts for rights, the 540 million to the SEC and ACC pretty much sews up my reasons for not watching ESPN.

It will be interesting to see if they are going to drastically change their programing to try to get back viewers.

 

[ColoradoHusk]

The main cause for ESPN's financial troubles.

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2015/10/26/Media/ESPN.aspx

Looking at those contracts for rights, the 540 million to the SEC and ACC pretty much sews up my reasons for not watching ESPN.

It will be interesting to see if they are going to drastically change their programing to try to get back viewers.

It will be interesting to see if/when NCAA conferences and sports leagues try to sell the rights to their games direct to consumer (most likely through the interweb), instead of selling the rights to ESPN, Fox, and other TV networks.

 

[JJ Husker]

The 30 for 30's and occasional live game are all they've got going for them. I hate seeing people lose their job and I like some of these guys but they don't need them.

 

[Cdog923]

ESPN is moving their ESPNU operations from Charlotte to Bristol.

 

[Enhance]

They're are being let go from the company at the top of their industry..... They're all going to land on their feet.

Maybe, maybe not. You also don't know the personal stories of some of the people who lost their jobs. Some of them might be fighting health or home problems, and now they're dealing with unemployment.

It's an incredibly emotional and challenging situation for people to go through, even if they're working for the best in the business.

To piggy back off another poster, general empathy shouldn't frowned on.

 

[suh_fan93]

I can't tell you the last time I watched ESPN for anything besides a game (mostly Dodgers and the Big Red) or 30 for 30. Anything else (other games included especially NCAA BB and any hockey) is pretty much full on garbage television.

I'll add Outside the Lines with Bob Lee to your list. If they could clone him and replace all of their horrible fly by night new Sportscenter anchors with him I'd be perfectly happy with that.

 

[knapplc]

What's this I'm seeing about ESPN mixing sports and politics?

 

[ColoradoHusk]

What's this I'm seeing about ESPN mixing sports and politics?

There are misguided individuals who think that ESPN is losing viewers due to their "liberal" views. I haven't noticed if ESPN is more liberal than before, but I don't think it's a cause for declined viewers and reduced revenue.

 

[ScottyIce]

What would you say, if BTN hired a few of these guys that got axed. And started showing all B1G sports on BTN channels only? So every Husker game on BTN or ABC.

 

[Red Five]

What would you say, if BTN hired a few of these guys that got axed. And started showing all B1G sports on BTN channels only? So every Husker game on BTN or ABC.

ABC and ESPN are both owned by Disney, so for all intents and purposes ABC sports television = ESPN.

 

[ColoradoHusk]

What would you say, if BTN hired a few of these guys that got axed. And started showing all B1G sports on BTN channels only? So every Husker game on BTN or ABC.

Disney owns both ESPN and ABC, so they won't allow conferences to just air games on their "over the air" channel.

I do find it funny when people complain about ESPN, but then they complain about games that are shown on ESPN2 or ESPNU or end-up on BTN. I guess people just want to complain.

 

[ColoradoHusk]

What would you say, if BTN hired a few of these guys that got axed. And started showing all B1G sports on BTN channels only? So every Husker game on BTN or ABC.

ABC and ESPN are both owned by Disney, so for all intents and purposes ABC sports television = ESPN.

^ This. ESPN actually does all the "production" of the sports shown on ABC, so it owns the costs involved. ABC is just the network that some of the game inventory is shown on.

 

[B.B. Hemingway]

They're are being let go from the company at the top of their industry..... They're all going to land on their feet.

Maybe, maybe not. You also don't know the personal stories of some of the people who lost their jobs. Some of them might be fighting health or home problems, and now they're dealing with unemployment.

It's an incredibly emotional and challenging situation for people to go through, even if they're working for the best in the business.

To piggy back off another poster, general empathy shouldn't frowned on.

I'm fine with the empathizing, but maybe a single tweet would suffice. It seems that with each new announcement there comes a wave of shocked, 140 character reactions...... It doesn't really bother me that much. (Mainly Hoppen's tweets, but those always have me rolling my eyes).

And for the record, I hope all of the folks that were laid off find themselves back on their feet in short order.... I'd assume most will.

 

[Enhance]

Per one of knapplc's tweets, I think he brings up a great point. Although coaches make millions and many of the people let go today don't, it is an interesting dynamic to see so much emotion and support poured out for these people whilst ESPN makes a living by saying other people should be fired.

It's a good lesson in compassion. We often forget that coaches, even the ones we dislike and want to see gone, are people. They have families, friends and their own problems. It's perfectly OK to believe a coach should be let go, but the ridicule and at times inappropriate banter surrounding those decisions (and even the decisions made by ESPN today) is disappointing.

 

[ScottyIce]

What would you say, if BTN hired a few of these guys that got axed. And started showing all B1G sports on BTN channels only? So every Husker game on BTN or ABC.

Disney owns both ESPN and ABC, so they won't allow conferences to just air games on their "over the air" channel.
I do find it funny when people complain about ESPN, but then they complain about games that are shown on ESPN2 or ESPNU or end-up on BTN. I guess people just want to complain.

I'm not complaining.

I also get the ABC and ESPN are owned by Disney. Basically, what I was saying is what if there was no ESPN? And all of our games were either BTN and ABC/CBS/FOX/NBC?