ESPN Is Pathetic

johnmd20

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My unintelligible comment/example was that Greenie is so bad with the sponsor BS that he won't be happy until someone is sponsoring every statement he makes and that he's pitching the sponsor as a lead in to his statements.
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Cesar Crespo

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My unintelligible comment/example was that Greenie is so bad with the sponsor BS that he won't be happy until someone is sponsoring every statement he makes and that he's pitching the sponsor as a lead in to his statements.
That is everyone everywhere. It isn't exclusive to Greenie. My favorite basketball team is the General Electric Celtics.
 

John Marzano Olympic Hero

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My unintelligible comment/example was that Greenie is so bad with the sponsor BS that he won't be happy until someone is sponsoring every statement he makes and that he's pitching the sponsor as a lead in to his statements.
Gotcha.

Everything is sponsored on that show. I haven't listened to it in years, but when I did, it was really embarrassing.
 

DJnVa

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So basically they want to turn back the clock on the social media news age and go back to the days where you had to tune into a single channel for all the news. A return to the days when individuals weren't allowed to stand out on ESPN airwaves.
Actually, didn't the ESPN guys stand out more then? Patrick and Olbermann and Stuart Scott, etc.?
 

Rusty13

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https://www.si.com/tech-media/2017/11/09/espn-layoffs-staffers-sportscenter-talent-cuts

ESPN will lay off more than 100 staffers after the Thanksgiving holidays, multiple sources tell Sports Illustrated. The layoffs, which were described by a person briefed on the plans, will hit positions across ESPN including front-facing talent on the television side, producers, executives, and digital and technology staffers. The SportsCenter franchise is expected to be hit hard—including on-air people—given the frequency of the show has lessened considerably on main network ESPN.

The network declined comment to SI on Thursday afternoon.
 

ifmanis5

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DJnVa

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More layoffs: http://thehill.com/homenews/media/359755-espn-to-lay-off-more-than-100-staffers-for-2nd-time-in-2017#.WgW_FdZQ3t4.twitter

ESPN will lay off more than 100 staffers later this month, according to a Thursday report.

Sports Illustrated, citing multiple sources, reported the layoffs will occur after the Thanksgiving holidays and will include "front-facing talent" on the television side, along with producers, executives and members of ESPN's digital team.

The layoffs come just months after the company laid off approximately 100 reporters and on-air personalities.
 

PaulinMyrBch

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If ESPN had any sense they’d just buy Twitter. If I’m listening to any sports radio in car and they tease “we’ve got breaking news after the break”. I immediately switch channels and pull up twitter. Their news model is a dinosaur.
 

MuzzyField

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It's opening weekend in college hoops and ESPN will launch new college basketball graphics and music today.

I like the graphics, opting for more color and less bright white is a good move, but wonder if some of the info in the bug might be too small like the TBS MLB playoff bug.

For us little guys at the ESPN3 level I'm not a big fan of some of the workflow changes/additions that students will need to figure out, after I do, including "build your own open" for each game, but we'll see.

I hope 25 ACC games this weekend will help shake the bugs out before our first home game next week.

As for the new music, I hate it and more importantly so do the students with the young ears being targeted by this change. The mothership may have missed on this one. I'm eager to hear it with visuals to see if it works better.

As a side note to the start of college basketball, and the economic realities in play, ESPN is planning to hub produce show elements (like graphics and replays) for more games out of Bristol, Charlotte, and Wide World of Sports facility at Disney World. It's nothing new, NBC does plenty of this with Olympics coverage out of Stamford, but it's another way to save some money. They can't fire everyone.
 

OurF'ingCity

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I'm hoping it's like HBO Now, and ESPN3 stays the same if you have a cable connection(like HBO Go) because ESPN3 is actually a pretty solid app.
I was thinking this too, but I highly doubt the cable companies would ever allow ESPN to offer the games also broadcast on air (e.g. games appearing on ESPN, ESPN2, etc.) on a standalone app without the need for a cable subscription because that would allow people keeping cable essentially only for ESPN to cancel and just subscribe to the app. Which means that ESPN would just be offering the ESPN3 games not shown on TV, which are usually third-tier college football and basketball and other more niche sports. I guess they could offer those separately but it doesn't strike me that many people would be willing to pay for that content without the marquee games that actually get shown on cable.
 

johnmd20

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I was thinking this too, but I highly doubt the cable companies would ever allow ESPN to offer the games also broadcast on air (e.g. games appearing on ESPN, ESPN2, etc.) on a standalone app without the need for a cable subscription because that would allow people keeping cable essentially only for ESPN to cancel and just subscribe to the app. Which means that ESPN would just be offering the ESPN3 games not shown on TV, which are usually third-tier college football and basketball and other more niche sports. I guess they could offer those separately but it doesn't strike me that many people would be willing to pay for that content without the marquee games that actually get shown on cable.
But if they cancel and just subscribe to the app, ESPN will still get paid. Just like if someone cancels their cable and HBO and just signs up for HBO Now.
 

OurF'ingCity

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But if they cancel and just subscribe to the app, ESPN will still get paid. Just like if someone cancels their cable and HBO and just signs up for HBO Now.
Right, ESPN would still get paid, but the cable companies would get pissed because the people keeping cable only for ESPN would now feel free to cancel their subscriptions. That's not an issue for HBO because you have to pay fro HBO separately either way as it's not usually bundled with other channels.
 

johnmd20

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Right, ESPN would still get paid, but the cable companies would get pissed because the people keeping cable only for ESPN would now feel free to cancel their subscriptions. That's not an issue for HBO because you have to pay fro HBO separately either way as it's not usually bundled with other channels.
Are people actually keeping cable because of ESPN? I thought it was the opposite, people hated paying such outlandish fees to ESPN, but didn't hate it so much they canceled their service.

Anyway, I assume this will be a battle of entertainment giants and they will figure something out. I really do find ESPN3 to be a great App, (it's one of the few things ESPN did really well) especially if you've got multiple screens going. It's just one more way to build a wall of TVs showing sports.

It is literally only a matter of time before all these unbundled streaming services become bundled, just like cable in the 80s. Or just like the Baby Bells getting broken up in 1983 and then ultimately all coming back together to result in AT&T and Verizon.
 

OurF'ingCity

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Are people actually keeping cable because of ESPN? I thought it was the opposite, people hated paying such outlandish fees to ESPN, but didn't hate it so much they canceled their service.

Anyway, I assume this will be a battle of entertainment giants and they will figure something out. I really do find ESPN3 to be a great App, (it's one of the few things ESPN did really well) especially if you've got multiple screens going. It's just one more way to build a wall of TVs showing sports.

It is literally only a matter of time before all these unbundled streaming services become bundled, just like cable in the 80s. Or just like the Baby Bells getting broken up in 1983 and then ultimately all coming back together to result in AT&T and Verizon.
Yeah I don't disagree with your overall point - more just pointing out that a basic cable station has never offered a separate paid app through which you can watch all the content on that channel without a cable subscription. But ESPN is unique in a number of ways so it will be interesting to see how it all shakes out.
 

ifmanis5

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I am shocked by this. Skipper has done monumental and irreparable harm to the business and brand and so he gets... 3 more years!
LINK: https://nypost.com/2017/11/14/espn-sticking-with-president-john-skipper-for-3-more-years/
ESPN president John Skipper has reached a contract extension with the company through 2021, according to multiple reports, taking him three years beyond his original deal that had a 2018 end date. Skipper, who has been with the Worldwide Leader since 1997, took over as president in 2012.
 

Red Right Ankle

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If ESPN had any sense they’d just buy Twitter. If I’m listening to any sports radio in car and they tease “we’ve got breaking news after the break”. I immediately switch channels and pull up twitter. Their news model is a dinosaur.
I hope you pull over first.
 

johnmd20

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Yes, but Mickey Mouse said no fucking way on the healthcare.

How do Skipper and Jeff Zucker remain employed? We should all be so lucky, amazing!
Zucker's floated on a cloud over the years. It is insane. He's failed impressively in so many spots and simply made tens of millions to do so.
 

Infield Infidel

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I was thinking this too, but I highly doubt the cable companies would ever allow ESPN to offer the games also broadcast on air (e.g. games appearing on ESPN, ESPN2, etc.) on a standalone app without the need for a cable subscription because that would allow people keeping cable essentially only for ESPN to cancel and just subscribe to the app. Which means that ESPN would just be offering the ESPN3 games not shown on TV, which are usually third-tier college football and basketball and other more niche sports. I guess they could offer those separately but it doesn't strike me that many people would be willing to pay for that content without the marquee games that actually get shown on cable.
It's not a standalone app, but the main reason I bought Sling was it has access to ESPN3, which has all of the games ESPN/2/U and ABC games. IIRC, it's $25 with the sports package (I had a $6 discount so even cheaper). I'm not sure however if the cable companies get a slice of that.
 
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Cesar Crespo

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ESPN is now on a ton of the streaming services though. i wonder how much of the loss is mitigated by PsVUE, Sling TV and the like.
 

joe dokes

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I stumbled across Stephen a shitforbrains saying, "if the streaks gonna end it's gonna be tonight against Miami."

So if the C's win, is that a prediction of 80-2?
 

The Talented Allen Ripley

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If ESPN is on all those services, it's not really getting worse.
But do they make as much money as part of a streaming package per subscription as they do from a cable provider? My guess is no, but that's based on how high their cut is from traditional cable subscriptions. There's no way they can gouge these newer streaming services the same way, can they?
 

Cesar Crespo

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But do they make as much money as part of a streaming package per subscription as they do from a cable provider? My guess is no, but that's based on how high their cut is from traditional cable subscriptions. There's no way they can gouge these newer streaming services the same way, can they?
Maybe not as much, but I'm guessing they get a considerable amount. PSVue is $45 a month and the main attraction is sports. Without the sports, the package may get $5 a month.
 

smokin joe wood

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I'm just watching a replay of the Wichita State-Notre Dame game at the Maui Invitational last night, and the fixed scoreboard graphics at the bottom of the screen are doing my head in. Is this redesign really the best ESPN could do? The information could hardly be laid out less coherently.
A lot of the graphical changes for the upcoming basketball season are laid out for a second screen. You'll see more 'slab' style graphics that fly in from the left side of the screen and fewer full screen graphics. Like anything else they put out, you'll be totally used to it by mid January.
 

cromulence

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Looks like today's gonna be another brutal day at ESPN:

"Today we are informing approximately 150 people at ESPN that their jobs are being eliminated.

We appreciate their contributions, and will assist them as much as possible in this difficult moment with severance, a 2017 bonus, the continuation of health benefits and outplacement services. They will also appreciate your support.

The majority of the jobs eliminated are in studio production, digital content, and technology and they generally reflect decisions to do less in certain instances and re-direct resources.

We will continue to invest in ways which will best position us to serve the modern sports fan and support the success of our business.

John"
 

bigq

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Globe exposè on the sexual harassment issues at ESPN just posted.

Link
Similar to NFLN, it doesn’t seem like too much of a stretch to see the bro culture at ESPN translating to mistreating women.
 

lexrageorge

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Globe exposè on the sexual harassment issues at ESPN just posted.

Link
There seems to be some controversy about the Globe story. The text messages in question have been read on air in their entirety and they are completely missing any hint of sexual harassment. That doesn't mean that harassment hasn't occurred at ESPN; just that the story the Globe is using is so full of holes that it really makes them look pretty dumb.
 

Blue Monkey

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Yeah. I saw the text conversation Buccigross and the accuser were allegedly having. Definitely flirting, but it seemed consensual by both parties. Maybe there’s more, maybe not. If this stands up and Bucigross is charged with something and/or fired I may never exchange texts or talk to another female in the workplace ever again.
 

Rusty13

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Lots of people speculating about the odd timing of Skipper's full blown resignation. Apparently, he just signed an extension. More shoes to drop soon??
 

Blue Monkey

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Lots of people speculating about the odd timing of Skipper's full blown resignation. Apparently, he just signed an extension. More shoes to drop soon??
Maybe there’s a lingering sexual harassment issue and he’s trying to hide under the cover of a his substance abuse problem?
 

johnmd20

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Maybe there’s a lingering sexual harassment issue and he’s trying to hide under the cover of a his substance abuse problem?
That seems reasonable. This is probably for the best for ESPN, they need someone new there. Skipper hasn't done anything too impressive.
 

JimD

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Maybe there’s a lingering sexual harassment issue and he’s trying to hide under the cover of a his substance abuse problem?
There is zero chance such allegations would stay hidden for long, and the blowback from the eventual disclosure would be far worse later on.