Has ESPN "Jumped the Shark"?

[RaleighPittFan]

They announced that they are laying off about 100 employees as of today.

Danny Kanell (one of my favorites), Ed Werder, and Brett McMurphy are among the "talent" who are out of work.

It's my opinion that when folks like Netflix begin showing bowl games, ESPN will in huge trouble.

Other than the college football programming, the Russillo and Kenell show was the last program I listened to on the radio. I liked the program when SVP was on it, and I was glad to see Danny Kenell join it when Scott left.

There's very little programming on the family of networks that I give a poop about sans college football.

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainmen...-employees-today-including-on-air-talent.html

 

[upj87]

They announced that they are laying off about 100 employees as of today.

Danny Kanell (one of my favorites), Ed Werder, and Brett McMurphy are among the "talent" who are out of work.

It's my opinion that when folks like Netflix begin showing bowl games, ESPN will in huge trouble.

Other than the college football programming, the Russillo and Kenell show was the last program I listened to on the radio. I liked the program when SVP was on it, and I was glad to see Danny Kenell join it when Scott left.

There's very little programming on the family of networks that I give a poop about sans college football.

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainmen...-employees-today-including-on-air-talent.html

There's very little programming on the family of networks that I give a poop about sans college football. ... I mean they also have NFL, MLB, NBA, College Basketball etc...Seems about right for what a sports programming network should have. I think they got over committed financially and contractually and are now paying the piper. Furthermore as they delve into things such as the historical courage of guys who think they are gals they alienate folks who just want to watch the damn games and get the damn scores.

 

[ThePanthers]

No. They own most of the rights long term for a lot of sports. And what people like Clay Travis, who is a total blowhard fail to point out is that when you are paying your $35 or $50 for Hulu or YouTube TV, and they have ESPN now, ESPN and the family of networks are still getting paid similar amounts as they are with the cable providers. Travis and the doom and gloomers fail to mention that and offset the rise in those subscribers offsetting traditional cable subscribers.

Also, while ESPN is the giant and affected the most, other sports channels are losing just as much. Fox sports just cancelled their version of sports center and laid off others.

It's a strange time, and a time of adjustment, but to me, ESPN will be one that long term will change with the times.

 

[upj87]

No. They own most of the rights long term for a lot of sports. And what people like Clay Travis, who is a total blowhard fail to point out is that when you are paying your $35 or $50 for Hulu or YouTube TV, and they have ESPN now, ESPN and the family of networks are still getting paid similar amounts as they are with the cable providers. Travis and the doom and gloomers fail to mention that and offset the rise in those subscribers offsetting traditional cable subscribers.

Also, while ESPN is the giant and affected the most, other sports channels are losing just as much. Fox sports just cancelled their version of sports center and laid off others.

It's a strange time, and a time of adjustment, but to me, ESPN will be one that long term will change with the times.

funny, Travis is the only guy I can stomach anymore....seems to me if ESPN is raking in that hulu and youtube money they would not be laying off folks by the hundreds.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

No. They own most of the rights long term for a lot of sports. And what people like Clay Travis, who is a total blowhard fail to point out is that when you are paying your $35 or $50 for Hulu or YouTube TV, and they have ESPN now, ESPN and the family of networks are still getting paid similar amounts as they are with the cable providers. Travis and the doom and gloomers fail to mention that and offset the rise in those subscribers offsetting traditional cable subscribers.

Also, while ESPN is the giant and affected the most, other sports channels are losing just as much. Fox sports just cancelled their version of sports center and laid off others.

It's a strange time, and a time of adjustment, but to me, ESPN will be one that long term will change with the times.

People think they will watch bowl games or the NCAAT on a stream-only service for the same miniscule amount they are paying now, as if those rights fees wont cause those platforms to raise rates.

ESPN will be fine.

 

[ThePanthers]

funny, Travis is the only guy I can stomach anymore....seems to me if ESPN is raking in that hulu and youtube money they would not be laying off folks by the hundreds.

Travis is a moron.

They are going through transitional times. They also have laid off high priced talent in the past. There is definitely uncertainity in the business. But it's not as dire as guys like Travis make it.

Also notice when he does his back of the napkin math in his articles, he only includes revenues from ESPN and compares it to the expenses of the family of networks. He doesn't include the revenues from ESPN2, ESPNU, SECN. Or anything from the streaming devices.

ESPN still makes money, just not as much of it.

 

[ThePanthers]

People think they will watch bowl games or the NCAAT on a stream-only service for the same miniscule amount they are paying now, as if those rights fees wont cause those platforms to raise rates.

ESPN will be fine.

Exactly. They will pay less than their cable bill. However, they will be paying the same amount if not more for ESPN and other sports networks when that becomes more mainstream, but will be missing the other 100 smaller channels and the local Root sports, etc from the package.

 

[BuffetParrothead]

They announced that they are laying off about 100 employees as of today.

Danny Kanell (one of my favorites), Ed Werder, and Brett McMurphy are among the "talent" who are out of work.

It's my opinion that when folks like Netflix begin showing bowl games, ESPN will in huge trouble.

Other than the college football programming, the Russillo and Kenell show was the last program I listened to on the radio. I liked the program when SVP was on it, and I was glad to see Danny Kenell join it when Scott left.

There's very little programming on the family of networks that I give a poop about sans college football.

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainmen...-employees-today-including-on-air-talent.html

Good because ESPN is a major reason for cable companies, Direct TV, etc increasing their rates.
Plus ESPN has been mixing politics and sports for a longtime. They've rejected some announcers and added others based on their political views not they sports knowledge!

If the cable and satellite cos don't have to deal with ESPN someone can offer alternative sports programming like the MLB Extra Innings or NHL Center Ice packages that you can buy and watch the sports that you like!

 

[upj87]

Travis is a moron.

They are going through transitional times. They also have laid off high priced talent in the past. There is definitely uncertainity in the business. But it's not as dire as guys like Travis make it.

Also notice when he does his back of the napkin math in his articles, he only includes revenues from ESPN and compares it to the expenses of the family of networks. He doesn't include the revenues from ESPN2, ESPNU, SECN. Or anything from the streaming devices.

ESPN still makes money, just not as much of it.

transitional times....yeah, remember that line from Bethlehem steel back in the seventies...

 

[ThePanthers]

transitional times....yeah, remember that line from Bethlehem steel back in the seventies...

This isn't the steel industry.

When people stop watching live sports from home, then ESPN is in trouble.

They are still buying it, it is transitional how.

 

[upj87]

This isn't the steel industry.

When people stop watching live sports from home, then ESPN is in trouble.

They are still buying it, it is transitional how.

no, the steel industry was taken down by ever increasing competition for a somewhat monopolized product being provided for by others at a less expensive cost.....nope, nothing like it at all...no parallels here, nothing to see, move along. ...

 

[ThePanthers]

no, the steel industry was taken down by ever increasing competition for a somewhat monopolized product being provided for by others at a less expensive cost.....nope, nothing like...no parallels...

You are correct, it's not.

 

[upj87]

You are correct, it's not.

I am correct in one parallel aspect..ESPN's apex has been met and they are on a downward slide. You refer to this as "transition"...I'll stick with ongoing downward slide...But I sure as hell hope Bomani Jones gets swept away with the tide...

 

[ThePanthers]

I am correct in one parallel aspect..ESPN's apex has been met and they are on a downward slide. You refer to this as "transition"...I'll stick with ongoing downward slide...But I sure as hell hope Bomani Jones gets swept away with the tide...

Maybe in the traditional cable manner, yes, I agree, but they are going to transition to the sports medium of the future and will be just fine long term IMO.

A lot of people said Netflix sucked when they were still mailing out DVDs and went to streaming. They were ridiculed for about a year or so until it actually made sense what they were doing. Now they are bigger than they were before.

 

[upj87]

Maybe in the traditional cable manner, yes, I agree, but they are going to transition to the sports medium of the future and will be just fine long term IMO.

A lot of people said Netflix sucked when they were still mailing out DVDs and went to streaming. They were ridiculed for about a year or so until it actually made sense what they were doing. Now they are bigger than they were before.

that is what "Jumping the Shark" is....Fonzie was at one time cool awesome and hip (ESPN) and for some reason he is water skiing with a leather jacket taking off over some spooky looking shark and before you know it, the guy that played Jefferson on Married with Children is showing up at Arnold's and is the nephew of Howard and Marian Cunningham and a teacher and basketball coach at Jefferson High School .... What you call transition, I call Ted McGinley.

 

[HailtoPitt]

The decline of ESPN will be better for just about everyone who isn't making money from the cash cow. They've been pulling in huge amounts of revenue as a result of their cable prominence, and used that money to add to their power and influence in the sports world, and then used that power and influence to earn even larger sums of money. That's all crashing down, and the result will be a good thing for most people. People should not have to purchase a cable subscription with the ESPN package to be able to sit in their home and watch the college football national championship game. It's not progress when such programs used to be free. ESPN schemed so that people now have to pay for the game AND watch more advertising to help subsidize the greedy network. Please.

 

[Swervin27]

when espn used to cover sports it was watchable. now it is a left leaning political social network, hence the poor ratings.

 

[Swervin27]

that is what "Jumping the Shark" is....Fonzie was at one time cool awesome and hip (ESPN) and for some reason he is water skiing with a leather jacket taking off over some spooky looking shark and before you know it, the guy that played Jefferson on Married with Children is showing up at Arnold's and is the nephew of Howard and Marian Cunningham and a teacher and basketball coach at Jefferson High School .... What you call transition, I call Ted McGinley.

I personally don't think that was a terrible episode or the beginning of the end. potsie with a guitar singing love songs did it for me. but we discussed this yesterday so i'll leave it at that.

Fonz miscalculates that jump, he's done for. I doubt any of you tough guys could do it, and even if you did, I doubt you could pull off the leather coat in shorts as well as he did.. Henry winkler was great in "night shift' btw, a very under rated movie.

 

[OH Pete]

Any chance that this is just that ESPN became bloated? I read somewhere this morning that they have about 1,000 on air personalities. 1,000!!!! I know that the number includes ESPN radio and podcasts as well as online and TV, but 1,000 is too friggin many. These aren't low paying jobs either. I'm going with the theory that they went crazy hiring every ex-jock that they could find for more money than anyone else would ever be willing to pay them and now the proverbial do-do is hitting the fan.

 

[OH Pete]

that is what "Jumping the Shark" is....Fonzie was at one time cool awesome and hip (ESPN) and for some reason he is water skiing with a leather jacket taking off over some spooky looking shark and before you know it, the guy that played Jefferson on Married with Children is showing up at Arnold's and is the nephew of Howard and Marian Cunningham and a teacher and basketball coach at Jefferson High School .... What you call transition, I call Ted McGinley.

I think you are just hostile towards Happy Days because ChaChi supported Trump.

 

[ThePanthers]

that is what "Jumping the Shark" is....Fonzie was at one time cool awesome and hip (ESPN) and for some reason he is water skiing with a leather jacket taking off over some spooky looking shark and before you know it, the guy that played Jefferson on Married with Children is showing up at Arnold's and is the nephew of Howard and Marian Cunningham and a teacher and basketball coach at Jefferson High School .... What you call transition, I call Ted McGinley.

I know what Jump the Shark is. ESPN will still be ESPN whether it's via a cable box or a streaming device.

 

[ThePanthers]

The decline of ESPN will be better for just about everyone who isn't making money from the cash cow. They've been pulling in huge amounts of revenue as a result of their cable prominence, and used that money to add to their power and influence in the sports world, and then used that power and influence to earn even larger sums of money. That's all crashing down, and the result will be a good thing for most people. People should not have to purchase a cable subscription with the ESPN package to be able to sit in their home and watch the college football national championship game. It's not progress when such programs used to be free. ESPN schemed so that people now have to pay for the game AND watch more advertising to help subsidize the greedy network. Please.

Good luck watching those games for free. It's not happening as long as people want to watch live sports.

What is going to hurt are those channels like discovery network or travel channel.

 

[ThePanthers]

Any chance that this is just that ESPN became bloated? I read somewhere this morning that they have about 1,000 on air personalities. 1,000!!!! I know that the number includes ESPN radio and podcasts as well as online and TV, but 1,000 is too friggin many. These aren't low paying jobs either. I'm going with the theory that they went crazy hiring every ex-jock that they could find for more money than anyone else would ever be willing to pay them and now the proverbial do-do is hitting the fan.

I think that is a lot of it. They had 4 or 5 guys analyzing the NHL, and they don't even carry the NHL.

They have a ton of analyst for college football and the NFL, each pretty much saying the same things in their blogs and little air time. They didn't need that many people IMO.

 

[Swervin27]

on a side note, what's that yellow thing? life preserver? If so, that's weak. real men don't wear life preservers. damn, I just got done talking about how tough the fonz is then I see this.

 

[Consultant Panther]

Any chance that this is just that ESPN became bloated? I read somewhere this morning that they have about 1,000 on air personalities. 1,000!!!! I know that the number includes ESPN radio and podcasts as well as online and TV, but 1,000 is too friggin many. These aren't low paying jobs either. I'm going with the theory that they went crazy hiring every ex-jock that they could find for more money than anyone else would ever be willing to pay them and now the proverbial do-do is hitting the fan.

I think that is definitely a major factor here. How many "analysts" can they possibly need? It's just ridiculous.

 

[upj87]

I personally don't think that was a terrible episode or the beginning of the end. potsie with a guitar singing love songs did it for me. but we discussed this yesterday so i'll leave it at that.

Fonz miscalculates that jump, he's done for. I doubt any of you tough guys could do it, and even if you did, I doubt you could pull off the leather coat in shorts as well as he did.. Henry winkler was great in "night shift' btw, a very under rated movie.

Mr Coach Klein, you got your manhood!

 

[wbrpanther]

They announced that they are laying off about 100 employees as of today.

Danny Kanell (one of my favorites), Ed Werder, and Brett McMurphy are among the "talent" who are out of work.

It's my opinion that when folks like Netflix begin showing bowl games, ESPN will in huge trouble.

Other than the college football programming, the Russillo and Kenell show was the last program I listened to on the radio. I liked the program when SVP was on it, and I was glad to see Danny Kenell join it when Scott left.

There's very little programming on the family of networks that I give a poop about sans college football.

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainmen...-employees-today-including-on-air-talent.html

The only show I watch is Highly Questionable. It's entertaining and Poppy is hilarious. The rest of their shows and Sportcenters are practically unwatchable.

 

[upj87]

The only show I watch is Highly Questionable. It's entertaining and Poppy is hilarious. The rest of their shows and Sportcenters are practically unwatchable.

do not know if anyone has noticed but the cleavage along with the skirt lengths of the gals on sportscenter have been inching upward the last several months...talk about shark jumping.

 

[Swervin27]

these shows are all the same shows.. around the horn, first take, outside the lines, PTI, the herd, I mean, how many shows can you have with some guy or group of guys talking about the same thing over and over and over and over..

it's overkill. we get it, you used to play sports and now you have an opinion. that used to be entertaining, in 1992 when this cable thing was kind of cool, now it's just noise..

 

[pittzap]

They announced that they are laying off about 100 employees as of today.

Danny Kanell (one of my favorites), Ed Werder, and Brett McMurphy are among the "talent" who are out of work.

It's my opinion that when folks like Netflix begin showing bowl games, ESPN will in huge trouble.

Other than the college football programming, the Russillo and Kenell show was the last program I listened to on the radio. I liked the program when SVP was on it, and I was glad to see Danny Kenell join it when Scott left.

There's very little programming on the family of networks that I give a poop about sans college football.

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainmen...-employees-today-including-on-air-talent.html

They jumped the shark about 15 years ago when they thought every anchor should be like Dan Patrick or Craig Kilborn. Everyone of them thought they were comedians and tried to be bigger than the athletes.

 

[upj87]

They jumped the shark about 15 years ago when they thought every anchor should be like Dan Patrick or Craig Kilborn. Everyone of them thought they were comedians and tried to be bigger than the athletes.

Tom Mees first made the attempt about 20 years ago...

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

You are correct, it's not.

I am correct in one parallel aspect..ESPN's apex has been met and they are on a downward slide. You refer to this as "transition"...I'll stick with ongoing downward slide...But I sure as hell hope Bomani Jones gets swept away with the tide...

ESPN has already reached its peak and is on a downward trajectory but thats not necessarily a bad thing. Every product has a peak and you can still make a sh!t ton of money in the downward portion of the product life cycle.

Just because ESPN's revenues are down doesn't mean they wont be crazy successful in this new era. ESPN has one thing going for it. It televises live sports, the last thing that cant be time-shifted. ESPN just has to get a little slimmer but it'll be fine.....until people decide to stop watching sports live and I don't see that happening anytime soon.

 

[wbrpanther]

do not know if anyone has noticed but the cleavage along with the skirt lengths of the gals on sportscenter have been inching upward the last several months...talk about shark jumping.

All the shows on most of the stations are the same. One hot girl with one or two young ex jocks standing there like idiots, rocking back and forth and trying to look cool. Give me the early days of ESPN with Chris Berman twisting the names.

Jim "two sillhouettes on " Deshaise.
Bert "be home" Blyleven.
Eddy "eat, drink and be" Murray
John "I am not a "Kruk

And many more.

 

[joeydavid]

The steel industry in the U.S. was "taken down" by inferior steel that was subsidized by a foreign government. Please note this was a policy of Reagan and the polar opposite of Trump's view. How anyone could vote for both is beyond me; but I digress.

Netflix could decide to move into live programming and use it as a loss leader to drive subscriptions up. If so, then yeah there is a parallel.

Netflix is to Japan as Cable is to the United States.

no, the steel industry was taken down by ever increasing competition for a somewhat monopolized product being provided for by others at a less expensive cost.....nope, nothing like it at all...no parallels here, nothing to see, move along. ...

 

[upj87]

The steel industry in the U.S. was "taken down" by inferior steel that was subsidized by a foreign government. Please note this was a policy of Reagan and the polar opposite of Trump's view. How anyone could vote for both is beyond me; but I digress.

Netflix could decide to move into live programming and use it as a loss leader to drive subscriptions up. If so, then yeah there is a parallel.

Netflix is to Japan as Cable is to the United States.

please note this is a football message board...

 

[HailtoPitt]

Good luck watching those games for free. It's not happening as long as people want to watch live sports.

Why not?

 

[sonofabit]

on a side note, what's that yellow thing? life preserver? If so, that's weak. real men don't wear life preservers. damn, I just got done talking about how tough the fonz is then I see this.

Impressionable tv hero. Don't try this at home, kids. Plus Fonzie was already trending mushy at this time.

 

[yourhired]

First off you never like to see anyone lose there job. But I no longer watch ESPN for the highlights I watch the scroll at the bottom to see who won or for breaking sports news. I do think ESPN let itself get bogged down in thinking that the sports world began and ended with Boston & New York and it has caused fans to lose interest. We all have opinions I happen to like Clay Travis and while some of his opinions are border line outlandish but some of his thoughts on ESPN are correct.

 

[Las Panteras]

i like the 30 for 30's

i really like the SC Featured stories. Absent that........MEH

Danny Kannel BTW....his father is a Pitt graduate.

 

[BuffetParrothead]

when espn used to cover sports it was watchable. now it is a left leaning political social network, hence the poor ratings.

Some people wont agree but you are correct and many stopped watching ESPN just like they stopped watching the NFL games due to the protests.

ESPN Inc., a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company (which operates the network) and the Hearst Corporation (which owns a 20% minority share).

The problem is the ownership Walt Disney Co one of the most left leaning companies on the planet and that's where they pushed ESPN.

Not to mention what many posters highlighted was the high costs for cable and satellite companies to include ESPN in their line-up.

Nice to see them doing poorly!