Has ESPN "Jumped the Shark"?

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

ESPN jumped many years back...back...back....back.

People think politics played a role, and I am certain it did. But before the lefties get to bent out of shape, listen to me, just as you would prefer not to hear Chachi, Sarah Palin, Ted Nugent, Sean Hannity have sports talk shows on ESPN, the other side doesn't appreciate it to always have leftist views shoved down their throat. I mean sometimes a good story on an oppressed person beating the odds is fine, it is heart warming. And the 30 for 30's have been mostly good. But giving Kaitlyn Jenner the "courage" award over so many other people, that just reeked of politics.

And it is not about your views. It is strictly about business. They aren't doing America any more of a service by expousing their political views, they have the pulpit and medium, but they don't have the experience and knowledge doing this anymore than most of us. So....stick to the scores, the games and the op/eds attached to the games.

Here is another thing....and man, almost know why this comes out without people coming after me as "racist", but the NBAification and hip hop nature of their shows, I mean it reeks of the network news and the like being shocked and completely blindsided by the last election because in their minds, only the big cities count. Hell, I heard this from Colin Cowherd (now with FS1) when he said Lebron should leave Cleveland cause it is "too small". They have taken that same elitist slant as the Dem Party that all the cool kids are listening to hip hop with their foot long beards while downing a Charcoal Latte IPA laced with the rare sweat of Niklai Lenin while downing "local" Oysters flown in from Nova Scotia in Williamsburg. (that is NYC for yinz uncool kids).

I think this is where ESPN has lost alot of their following. I just watch college FB, BB, some MLB and maybe some NBA on ESPN. I follow no one from ESPN on Twitter. It is not on my XM radio saved stations. But again, they cover the NBA like it is the NFL. I don't want to hear about the Heat possibly signing James Harden in August as football season approaches. They just can't help themselves, and judging by their purge, they still aren't getting it.

There ya go.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

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!

Man, I wish people can just see this as bad business, but they can't when it comes to politics. But I would say the same thing if it ESPN was right wing. This country is 50/50 split on politics. It just doesn't make for a good business model to try and alienate or ridicule 50% of your potential audience. This is sports. Just talk sports. Those who could make good social commentary with dignity, grace and experience like Ralph Wiley and Dick Schaap are unfortunately gone.

 

[Ski11585]

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

Your choice in on air talent is bad. Kannel is a talentless hack. He's also classless.

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...

Bomani isn't going anywhere. He renewed his contract late last year.

 

[BuffetParrothead]

Man, I wish people can just see this as bad business, but they can't when it comes to politics. But I would say the same thing if it ESPN was right wing. This country is 50/50 split on politics. It just doesn't make for a good business model to try and alienate or ridicule 50% of your potential audience. This is sports. Just talk sports. Those who could make good social commentary with dignity, grace and experience like Ralph Wiley and Dick Schaap are unfortunately gone.

Politics is another job for me and one of my hobbies! When I'm on campaign business its 24/7, when I'm doing other things I only bring it up if someone else does.

When I'm watching sports all I want to do is watch sports and listen to sports talk.

As I've said to some musicians including Bruce Springsteen "shut up and sing," I know the guy from college when he stayed at our frat house in the early 70's during the summer. A dead broke bar, college, frat house, Elks club, anyone who would have him band guy.

Politics have no place in sports but many sportscasters put it front and center discussing everything from global warming, immigration, black lives matter to discussion of the 1st and 2nd ammendments!

 

[bayardstreet]

Those 2 hipsters that do the espn sports center 6 are awful. They should have canned them. I did see where the SEC recruiting analyst lost his job. Hopefully he gets a new job quickly. ESPN has way too many field reporters making decent money that they really don't need like this fellow.

I see also that they imploded all of their hockey expert writers.

And yes I am also in the camp of those who feel that the network is overly left.

 

[chethejet]

Tell me again how the future programming is going to monetize live sports at 6 bucks per subscriber. No question the future cable packages will not be as take it or leave it as a TV centric monopoly. I think the passage of the go to the games and pay the costs are declining. I just think the limits of sports impacting ones day is not as impactfull. In time many of us will be gone and the folks who grew up playing/watching and discussing the game will be gone. But that is true of the superficial lack of depth of many topics now coming up. How many lacrosse games any of you watch on ESPN. How about soccer on Fox? I grew up as the Friday night boxing sponsored by Gillette was a must watch. It became to violent and corrupt. Replaced by MMA which is equally violent and corrupt and will be a scam in 5 years.

 

[pittisit37]

ESPN has sucked for years. Their morning shows seem enamoured by constantly talking about anything Dallas cowboys. Heck they were the only ones making Tony Romo relevant all this off season. Very little coverage of small market teams. And they abandoned hockey after the last strike.
They first jumped the shark when they created the very lame Cold Pizza years ago.

 

[topdecktiger]

Why not?

Because the broadcasters/distributors have to make money. Otherwise, they can't produce the product.

I think this is where ESPN has lost alot of their following.

The thing about that, is ESPN never really had as big of a following as some people think. ESPN (and cable in general) made so much money because they could piggyback off 80-year-old grandmas, and other people, who never watched sports but paid for ESPN because it was on basic cable. Cord cutting is killing that cash cow, so they are going to have to restructure accordingly.

 

[joeydavid]

How is global warming a political issue? Left and right across the world see it for what it is.

Politics is another job for me and one of my hobbies! When I'm on campaign business its 24/7, when I'm doing other things I only bring it up if someone else does.

When I'm watching sports all I want to do is watch sports and listen to sports talk.

As I've said to some musicians including Bruce Springsteen "shut up and sing," I know the guy from college when he stayed at our frat house in the early 70's during the summer. A dead broke bar, college, frat house, Elks club, anyone who would have him band guy.

Politics have no place in sports but many sportscasters put it front and center discussing everything from global warming, immigration, black lives matter to discussion of the 1st and 2nd ammendments!

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

Pink Slips and Overblown Media Types thinking talking football war stories was enough to get by, and constant rehashing of Topics that Day, from Show to Show, just like CBS's KDKA's The Fan and just plain out worn out talking heads over and over and just untenable, unsustainable, and unendurable..... The Games Between CFB Teams were Better than Ever in 2016....but the Pre-Game Shows, Game Broad-Castings, and Post-Game Shows were terrible, slow, commercially flawed, and the employees all needed to be fired.

They missed key plays, went to commercials in the middle of Ref Reviews, and then came back with no time to explain how plays were overturned even after TDs, and brought on Guests, Celebrities, and Stooges that said nothing.....while not showing the actual plays, and then talked about themselves as if they were more important than Players, Coaches and Game they were suppose to be covering, then going to 4 to 5 minute Commercials?

The Game Sells Itself but ESPN kept selling ESPN & A Bunch of Bums, Broads, and Old Guard Boobs and why I dropped Cable over 20 Years Ago.

Do some Research, Change Formats, Dump the Broads on Men Sports, Change The Topics From Show to Show that Day, and for Goodness Sake never miss a Play when the Game is being Played?

Chris Peak in One Hour will tell Pitt Fans what is happening at Pitt Football in one Podcasts than ESPN can do in week, month or year. Zeise Insights as well on the Fan. Bostick too! Local Broadcasters and Writers know far more than any ESPN Employee.

Dump the Employees and fluff and puff and start to contract the Rivals Owners on the Lair, BWI, Mountaineers, Buckeye's and all other Forums! The Posters on the Premium Boards know more than than ESPN Overpaid ANAL-Less!

Podcasts can and will compete sooner and before, during, and after Games and will dominate by being specific and shorter with much more details and Posters & Callers import!

O'Reilly that has been dismissed by Fox may be the Pioneer to how to do it in Sports. Major Media like Print Media are Dying Dinosaurs with Big Heads and Small Brains and remind of Scott Barnes and Steve Pederson more everyday! Dumb to Dumber!

Verizon and Yahoo are missing out on an Opportunity in my opinion!

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

ESPN jumped many years back...back...back....back.

People think politics played a role, and I am certain it did. But before the lefties get to bent out of shape, listen to me, just as you would prefer not to hear Chachi, Sarah Palin, Ted Nugent, Sean Hannity have sports talk shows on ESPN, the other side doesn't appreciate it to always have leftist views shoved down their throat. I mean sometimes a good story on an oppressed person beating the odds is fine, it is heart warming. And the 30 for 30's have been mostly good. But giving Kaitlyn Jenner the "courage" award over so many other people, that just reeked of politics.

And it is not about your views. It is strictly about business. They aren't doing America any more of a service by expousing their political views, they have the pulpit and medium, but they don't have the experience and knowledge doing this anymore than most of us. So....stick to the scores, the games and the op/eds attached to the games.

Here is another thing....and man, almost know why this comes out without people coming after me as "racist", but the NBAification and hip hop nature of their shows, I mean it reeks of the network news and the like being shocked and completely blindsided by the last election because in their minds, only the big cities count. Hell, I heard this from Colin Cowherd (now with FS1) when he said Lebron should leave Cleveland cause it is "too small". They have taken that same elitist slant as the Dem Party that all the cool kids are listening to hip hop with their foot long beards while downing a Charcoal Latte IPA laced with the rare sweat of Niklai Lenin while downing "local" Oysters flown in from Nova Scotia in Williamsburg. (that is NYC for yinz uncool kids).

I think this is where ESPN has lost alot of their following. I just watch college FB, BB, some MLB and maybe some NBA on ESPN. I follow no one from ESPN on Twitter. It is not on my XM radio saved stations. But again, they cover the NBA like it is the NFL. I don't want to hear about the Heat possibly signing James Harden in August as football season approaches. They just can't help themselves, and judging by their purge, they still aren't getting it.

There ya go.

Besides Jenner getting the courage award, I really don't see any other outward evidence that ESPN is too far left and that has caused their ratings too plummet. That is pretty ridiculous. I mean this is a network who hired Rush Limbaugh and whose on-air personalities bash bible-belt folk hero Tim Tebow to no end.

As for the NBA stuff, we don't watch it in Pittsburgh but the NBA is pretty freaking popular. I hear all the time how there's too much basketball on ESPN but what else are they going to show.

As much as I'd hate it, I do think ESPN should cut back on college basketball. Regular season ratings suck. Will there really be a need to televise Tuesday night games on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SECN, and ACCN? Throw NHL on one channel, maybe a Champions League replay on another.

I also think the non-stop daytime talk shows are too much but what else should they air? Game replays? There's no live sports going on at those times.

 

[ChooChoo Panther]

Millennials are cord cutting cable TV to go to streaming services. ESPN gets a large share of the bundled cable services $ and is hurt the most. ESPN is cost cutting to match this lost revenue.

ChooChoo

 

[BuffetParrothead]

Millennials are cord cutting cable TV to go to streaming services. ESPN gets a large share of the bundled cable services $ and is hurt the most. ESPN is cost cutting to match this lost revenue.

ChooChoo

When our previous cable co raised rates one of their excuses was the ESPN cost pass thru? They seemed to always be negociating with ESPN. We got ESPN, ESPNU, ESPN2 and ESPN Classic ( who cares about Classic)?
We're with Direct TV now so in two years when our contract expires we'll see what BS they give us!

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

I don't find the problem being a Left or Right Issue, Sports has been a Pioneer changing Minds, Societies, and created for Men to show off Skills in Olympics, and other Feats of Competition to substitute the aggression with a preferable peaceful replacements and Fans following and waiting and wagering and sometime end fighting more than the Players. Women Sports are growing too, and Women Broadcasters are doing them just as well, but it still about the Games, Coaches & Players.

Again, the GAMES themselves are neutral and that is what Fans want to see and ESPN has gotten away from it's primary mission, let the Games play out, then talk about it from any views one wants to say and do about it.

Johnny Carson was terrible his first 6 months on the Tonight Show until Lucille Ball came on and backstage Johnny mention how uncomfortable he feels at times and does not know what is wrong and did she have any suggestions???

She told him outright, quit trying to be the Star, just bring on Guests and set them for what they want to talk about and the Audience will be entertained by what they say and how they perform, all you do is let them be them, and let them entertain, don't make it about you! Johnny Show took off and claimed every night he was on the Air for over 30 years!

Carson avoided mentioning his own views on societal subjects usually saying he "hates to be pinned down", as that would "hurt me as an entertainer, which is what I am, "In my living room I would argue for liberalization of abortion laws, divorce laws, and there are times when I would like to express a view on the air. I have nothing to gain by it and everything to lose." Johnny seldom invited political figures onto the Show because he "didn't want it to become a political forum" and did not want the show used, by himself or others, to influence the opinions of the viewers.

This is what ESPN is doing wrong. The Games Entertain and Change People not any Broadcasters especially the ones from Northwestern and Syracuse like Kooky, Baloney & Little People like Bob Costas that decide their opinions count more than the Games! The Game supersedes everything especially those that think they are bigger than the game.

 

[Jpripper88]

I definitely lean right, but as recruits mentioned, if that is the way they slanted, it would still turn me off when I am looking for sports. However, their biggest problem is there is absolutely no doubt that the sports fan demographics slant solidly towards the right. It is dumb to insert so much politics into sports coverage, but it is really dumb going against your target demographic and typical viewers.

Today made it clear they are doubling down on NBA/SJW/Liberalism and against impartial sports coverage and journalism. Disney and ABC has killed the product.

 

[BuffetParrothead]

How is global warming a political issue? Left and right across the world see it for what it is.

I guess you don't watch the cable news or any of The Obama's speeches.
Obama and the left state that global warming is more of a threat than ISIS, terrorism, any country, or anything else. Its our # 1 enemy?????

The right puts global warming in a different threat position than the left and doesn't agree with the lefts causation premises!

So it is political!

Guess what today most everything is political and the 50/50 split says it all. Today there's no middle like there used to be.

Global temperature rise
According to an ongoing temperature analysis conducted by scientists at NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), the average global temperature on Earth has increased by about 0.8° Celsius (1.4° Fahrenheit) since 1880.

When I was growing up in the 60's and 70's the looney left put out the theory that Global Warming was so serious a threat that NYC, Miami, and LA would be under water by the year 2000????
Unfortunately NYC and LA are still way above water and thriving?????

Fyi I keep checking the news and I'm waiting for NYC to be under water. So far I've been disappointed!

 

[Jpripper88]

Millennials are cord cutting cable TV to go to streaming services. ESPN gets a large share of the bundled cable services $ and is hurt the most. ESPN is cost cutting to match this lost revenue.

ChooChoo

ESPN's biggest problem is the terrible sorts rights deals they signed, but certainly cord cutting and viewer drop is hurting as well.

Their NBA deal is just terrible.

 

[beiglepanther]

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.

Funny I have Netflix, Hulu, HBO GO, MLB Network, and Direct TV on my IPad don't pay for any of it.
Come on guys it's 2017 it's all free with your friends pass word.

 

[pitt-girl]

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.

Night Shift was tremendous. Loved Michael Keaton and his tape recorder.

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

I definitely lean right, but as recruits mentioned, if that is the way they slanted, it would still turn me off when I am looking for sports. However, their biggest problem is there is absolutely no doubt that the sports fan demographics slant solidly towards the right. It is dumb to insert so much politics into sports coverage, but it is really dumb going against your target demographic and typical viewers. Today made it clear they are doubling down on NBA/SJW/Liberalism and against impartial sports coverage and journalism. Disney and ABC has killed the product.

 

[Swervin27]

Night Shift was tremendous. Loved Michael Keaton and his tape recorder.

Wait a minute! Why don't they just mix the mayonnaise with the tuna in the can... HOLD THE PHONE! Why don't they just FEED the tuna fish mayonnaise!

 

[Malachi Constant]

This is ESPN recognizing the changing cable TV landscape and transitioning away from its former model. ESPN has content that people have shown they will pay for in live sporting events. It is looking from this round of layoffs that ESPN wants to have its programming be "talking head" shows, edited top 10 dunks / home runs, and live games. I can't remember when I used the channel ESPN to get reporting for the teams I follow. I'm more disappointed how this effects ESPN.com than the television network.

 

[VAPITTALUM]

Katz is out as well.

 

[upj87]

Bomani isn't going anywhere. He renewed his contract late last year

yeah, I know....I don't want to live in a sports world where a guy who rarely strings together two consecutive grammatically correct sentences stays on while a great and insightful analyst like Len Elmore is axed.

 

[HailtoPitt]

Because the broadcasters/distributors have to make money. Otherwise, they can't produce the product.

They will make money, just less of it. Grandma Ethel should not be forced to subsidize the crazy billion dollar deals that help inflate the salaries of athletes, coaches, and college athletic department budgets.

 

[Ski11585]

Bomani isn't going anywhere. He renewed his contract late last year

yeah, I know....I don't want to live in a sports world where a guy who rarely strings together two consecutive grammatically correct sentences stays on while a great and insightful analyst like Len Elmore is axed.

Bummer dude. I like smart guys with insightful analysis. Bomani fits the bill. And the knock on his grammar is pretty weak. He's most likely smarter than you.

 

[upj87]

Bummer dude. I like smart guys with insightful analysis. Bomani fits the bill. And the knock on his grammar is pretty weak. He's most likely smarter than you.

Grammar is grammar. Why is a knock on a television personality's struggles in that regard weak? Elmore shines in that regard and I am pretty certain he is smarter than me.

 

[CaptainMurphy]

ESPN needs to go old school with one of their networks. Strip down SC to a basic, informative sports news show. Stay away from the tabloid stuff they've been enamored with for decades. Employ people who are good broadcasters (who actually went to school for it), not based on their background as an athlete or because they look good. I haven't watched SC in a long time so I'm not sure if they still beat catchphrases into the ground like Berman and Scott used to do.

If ESPN could revert back to basics I think they could re-attract their core viewership, many like myself who stopped watching the network years ago (unless Pitt bball/football is on air).

On a side note, surprised they dumped Jayson Stark. I always thought he was a really good baseball guy. I almost expected to find out John Clayton was being let go after seeing Stark's name.

 

[Ski11585]

Grammar is grammar. Why is a knock on a television personality's struggles in that regard weak? Elmore shines in that regard and I am pretty certain he is smarter than me.

Grammar is grammar. And I think it's important, particularly in written work. I also think there's a difference between someone who's announcing a live sporting event and, say, a radio show that cultivates a particular aesthetic.

 

[upj87]

Grammar is grammar. And I think it's important, particularly in written work. I also think there's a difference between someone who's announcing a live sporting event and, say, a radio show that cultivates a particular aesthetic.

Yep, one man's aesthetic is another man's shtick.. To each his own. I am not that big a whiner, but my drive home options now consists of Cowherd, Gotleib and Jones and I equally dislike them all. .

 

[KiwiJeff]

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.

So what did ESPN do that jumped the shark? Downsizing is not shark jumping.

 

[HailtoPitt]

So what did ESPN do that jumped the shark? Downsizing is not shark jumping.

I agree. They don't really fit the phrase where there is a single moment people can point to that symbolizes the beginning of the end.

 

[upj87]

So what did ESPN do that jumped the shark? Downsizing is not shark jumping.

sure it is...Downsizing is jumping the shark...as with the Happy Days analogy, the show had reached its high point. It then got gimmicky (shark jump) and became less and less and less relevant and popular (in a way downsizing quality product)...the downsize is the jump. 2022 ESPN = 1981 Happy Days.

 

[KiwiJeff]

sure it is...Downsizing is jumping the shark...as with the Happy Days analogy, the show had reached its high point. It then got gimmicky (shark jump) and became less and less and less relevant and popular...the downsize is the jump.

No, jumping the shark is doing something to try to improve the relevance of said something. How is downsizing a gimmick that hopes to attract more viewers?

The official definition is: "Jumping the shark" is attempting to draw attention to or create publicity for something that is perceived as not warranting the attention, especially something that is believed to be past its peak in quality or relevance. The idiom "jumping the shark" is almost always used in a pejorative sense. It is most commonly used in reference to gimmicks for promoting entertainment outlets, such as television series, that are declining in popularity

ESPN is NOT trying to create positive publicity for itself by downsizing. More people won't watch ESPN because they downsized. "Jump the shark" is one of the overly used and misused terms around.

 

[BuffetParrothead]

They will make money, just less of it. Grandma Ethel should not be forced to subsidize the crazy billion dollar deals that help inflate the salaries of athletes, coaches, and college athletic department budgets.

I agree!
Wife and I are sports crazies so all the sports channels are necessary.

My 91 yr old mother cant stand sports but pays for ESPN in any cable or satellite package purchased.

On the other hand we hate the Hollywood lefties and don't go to their movies or watch them on TV but we pay for that in the cable or Direct TV packages.

Lets get to menu driven TV programming so we can pay for what we want to watch.

 

[9nationalchampionships]

Having ESPN on cable channels is not the big concern. The big concern is that less and less people are actually watching so the ad $$$ keeps dropping.

 

[BuffetParrothead]

 

[happjack]

ESPN needs to go old school with one of their networks. Strip down SC to a basic, informative sports news show. Stay away from the tabloid stuff they've been enamored with for decades. Employ people who are good broadcasters (who actually went to school for it), not based on their background as an athlete or because they look good. I haven't watched SC in a long time so I'm not sure if they still beat catchphrases into the ground like Berman and Scott used to do.

If ESPN could revert back to basics I think they could re-attract their core viewership, many like myself who stopped watching the network years ago (unless Pitt bball/football is on air).

On a side note, surprised they dumped Jayson Stark. I always thought he was a really good baseball guy. I almost expected to find out John Clayton was being let go after seeing Stark's name.

In this day and age no one is going to sit down and watch an old school style SportsCenter, everything that was presented in that old format is instantly accessible via phone, tablet or laptop.

Those talking head shows on during the day are just there to fill time, what would you propose ESPN run in their place when no live sports are going on? Crap like Cross Fit competitions, drone racing or poker which are basically infomercials. Go old school and bring back taped delayed Auzzie Rules Football and tractor pulls?

ESPN paid way to much for the 4th best NFL game of the week with Monday Night Football and the NBA which no one cares about until the conference finals, it's a shame that John Skipper keeps his job while all these other people get laid off.

 

[Jpripper88]

Bummer dude. I like smart guys with insightful analysis. Bomani fits the bill. And the knock on his grammar is pretty weak. He's most likely smarter than you.

Bomani and Jemele Hill, along with a few others, are a big part of what is wrong with ESPN. Everything is about race and "social justice." They are the kind of "personalities" who are driving away most of the viewers who no longer watch ESPN.

No, jumping the shark is doing something to try to improve the relevance of said something. How is downsizing a gimmick that hopes to attract more viewers?

The official definition is: "Jumping the shark" is attempting to draw attention to or create publicity for something that is perceived as not warranting the attention, especially something that is believed to be past its peak in quality or relevance. The idiom "jumping the shark" is almost always used in a pejorative sense. It is most commonly used in reference to gimmicks for promoting entertainment outlets, such as television series, that are declining in popularity

ESPN is NOT trying to create positive publicity for itself by downsizing. More people won't watch ESPN because they downsized. "Jump the shark" is one of the overly used and misused terms around.

Look at how they "downsized". They basically fired scores of legitimate journalists and level headed analysts and haven't touched their SJW minority uproar staff. They are doubling down on what is killing them with much of their core viewership. Not sure it qualifies as "jumping the shark", but it is clear they have decided NHL and MLB are not even going to get time of day and SJW, twitter, and NBA is the path for which they want to venture deeper into the woods. I doubt they ever end up seeing the other side. Disney has ruined ESPN.

 

[upj87]

No, jumping the shark is doing something to try to improve the relevance of said something. How is downsizing a gimmick that hopes to attract more viewers?

The official definition is: "Jumping the shark" is attempting to draw attention to or create publicity for something that is perceived as not warranting the attention, especially something that is believed to be past its peak in quality or relevance. The idiom "jumping the shark" is almost always used in a pejorative sense. It is most commonly used in reference to gimmicks for promoting entertainment outlets, such as television series, that are declining in popularity

ESPN is NOT trying to create positive publicity for itself by downsizing. More people won't watch ESPN because they downsized. "Jump the shark" is one of the overly used and misused terms around.

Jumping (the title of the post) is not the same as Jumped now is it.......Official definition eh? Did not know there was a governing body (other than seeing as the first thing on your google search) that took care of such things. ..Maybe the European Fecal (Faecal) Standards and Measurements Institute rules the roost on this one.