ESPN Layoffs

B

bravesfanforlife88

Well-known member
Jayson Stark and Jim Bowden are among the 100 or so reporters laid off by ESPN today.....pretty crazy

I wonder how long ESPN is going to be around
 
They didn't cut fat, they cut deep into the muscle today. Letting go a lot of the niche writers/personalities makes some sense. ESPN has gotten bloated. But getting rid of guys like Stark and Werder is something entirely different.
 
Many, unlike Stephen A., were at the end of their contracts. To be, biggest shock is Dr. Jerry Punch, a 30-year employee. Stark should be with MLB Network by Monday and Bowden is a clown.
 
Seldom is there any reason to still watch. A waste of money having to pay for it on tier of satellite bill. Of course, that's no different from hundreds of other channels!
 
thewupk said:
Because that's what espn is now. What happened to MTV is happening to espn. People don't wait all day to watch sportscenter for highlights when you can see them instantly online.

They have to adapt.
Click to expand...

I don't think that is what is killing ESPN. They pander incessantly to the biggest markets and became the network of trolls like Skip Bayliss. It got them ratings in the short term but long term made more people quit watching totally. Yes cord cutting is a factor but it become a lot easier to cut the cord when they became trash. They would run stories like "Saints need to trade Brees to the Jets because they need cap room, third round pick should get it done". That was a real story about 4 years ago. They also started creating stories instead of reporting on stories. A braves example, years ago I remember them interviewing Smoltz and they were fixated on wanting the Braves to trade Smoltz, they kept asking him questions about being traded. Smoltz tells them "look, if they don't want me and try to trade me then sure I will accept, I don't want to be here if they don't want me". What does ESPN do? Runs a story saying Smoltz wants out of Atlanta. Another example of the **** ESPN does is when something happens like Michael Sam coming out as gay. ESPN goes on and on about how it's going to be a distraction. Well yeah it's a distraction when ESPN reporters ask every player on the team "is Michael Sam being gay a distraction?". Then when a player says no they ask the same same question. Well yeah it's a ducking distraction when ESPN asks every player 15 questions a day about Michael Sam. I know some teams didn't want him because it would be a distraction but I guarantee you the only distraction they were worried about was that ESPN was going to do finally harp on it in every interview until it became a distraction. So yeah, **** that network.

Edit - and let's not forget Jim Bowden of the "I would trade Strasburg for one year of a 45 year old Roy Oswalt" fame.

Edit 2 - for anyone that still watches how is ESPN handling Tebow playing baseball? Do they have a go pro hanging from his nuts that they go live to every time he bats?
 
people still watch sports on espn.

espn just overspent and are losing subscriptions by the bundle. it has nothing to do with some bad story about drew brees or whatever other nonsense i'm reading above.
 
jsebe10 said:
And only one black person...
Click to expand...

giphy.gif
 
cajunrevenge said:
I don't think that is what is killing ESPN. They pander incessantly to the biggest markets and became the network of trolls like Skip Bayliss. It got them ratings in the short term but long term made more people quit watching totally. Yes cord cutting is a factor but it become a lot easier to cut the cord when they became trash. They would run stories like "Saints need to trade Brees to the Jets because they need cap room, third round pick should get it done". That was a real story about 4 years ago. They also started creating stories instead of reporting on stories. A braves example, years ago I remember them interviewing Smoltz and they were fixated on wanting the Braves to trade Smoltz, they kept asking him questions about being traded. Smoltz tells them "look, if they don't want me and try to trade me then sure I will accept, I don't want to be here if they don't want me". What does ESPN do? Runs a story saying Smoltz wants out of Atlanta. Another example of the **** ESPN does is when something happens like Michael Sam coming out as gay. ESPN goes on and on about how it's going to be a distraction. Well yeah it's a distraction when ESPN reporters ask every player on the team "is Michael Sam being gay a distraction?". Then when a player says no they ask the same same question. Well yeah it's a ducking distraction when ESPN asks every player 15 questions a day about Michael Sam. I know some teams didn't want him because it would be a distraction but I guarantee you the only distraction they were worried about was that ESPN was going to do finally harp on it in every interview until it became a distraction. So yeah, **** that network.

Edit - and let's not forget Jim Bowden of the "I would trade Strasburg for one year of a 45 year old Roy Oswalt" fame.

Edit 2 - for anyone that still watches how is ESPN handling Tebow playing baseball? Do they have a go pro hanging from his nuts that they go live to every time he bats?
Click to expand...

I won't disagree with that I am turned off by that as well. But I still think I am in the minority. I feel most people eat that drama up whether its real or artificial. It does get ratings which is why they do it. Same reason clickbait articles are way more popular online then actual reports of actual news. It's just the society that we are in. For example in years past I would be glued to ESPN's Baseball Tonight during their trade deadline show. IMO it was the best source of quick information at the time. Fast forward to today? You get **** on twitter instantly. Wanted Braves highlights? Wait for Sportscenter or Baseball Tonight. Now? Watch highlights minutes after they happen.

People still watch the live sports as chilldress said. That's always going to happen and IMO is the #1 thing against anyone cutting the cord altogether. However ESPN did pay a ****load for the rights they got and with them not getting built in revenue anymore due to cord cutters they are hurting.
 
cajunrevenge said:
I don't think that is what is killing ESPN. They pander incessantly to the biggest markets and became the network of trolls like Skip Bayliss. It got them ratings in the short term but long term made more people quit watching totally. Yes cord cutting is a factor but it become a lot easier to cut the cord when they became trash. They would run stories like "Saints need to trade Brees to the Jets because they need cap room, third round pick should get it done". That was a real story about 4 years ago. They also started creating stories instead of reporting on stories. A braves example, years ago I remember them interviewing Smoltz and they were fixated on wanting the Braves to trade Smoltz, they kept asking him questions about being traded. Smoltz tells them "look, if they don't want me and try to trade me then sure I will accept, I don't want to be here if they don't want me". What does ESPN do? Runs a story saying Smoltz wants out of Atlanta. Another example of the **** ESPN does is when something happens like Michael Sam coming out as gay. ESPN goes on and on about how it's going to be a distraction. Well yeah it's a distraction when ESPN reporters ask every player on the team "is Michael Sam being gay a distraction?". Then when a player says no they ask the same same question. Well yeah it's a ducking distraction when ESPN asks every player 15 questions a day about Michael Sam. I know some teams didn't want him because it would be a distraction but I guarantee you the only distraction they were worried about was that ESPN was going to do finally harp on it in every interview until it became a distraction. So yeah, **** that network.

Edit - and let's not forget Jim Bowden of the "I would trade Strasburg for one year of a 45 year old Roy Oswalt" fame.

Edit 2 - for anyone that still watches how is ESPN handling Tebow playing baseball? Do they have a go pro hanging from his nuts that they go live to every time he bats?
Click to expand...

Those are good stories, but not the deal breakers. Back in the the 90's, SportsCenter was definitely must-see TV. All of the important personalities dispersed. Then, as OP noted, the specialty networks. For everybody here, MLB and for me, NHL instead of NFL. NBC Sports became more aggressive at getting packages that ESPN used to handle (hockey, Formula One).

Unless cable and satellite providers drop ESPN, people who no longer have use for other, are still stuck paying.
 
cajunrevenge said:
I don't think that is what is killing ESPN. They pander incessantly to the biggest markets and became the network of trolls like Skip Bayliss. It got them ratings in the short term but long term made more people quit watching totally. Yes cord cutting is a factor but it become a lot easier to cut the cord when they became trash. They would run stories like "Saints need to trade Brees to the Jets because they need cap room, third round pick should get it done". That was a real story about 4 years ago. They also started creating stories instead of reporting on stories. A braves example, years ago I remember them interviewing Smoltz and they were fixated on wanting the Braves to trade Smoltz, they kept asking him questions about being traded. Smoltz tells them "look, if they don't want me and try to trade me then sure I will accept, I don't want to be here if they don't want me". What does ESPN do? Runs a story saying Smoltz wants out of Atlanta. Another example of the **** ESPN does is when something happens like Michael Sam coming out as gay. ESPN goes on and on about how it's going to be a distraction. Well yeah it's a distraction when ESPN reporters ask every player on the team "is Michael Sam being gay a distraction?". Then when a player says no they ask the same same question. Well yeah it's a ducking distraction when ESPN asks every player 15 questions a day about Michael Sam. I know some teams didn't want him because it would be a distraction but I guarantee you the only distraction they were worried about was that ESPN was going to do finally harp on it in every interview until it became a distraction. So yeah, **** that network.

Edit - and let's not forget Jim Bowden of the "I would trade Strasburg for one year of a 45 year old Roy Oswalt" fame.

Edit 2 - for anyone that still watches how is ESPN handling Tebow playing baseball? Do they have a go pro hanging from his nuts that they go live to every time he bats?
Click to expand...

People who were watching ESPN and sports in general are not the ones cutting the cord. If you want to watch live sports, you have cable. Period.

It is absolutely the non-sports viewers cutting the cord that is leading to the loss of subscribers. I don't watch ESPN much and haven't for several years, but I absolutely still subscribe because I want live sports.
 
chipchildress said:
people still watch sports on espn.

espn just overspent and are losing subscriptions by the bundle. it has nothing to do with some bad story about drew brees or whatever other nonsense i'm reading above.
Click to expand...

They also aren't even losing money yet.

They are making an adjustment in advance of what is coming.

They only need to start monetizing a la carte offerings or offering direct subscriptions and they will be fine.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top