ESPN Layoffs

These big networks like their purges...

I don't know if it's tied to McAfee's big ass deal or not but BSPN likes to clean house 

Gee, where on earth will they find someone to talk about sports?

If they were all about dumping big salaries I am surprised they stayed with Kiper. The blowhard's gotta be making serious bank, more than McShay I would assume. 

I don't think it's a surprise.  ESPN has become a losing business model.  Too much in expenditures, and they've pissed off more than half of their fan base.  Kinda the same with Disney overall.  I read an article a couple of years ago that basically said no matter which way ESPN goes, the long-term plan doesn't add up. That's particularly true with their pay platforms vastly underperforming and over-priced.

@"Waterboy" said: I don't think it's a surprise.  ESPN has become a losing business model.  Too much in expenditures, and they've pissed off more than half of their fan base.  Kinda the same with Disney overall.  I read an article a couple of years ago that basically said no matter which way ESPN goes, the long-term plan doesn't add up. That's particularly true with their pay platforms vastly underperforming and over-priced.

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"Waterboy" said: I don't think it's a surprise.  ESPN has become a losing business model.  Too much in expenditures, and they've pissed off more than half of their fan base.  Kinda the same with Disney overall.  I read an article a couple of years ago that basically said no matter which way ESPN goes, the long-term plan doesn't add up. That's particularly true with their pay platforms vastly underperforming and over-priced.

get woke go broke,  when every time I tune into espn i get a woke lecture,  i just quit tuning in.  I think people are sick of being told they are racist, sexist, or whatever when all they really want is to watch a damn ball game or catch a few highlights.

The problem with news and sports is there simply isn't enough information or events to fill the 24 hr. cycle. (only somewhat true) The thought early on was to fill the void with the cheapest productions possible (opinion/personality based shows), but the networks became slaves to the monsters they stoked. What is so appalling is how little they understood or cared about their audience. They don't even care about the product. It's so clear that espn has been managed by the news and entertainment east/west coast brass who all drank from the same cup.

Personally, give me lawn bowling, bad mitten, curling, darts, water polo, team handball, etc., over another endless segment of Stephen A. or any of the other chuckleheads bitching at each other over who is the 2nd best swing guard in the Central Division. Time to pack up that clown car and drive it off a cliff with Sarah Spain at the wheel...  

I just don’t think ESPN has made a product that I want to watch
in a long time, much less pay to watch. 
It’s like these national, “mainstream”,  media outlets just try to survive by yelling
louder, highlighting controversy, etc.  I
think their brand was ruined a long time ago and I don’t know what they would
have to do to fix it.  Their business
model worked when they were one of 3 channels about sports in a cable package, and
everyone/every breakroom/every airport had the TV on in the background, but I
don’t think people really want that much national level content when it comes
to sports.  I think people much prefer a deeper
dive on your favorite team by someone from your community that knows the right
questions to ask and answer.  I think the
“locked on” group has the right model. 
From a national perspective, I think the guys that do things like “How
the Dolphins are changing the way offenses are run” or “Why is the entire
league changing to the this flavor of the week scheme?” have some room
for mass appeal.  They use specific teams
to explain interesting nuances in the game, that are applicable to your team,
whether it’s stuff your team will do or stuff other teams do that your team
will have to counter. 

ESPN has sucked for years.  Years, woke, non woke, etc.  It much like "news media" is a for profit model now driven by bullshit, clicks, hot topics, arguing.  

Screw them and their bloated budgets and 100 ex-players chiming in with their opinion.  

There are much better sports outlets out there.  

@"Skodin" said: ESPN has sucked for years.  Years, woke, non woke, etc.  It much like "news media" is a for profit model now driven by bullshit, clicks, hot topics, arguing.  

Screw them and their bloated budgets and 100 ex-players chiming in with their opinion.  

There are much better sports outlets out there.  

I rarely watch sports news shows anymore. Maybe Total Access during the NFL season. Otherwise I get most of my sports news via Twitter where I can filter what I watch.

The only real loss I care about in regard to talent is JVG. He's polarizing but I think his grumpy old man schtick is kind of funny during NBA games. I don't watch any of the morning shows so those cuts won't affect me in the slightest.
I realize JVG doesn't fit this mold but I think most people just want to watch sports, not be yelled at or preached to. Maybe that's not correct though because clearly ESPN bases their programming around tons of viewership metrics. Oh well, if I don't like it I don't watch it. HBO, Netflix, etc have plenty of shows I don't watch or have interest in either. That doesn't cause me to have some vendetta against them like people do with ESPN for some reason.

@"pattersaur" said:

The only real loss I care about in regard to talent is JVG. He's polarizing but I think his grumpy old man schtick is kind of funny during NBA games. I don't watch any of the morning shows so those cuts won't affect me in the slightest. I realize JVG doesn't fit this mold but I think most people just want to watch sports, not be yelled at or preached to. Maybe that's not correct though because clearly ESPN bases their programming around tons of viewership metrics. Oh well, if I don't like it I don't watch it. HBO, Netflix, etc have plenty of shows I don't watch or have interest in either. That doesn't cause me to have some vendetta against them like people do with ESPN for some reason.