Miyagi-Do Karate Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 I wonder if scrubs like Rodak actually survive and are the wave of the future. Everything they do is on social Media and they are probably low paid. The network stars probably cost too much money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadianFan Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 Soccer is a weird one to me. I casually watch what's going on overseas but don't follow the MLS. It kind of became the ironic hipster thing and caught on. Now it is pretty big in the US and, like hockey, has its own fan base. I think that it is certainly on the up but will never rival the NFL, NBA or MLB. I don't know what to think of it. Women's basketball just does nothing for me. I'm not saying that to be sexist. I actually enjoy women's soccer, track, swimming and gymnastics. I would rather watch a men's high school game as it's just a higher level of play (and way higher level of athleticism). Bettman has done a terrible job but the ceiling for the NHL was always limited. Connor McDavid can never be LeBron James or Tom Brady. That isn't to say that he can't be historically as great. He just can't have the appeal and marketability. He doesn't reach everyone. As great as Crosby is, if you were to give sports fans a quiz where you showed the face and they needed to name the athlete he would fall behind every QB, dozens of NBA players and a bunch of other athletes. He may not be one of the 100 most recognizable athletes in the US (and that isn't hyperbole). What the NHL should do is concentrate on youth development. That is what soccer did and 15 years later you are seeing a generation of fans in this country. They need to make the game more accessible even in markets where it is popular. They need to continue to grow abroad as well. Lastly, they need their own night of the week even if it isn't a big revenue generator. They should beg ESPN to give them the "Tuesday Night Game of the Week" or something. It should feature the stars and the big market teams. They need to develop story lines. These are millenials whose attention they want to capture. David Stern modeled the NBA after Disney World. He wanted stars and characters. The NHL needs to tell stories. They are awful at that. Remember the NHL just after the lock out years? when there was less fighting and less grabbing and holding and stuff. It was just more skating. So many of the big teams like the Bruins Flyers etc who were built for the physical game stank and the whole league went back to the old model. Sure yeah fighting got the UFC crowd but that's too narrow. Allowing more grabbing and holding stops the skating. And that's happened to NHL. It's become a NICHE product in the US. Used to be NHL and NFL for me. Now I don't even watch NHL anymore. It's a joke. Freakin joke. For fluidity of team play I watch Soccer, the European version. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ndirish1978 Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 ESPN is a dinosaur that absolutely refuses to admit they are becoming irrelevant. The fact that they attempt to charge people for "Insider" articles written by hacks like Mel Kiper is that station in a microcosm. They think it's still 1990 and people don't have free access to everything. Their "sports" shows are more opinion than new information. They are played out. I would venture to say Rich Eisen's channel on audience is a more pure and relevant sports channel than ESPN is now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirby Jackson Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 Remember the NHL just after the lock out years? when there was less fighting and less grabbing and holding and stuff. It was just more skating. So many of the big teams like the Bruins Flyers etc who were built for the physical game stank and the whole league went back to the old model. Sure yeah fighting got the UFC crowd but that's too narrow. Allowing more grabbing and holding stops the skating. And that's happened to NHL. It's become a NICHE product in the US. Used to be NHL and NFL for me. Now I don't even watch NHL anymore. It's a joke. Freakin joke. For fluidity of team play I watch Soccer, the European version. Add in things like giant goalies and equipment and it is designed to limit skill. It really is odd what is going on there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bills Fan in MD Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 Even though Chris Berman is off the NFL, isn't he still with the network? If so, I assume he's not there on the cheap. Does ESPN really think that he's still bringing in viewers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirby Jackson Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 ESPN is a dinosaur that absolutely refuses to admit they are becoming irrelevant. The fact that they attempt to charge people for "Insider" articles written by hacks like Mel Kiper is that station in a microcosm. They think it's still 1990 and people don't have free access to everything. Their "sports" shows are more opinion than new information. They are played out. I would venture to say Rich Eisen's channel on audience is a more pure and relevant sports channel than ESPN is now. Their arrogance has limited their self-awareness. They are Blockbuster Video. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
26CornerBlitz Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 @Deadspin A running list of ESPN layoffs: http://deadsp.in/HLZTcWI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleeding Bills Blue Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 The app/website makes it very difficult to watch highlights/videos. Things aren't as readily available as they are on mlb.com/nfl.com etc. It's supposed to be a one stop shop, but i navigate to a game thinking... maybe there will be an extended highlights from the game. Instead its a 45 second recap, and then 5 minutes of people talking about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
row_33 Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 Remember the NHL just after the lock out years? when there was less fighting and less grabbing and holding and stuff. It was just more skating. So many of the big teams like the Bruins Flyers etc who were built for the physical game stank and the whole league went back to the old model. Sure yeah fighting got the UFC crowd but that's too narrow. Allowing more grabbing and holding stops the skating. And that's happened to NHL. It's become a NICHE product in the US. Used to be NHL and NFL for me. Now I don't even watch NHL anymore. It's a joke. Freakin joke. For fluidity of team play I watch Soccer, the European version. ESPN, last I looked, didn't bother to put the NHL in the default flags at the top of the homepage, it was with "other sports" The app/website makes it very difficult to watch highlights/videos. Things aren't as readily available as they are on mlb.com/nfl.com etc. It's supposed to be a one stop shop, but i navigate to a game thinking... maybe there will be an extended highlights from the game. Instead its a 45 second recap, and then 5 minutes of people talking about it. apps can only disappoint Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleeding Bills Blue Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 @Deadspin A running list of ESPN layoffs: http://deadsp.in/HLZTcWI Lebrun and Burnside huh... guess NHL content isn't getting a lot of clicks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. WEO Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 (edited) I had a patient who was one of the original guys (off-air, "non talent" and he jokingly and gruffly put it) who had retired from there. He said he's glad he got out when he did. It will be interesting to see how hard this hits the NFL. I can't see them or anyone else for that matter continuing to pay $1.9B/year when this contract is up. No network is losing money on their NFL contract. It is the only guaranteed money maker on TV year after year. The lockouts murdered the NHL with casual fans. Basically just as the NBA cleaned up it's act, became a little less "urban" and brought in new marketable guys headlined by Lebron and company the NHL sat out a season. I don't think the interest with casual fans ever recovered. I doubt the casual fan remembers or even knew of a lockout. The NHL is a distant memory because there a too many franchises where there is no natural fanbase---people who grew up playing, or playing on ponds, or even knowing how to skate--even playing street hockey. Now with teams I Texas, Florida (2!), Arizona!, Nashville, Carolina, California (3), the traditional fanbase does not see their teams in the finals as often as way back. The NHL needs to shed a dozen teams to become relevant again. It's not a national sport. Edited April 26, 2017 by Mr. WEO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malazan Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 If this purge of the hockey talent, plus the recent ratings for the playoffs does not wake Gary up, nothing will. Freaking Buffalo highest-rated market for the hockey playoffs This gets thrown out all the time, but it means very little. You would expect larger markets to have lower ratings. Ratings are not static between markets. A rating of 5.0 in Buffalo might mean 500,000 people while a rating of 1.0 in NYC means 500,000 people watched there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helpmenow Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 Nothing but a wanna be comedy show. All smart asses Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Wagon Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 Good riddance Danny Kannell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
row_33 Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 (edited) Nothing but a wanna be comedy show. All smart asses ESPN is not a cable option in Canada, what we have is ten times more politically correct and 50 times more an abomination for football fans. CNN at 11:30pm back in the day had the best recap of college football and real sports, then they cut it after 9/11. I cannot get NCAA football hi-lites in Canada without going well out of my way. I'd gladly pay a good monthly sum for your hated ESPN to see football hi-lites that weren't the CFL. Edited April 26, 2017 by row_33 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helpmenow Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 Getting rid of everybody over 45 I bet. Then hiring all youngsters who will make half of what seasoned reporters made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest K-GunJimKelly12 Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 Disney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
row_33 Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 Getting rid of everybody over 45 I bet. Then hiring all youngsters who will make half of what seasoned reporters made. What the viewing age demographic? Low enough now that people watching never saw Michael Jordan play and roll their eyes at his mention like I did in the 80s when people talked about Bob Cousy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeviF Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 (edited) Classic ESPN. Hemorrhaging money because your content sucks and barely qualifies as sports anymore, so who do you cut? Some of the best actual, you know, reporters that you have. Meanwhile the abortion that's on at 6 now with Michael and whatshername with the latest reports on where NBA players' girlfriends are going on vacation continues. Not to mention giving LeBetard his own TV spot with the mannequin that sits next to him. Some people weren't made for TV. Good !@#$in' riddance, ESPN. Hurry up and die. Edited to add: you know what? They should go to a 24-hour loop of classic sportscenter. Get two anchors who can actually talk sports with highlights and the occasional sports news from some actual reporters. Re-shoot every 12 hours. I'd watch that until I fell asleep every night. Edited April 26, 2017 by LeviF91 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gomper Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 (edited) I couldn't live without ESPN in the 90'same. It seriously was on all the time. My GF and I had the most basic of cable through Time Warner. I only got it for CBC. Last month she called me at work and said Spectrum was offering a deal where you get 100+ channels and Internet for half the price. My only concern was CBC. After I installed the box I flipped around to see what I now had. No ESPN networks. She apologized and I told her there was no need to. Not only do I not need to watch it, I don't like watching it. Way too much irrelevant and obnoxious content. Edited April 26, 2017 by gomper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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