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Bob Ley Retires from ESPN


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20 minutes ago, May Day 10 said:

 

 

In addition, there isnt 1 sports dedicated network.  There are dozens to choose from.

 

Espn's programming is to try to set itself ahead from the competitors.  Lots of yelling, gimmicky segments, hosts who say edgy things and get publicity.  Us curmudgeons complain that they should show straight-line highlights, but they would die.

 

  

 

The dozens of other have no viewers.

 

The yelling (Berman) and edgy publicity getting (Olberman) have always been there---the network was built on this model!  Nothing has changed except the names. 

 

A much stronger argument is that ESPN has become MORE bland than ever.  There's little shouting--at least in prime time.  Most of these guys are pretty sedate.  Anyone who watches (they still have 86 million subscribers) would know this well.

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3 hours ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

No doubt Bergman is a class act all the way.  But the point is that these guys were.told to create an ENTERTAINMENT Sports network.  The current crop are doing the acne thing Berman and Scott BooYaa Stuart and hot take Cowherd we’re doing.   They have to fill 24 hours of content.  This is how they do it and how they always have.  

 

I bet you couldn’t name too many TV networks that, without them, your life would change.  Also, ratings may be down,  but it is still the only network of its kind and has no real competition.  Their current and unending ratings supremacy is proof that many millions of people are still tuning in regularly (instead of the alternatives),  do its still cool here to say “yeah I never watch ESPN anymore”...the reality says otherwise.

 

What I think most here might be unaware of is that ESPN is broadcast right around the world as part of most pay tv/cable/satellite packages, and that those of us outside the US cannot simply turn on CBS, NBC or NFL network to get our football fix.

 

I also suspect ESPN don't feel too bad about lower ratings at home when the global audience is so large.

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On 6/27/2019 at 8:56 AM, Pete said:

Back when ESPN was great.  Ley, Berman, Charlie Steiner, Dan Patrick, Olberman, Howie Schwab....

It was about highlights and not drama.

Disney ruined ESPN.

I used to watch sportscenter 3-4 times a day.  Now ESPN is unwatchable

 

I wont say unwatchable... but yes a big step back from the glory days 

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Now who ever is there can try futilely to reproduce what the originals did but i don't think it will happen !!

 

The best one left at the entire ESPN cast is SVP the only one worth watching any more !!

 

I wonder if Scott & Alex are related ?? ?

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15 hours ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

The dozens of other have no viewers.

 

The yelling (Berman) and edgy publicity getting (Olberman) have always been there---the network was built on this model!  Nothing has changed except the names. 

 

A much stronger argument is that ESPN has become MORE bland than ever.  There's little shouting--at least in prime time.  Most of these guys are pretty sedate.  Anyone who watches (they still have 86 million subscribers) would know this well.

ESPN still has rights to the NFL, NBA, MLB, and CFB.  Their tennis coverage at Wimbledon is A+.  When they had the World Cup & Euros, again, A+.  Their streaming service has exclusive Serie A rights.  They'll be fine as long as they retain these live rights.  

 

Barstool still sells t-shirts and coozies to generate revenue.  

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15 hours ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

The dozens of other have no viewers.

 

The yelling (Berman) and edgy publicity getting (Olberman) have always been there---the network was built on this model!  Nothing has changed except the names. 

 

A much stronger argument is that ESPN has become MORE bland than ever.  There's little shouting--at least in prime time.  Most of these guys are pretty sedate.  Anyone who watches (they still have 86 million subscribers) would know this well.

 

I am kind of agreeing with you in the fact that we are defending ESPN.

 

By yelling, I mean these roundtable and debate formatted shows that have a lot more flair and talking over one another than the Sunday morning "Sports Reporters" could dream of.  There has been a show called "Pardon the Interruption".  That show Kellerman ran where reporters are awarded points, and nearly every feature is a point/counterpoint thing. 

Olberman was also pretty straight-cut on the network and didnt really get outwardly political until he left sportscenter (from what I recall).

 

And now you have Steven A Smith or whatever his name is saying controversial things and getting in the news, which they obviously like.

 

Furthermore, you have more gimmicky features with newer technology and things that carry a little more interesting and are appealing.  Yesterday, for like 10 minutes, I watched two guys puzzle out the percentage chances they give the AFC Teams to win the Division by writing the figures on some touch screen thing.

 

 

My point is, if ESPN remained a straight-cut sports station, rolling a straight highlight-driven sportcenter for 4 hours in the morning, along with fairly dry and "classy" analysis, nobody would really watch it because that stuff is available at our fingertips 24/7.  It would be a little more entertaining than C-SPAN.  They needed to up the volume a bit and have evolved.  People get nostalgic about how it used to be, but back then we were basically a captive audience and had to choose between sportcenter and cartoons on TBS while getting ready for school.  

 

The league networks also take a lot away from ESPN.  They used to have nightly shows that would basically serve as the "NFL" or "NHL" Network.  Now fans of those leagues are much more inclined to tune into those stations instead.

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16 minutes ago, May Day 10 said:

 

I am kind of agreeing with you in the fact that we are defending ESPN.

 

By yelling, I mean these roundtable and debate formatted shows that have a lot more flair and talking over one another than the Sunday morning "Sports Reporters" could dream of.  There has been a show called "Pardon the Interruption".  That show Kellerman ran where reporters are awarded points, and nearly every feature is a point/counterpoint thing. 

Olberman was also pretty straight-cut on the network and didnt really get outwardly political until he left sportscenter (from what I recall).

 

And now you have Steven A Smith or whatever his name is saying controversial things and getting in the news, which they obviously like.

 

Furthermore, you have more gimmicky features with newer technology and things that carry a little more interesting and are appealing.  Yesterday, for like 10 minutes, I watched two guys puzzle out the percentage chances they give the AFC Teams to win the Division by writing the figures on some touch screen thing.

 

 

My point is, if ESPN remained a straight-cut sports station, rolling a straight highlight-driven sportcenter for 4 hours in the morning, along with fairly dry and "classy" analysis, nobody would really watch it because that stuff is available at our fingertips 24/7.  It would be a little more entertaining than C-SPAN.  They needed to up the volume a bit and have evolved.  People get nostalgic about how it used to be, but back then we were basically a captive audience and had to choose between sportcenter and cartoons on TBS while getting ready for school.  

 

The league networks also take a lot away from ESPN.  They used to have nightly shows that would basically serve as the "NFL" or "NHL" Network.  Now fans of those leagues are much more inclined to tune into those stations instead.

 

Sports Center is pretty sedate and that is their flagship show.  The rest fills in the gaps between live sports and the original content feature stuff (30 for 30, etc.).  "Back in the day", ESPN filled those gaps with crap like rodeo, bowling and Australian rules football.

 

The nostalgia is just that--kind of remembering things in a certain way so as to contrast with what doesn't like now.

20 minutes ago, Joe in Winslow said:

 

Not by choice. Have a read sometime about channel bundling arrangements.

 

Bundling IS cable TV, yes.

 

But in an era where the seismic shift it towards "cutting the cord", ESPN dropped from 100 million subscribers and kept 86 million.  The lost fewer actual viewers than the industry cable network average.

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4 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

Sports Center is pretty sedate and that is their flagship show.  The rest fills in the gaps between live sports and the original content feature stuff (30 for 30, etc.).  "Back in the day", ESPN filled those gaps with crap like rodeo, bowling and Australian rules football.

 

The nostalgia is just that--kind of remembering things in a certain way so as to contrast with what doesn't like now.

 

Bundling IS cable TV, yes.

 

But in an era where the seismic shift it towards "cutting the cord", ESPN dropped from 100 million subscribers and kept 86 million.  The lost fewer actual viewers than the industry cable network average.

 

Again, because of HOW channels are bundled. ESPN was only purchased by Disney, because they're included in the main bundle of almost all cable companies.

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16 minutes ago, Joe in Winslow said:

 

Again, because of HOW channels are bundled. ESPN was only purchased by Disney, because they're included in the main bundle of almost all cable companies.

Can you unsubscribe to espn as part of your cable package? 

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1 hour ago, Joe in Winslow said:

 

Again, because of HOW channels are bundled. ESPN was only purchased by Disney, because they're included in the main bundle of almost all cable companies.

 

I've included ratings info in previous posts if you prefer to look at it that way.

 

Yes, Disney bought ESPN because it was a cash cow.  Forbes estimated that after the buy, ESPN  was generating more profits than ALL of the other Disney cable channels, theme parks, studios and cruise lines......combined.

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On 6/27/2019 at 8:56 AM, Pete said:

Back when ESPN was great.  Ley, Berman, Charlie Steiner, Dan Patrick, Olberman, Howie Schwab....

It was about highlights and not drama.

Disney ruined ESPN.

I used to watch sportscenter 3-4 times a day.  Now ESPN is unwatchable

 

Disagree totally.  Disney did not kill ESPN - new ways to get highlights and up to the minute scores killed ESPN.

 

High Speed internet with every score, every goal, highlights killed ESPN.

 

No need to watch Sportscenter because they have nothing to add to what you can see on your phone or tablet hours ago.

 

With no need for Sportscenter - they had to adjust and how to adjust - just like news channels like CNN/Fox News/MSNBC - you make crap up and take controversial positions to get discussion.

 

ESPN is not dead - it has morphed just like news and broadcasting because the info is now available faster and more accurately than they could ever produce.  The things that made ESPN great are no longer needed or watched - so in reality you killed ESPN and I killed ESPN and everyone killed ESPN because of our demands for access to scores/highlights/and immediate feedback.

 

ESPN, News Channels, local News, weather, they are all going the way of the Newspaper - dying a slow painful death at the hands of the internet.  The issue is anyone - even Cian Fahey - can have an opinion and make news on the internet - so unlike the older methods more false garbage gets out dividing the people even more.

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I think one of the reasons ESPN transitioned into a nonsense format is the emerging ease of actually watching live games. The die hard fans are probably watching the majority of the games they're interested in, so the niche market is much less hardcore fans and more casual fans who like silly debates that have very little bearing on sport itself. 

 

Back in the day, there was a much larger percentage of games that were unavailable or at least difficult to view. The demand for highlights from games a true fan wasn't able to view just isn't there.

10 hours ago, Rochesterfan said:

 

Disagree totally.  Disney did not kill ESPN - new ways to get highlights and up to the minute scores killed ESPN.

 

High Speed internet with every score, every goal, highlights killed ESPN.

 

No need to watch Sportscenter because they have nothing to add to what you can see on your phone or tablet hours ago.

 

With no need for Sportscenter - they had to adjust and how to adjust - just like news channels like CNN/Fox News/MSNBC - you make crap up and take controversial positions to get discussion.

 

ESPN is not dead - it has morphed just like news and broadcasting because the info is now available faster and more accurately than they could ever produce.  The things that made ESPN great are no longer needed or watched - so in reality you killed ESPN and I killed ESPN and everyone killed ESPN because of our demands for access to scores/highlights/and immediate feedback.

 

ESPN, News Channels, local News, weather, they are all going the way of the Newspaper - dying a slow painful death at the hands of the internet.  The issue is anyone - even Cian Fahey - can have an opinion and make news on the internet - so unlike the older methods more false garbage gets out dividing the people even more.

I pretty much stole your answer, but it was an accident. This is how I see it as well.

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On 6/27/2019 at 3:28 PM, jkeerie said:

I recall when Charlie Steiner started laughing uncontrollably during one of the broadcasts.  I think it was when Carl Lewis, the track star, was singing the national anthem at a ball game.  It was horrid.  Steiner was in tears laughing so hard...and of course, it made you laugh just as hard watching him.

 

 

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