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Other Discussions => Entertainment => Off Topic => Television => Topic started by: Eja117 on May 07, 2017, 11:04:29 AM

Title: ESPN is dying right?
Post by: Eja117 on May 07, 2017, 11:04:29 AM
With all the firings and no good shows it seems to me this network is in critical condition. Has there ever been a network that just died?
Title: Re: ESPN is dying right?
Post by: Jiri Welsch on May 07, 2017, 11:31:48 AM
Yes of course. However, I don't think ESPN will "die" per se, they just will likely not have a monopoly on the sports entertainment industry moving forward.
Title: Re: ESPN is dying right?
Post by: WMark on May 07, 2017, 11:33:38 AM
If ESPN were to file for bankruptcy protection and the Court were to void the contract ESPN has with the NBA, I wonder what the ripple effect would be.  Would the owners be responsible for paying the salaries that were determined based upon the declared salary cap or is there a protection included in the CBA that lowers the salary cap should ESPN be declared insolvent?
Title: Re: ESPN is dying right?
Post by: footey on May 07, 2017, 11:58:29 AM
Is there a good article addressing ESPN's financial difficulties and its impact on professional sports revenue?
Title: Re: ESPN is dying right?
Post by: ConnerHenry on May 07, 2017, 12:05:20 PM
It's not ESPN that's dying, it's the current pay TV business model that's dying. The latest stats show that 1 in 5 households have dumped cable. The TV revenue model is based on advertising, which now commands less dollars due to smaller reach. It's very similar to what happened to the newspaper industry a decade ago.

Sports programming still offers the greatest return on television, but when switching to a digital/over the top experience, networks get barely 10% of the same ad revenues. And most sports leagues have maintained ownership rights to their digital transmissions. (The NFL and Amazon this year, et al). The networks have to cut costs and talent is where it begins.

ESPN will survive due to the exclusive rights deals on sports, but they just won't make as much. And they're banking on the viewers not caring about a 45-second update from Ed Werder, Chad Ford or Jayson Stark. The biggest impact will be on ESPN.com, as spending $40 for their insider content took the biggest hit, but that's a small revenue stream for a large company that is most likely a loss leader.
Title: Re: ESPN is dying right?
Post by: ConnerHenry on May 07, 2017, 12:10:17 PM
Is there a good article addressing ESPN's financial difficulties and its impact on professional sports revenue?

Not much, as ESPN's financial numbers are part of the larger Disney/ABC media network. But having worked in that division for 8+ years, I would venture to guess that ESPN is still profitable but just not providing revenue at the projected returns. Disney cares about shareholder return and profitability margins, with their Media networks driving 3x that of theme parks and 5x that of theatrical movie releases. Those revenues consist of ad sales dollars, carriage fees from providers and syndication/program sales of content globally.

Hope this helps
Title: Re: ESPN is dying right?
Post by: footey on May 07, 2017, 12:37:20 PM
Is there a good article addressing ESPN's financial difficulties and its impact on professional sports revenue?

Not much, as ESPN's financial numbers are part of the larger Disney/ABC media network. But having worked in that division for 8+ years, I would venture to guess that ESPN is still profitable but just not providing revenue at the projected returns. Disney cares about shareholder return and profitability margins, with their Media networks driving 3x that of theme parks and 5x that of theatrical movie releases. Those revenues consist of ad sales dollars, carriage fees from providers and syndication/program sales of content globally.

Hope this helps

TP yes thx.
Title: Re: ESPN is dying right?
Post by: rondohondo on May 07, 2017, 12:45:23 PM
Also doesn't help they are so PC and lame. No diversity of thought whatsoever.

Title: Re: ESPN is dying right?
Post by: JSD on May 07, 2017, 12:58:08 PM
God willing, OP
Title: Re: ESPN is dying right?
Post by: RAAAAAAAANDY on May 07, 2017, 01:09:07 PM
Also doesn't help they are so PC and lame. No diversity of thought whatsoever.

 ::)

That has nothing to do with the problems. Not to mention half their shows are people yelling at each other so obviously there are plenty of differences of opinion.
Title: Re: ESPN is dying right?
Post by: GreenEnvy on May 07, 2017, 01:41:24 PM
If ESPN were to file for bankruptcy protection and the Court were to void the contract ESPN has with the NBA, I wonder what the ripple effect would be.  Would the owners be responsible for paying the salaries that were determined based upon the declared salary cap or is there a protection included in the CBA that lowers the salary cap should ESPN be declared insolvent?

I doubt it would have much effect. If they get out of the contract, NBA would just shop it and give it to the highest bidder. I'm sure another network like FS1 would jump at attracting a whole new audience.

ESPN should have stuck to just being informative while also entertaining. The personalities they have now are a far cry from the ones in the '90's. They seem to be more entertainment driven now, while their anchors are often clueless about the topics being discussed.


I agree about the cable model being broken by these on-demand subscription services like Netflix, but sports are one of if not the biggest reason I keep cable. I hope Amazon and Hulu continue to put pressure on the cable providers to lower their prices.
Title: Re: ESPN is dying right?
Post by: Ogaju on May 07, 2017, 01:42:49 PM
With all the firings and no good shows it seems to me this network is in critical condition. Has there ever been a network that just died?

Yes...... ON TV .... lol !!!!
Title: Re: ESPN is dying right?
Post by: MBunge on May 07, 2017, 01:43:41 PM
Also doesn't help they are so PC and lame. No diversity of thought whatsoever.

 ::)

That has nothing to do with the problems. Not to mention half their shows are people yelling at each other so obviously there are plenty of differences of opinion.

How many people on ESPN had ANYTHING negative to say about Kaepernick's National Anthem protest?  And I know for a fact there's no one on the entire network who is even 1/4 as pro-Trump and Max Kellerman is anti-Trump on First Take.

I don't know if politics ranks high on ESPN's list of problems but I would be surprised if it wasn't playing some part.

Mike
Title: Re: ESPN is dying right?
Post by: KGs Knee on May 07, 2017, 02:22:35 PM
Well, I do tend to watch the sport specific networks for coverage more than I do ESPN.  If I want NBA news or highlights, I go to NBATV.  Ditto for the NFL, I go to NFL Network.  Ditto for hockey, it's NHL Network for me, although I do go to NBC Sports for some NHL coverage too.

Eventually these networks will fully replace ESPN, whether that be through traditional cable TV or as individual programming via the internet.  It makes financial sense for the sports leagues to cut out the middle man.  As tv set technology continues to grow, you'll be able to stream lives sports with the same speed and reliability of cable tv.  Once that happens on a scale most everyone can afford, it's game over for networks like ESPN.
Title: Re: ESPN is dying right?
Post by: Eja117 on May 07, 2017, 02:28:49 PM
I think things like the Big Ten network have also hurt ESPN
Title: Re: ESPN is dying right?
Post by: Eja117 on May 07, 2017, 02:29:27 PM
I was just watching the last episode of Sports Reporters today and it just dawned on me ESPN is dying
Title: Re: ESPN is dying right?
Post by: Emmette Bryant on May 07, 2017, 02:36:56 PM
Couple of years ago I turned on ESPN  to watch highlights of a Celtics win.

The first 40 minutes of Sportcenter was devoted to the retirement of a famous NFL player.  The last 20 minutes was devoted to preseason baseball.

No Celtics highlights just fake sports.

Title: Re: ESPN is dying right?
Post by: LatterDayCelticsfan on May 07, 2017, 02:50:01 PM
Once saw NHK Japan run a sports round that consisted entirely of that week's sumo wrestling. Just a side note.