We've launched the new forums! Read more here

ESPN's Future ... as an app?

ESPN introuble in A LOT of ways. I feel this does not help!!!!!
 
ESPN is dying in their current format and will seal the final nail in their coffin if they think going 100% digital and charging for it will turn them around. too many other sports outlets out there that provide sports coverage better than they do without the liberal political agendas thrown in.
 
They could start by not ever being political. No one should give a damn about an overpaid athlete’s opinion on anything except their sport. I watch them for their talent and for entertainment, not to see demonstrations..
 
No thanks, I was done with ESPN a long time ago. Their coverage is terrible and they have become way to politically one-sided.
 
This makes sense to me. It probably helps the cable companies as much as it does ESPN - a lot of the cost in the monthly charge is sports networks, and there's a good amount of people who don't watch. As more people cut the cord, this is probably a preferable option.

That said, outside of live events I can't think of the last time I watched ESPN.
 
I'd bet this was at least somewhat informed by HBO Go/Now's success.

And live sports fans are probably even more likely to pay for programming than HBO folks.

They've spotted MLB Advanced Media a big lead though. It'll be interesting to see how ESPN does, and if they can compete in a purely digital way.
 
blakehall said:
I'd bet this was at least somewhat informed by HBO Go/Now's success.

And live sports fans are probably even more likely to pay for programming than HBO folks.

They've spotted MLB Advanced Media a big lead though. It'll be interesting to see how ESPN does, and if they can compete in a purely digital way.
Click to expand...

Disney is a major investor in MLB Advanced and is using the same tech as their backbone.
 
fupresti said:
Disney is a major investor in MLB Advanced and is using the same tech as their backbone.
Click to expand...

Ah interesting.

Anyone trying to do live streaming (sports) video that isn’t working with them at this point is probably doing it wrong. :alien:


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
moosejaa said:
No thanks, I was done with ESPN a long time ago. Their coverage is terrible and they have become way to politically one-sided.
Click to expand...

This....this right here. Let me spell the ways ESPN killed themselves.

1) Right or wrong the complete dismissal of the NHL was brutal, not only to fans, but to the NHL. And not only that, the way they basically said having the NHL on their programming was not beneficial, and they wanted to make more money. Your a sports network, your whole idea is based around sports, Hockey is what DREW people in to watch ESPN in the first place, and you kick them to the curb, and then do a few head stomps for good measure to make sure how everyone knew how much you hated programming NHL games.(This was the start of me not respecting them) Let me say this right now, I may sound old saying this, but ESPN and ESPN2 running hockey during the playoffs for two months straight, and how they played almost every single game, was pure heaven. My ex-wife....she hated it, I was glued to the TV. NBC does a serviceable job, but Gary Thorn and Bill Clement slayed what the announcers are doing today.

2) The outright in your face product placement. The "Coors Light Hot Take". I hated it 15 years ago.....and they still do it today....which makes me despise it now.

3) I understand they cannot do SC in today's up to the second landscape, SC will never be what it was pre high speed internet. But the constant changing of talent was getting old. How do you as a viewer connect or even despise an on air personality, if you switch them up every night? You cant....when KO left, then DP was next, an era was gone, but you could have at least stuck with someone....anyone. Hell you know who I like, Linda freaking Cohn....you know why, cause that lady is funny, but also will flat out laugh at the stupidest joke, she's real....she's not a puppet. They moved these people around like chess pieces, and it slowly eroded away at a base of regular viewers. Hey ESPN...humans are sheep, we don't respond well to change, especially on a daily basis.

4) Don't try to be innovative, don't try to be edgy, don't try to appeal to a millennial generation that does not watch you to begin with. But yet they do from Jenner, to full on non sports political pieces. I was shocked they did a 30 for 30 on Bill McCartney, you know why, cause that guy is everything ESPN has basically been against for the last ten years.

5) Here I sit and type this, yet I watch ESPN everyday. I watch PTI religiously, I have from day one. BUT I will not watch it if Tony, or Michael are not on the show.

6) Their out right coastalism is beyond annoying. Scenario, MJ and the Bulls were on an epic run I think 18-19 in a row. Every night headlined on SC, then the Bulls play my beloved Nuggets, Nuggets beat them, and SC comes on, I cannot wait to see the highlights, AND the game is buried to about the 6th story. Oh yeah BTW the Bulls win streak is over, highlights later from that cow pasture next to the mountains. ESPN Boston....hate it, ESPN Chicago....hate it. SC with SVP....boring.

I would have more respect for them if they brought back Montser Truck racing and bowling. Make it freaking fun again. So after saying all that....no I wont get the APP and I will not pay them to watch games from my phone.
 
Oh one more thing....let me add

7) I think I fully moved away when they started to integrate NFL Primetime with Sportscenter. Love him or hate him Chris Berman was FANTASTIC for that one hour after the afternoon games on Sunday. Him and Tom Jackson were amazing, and it was great to see these highlights with....you guessed it...that familiar NFL Pirmetime tune. (Podcast Pardon My Take does a great job parodying this every Monday morning after Sunday football) But again ESPN has to mess with stuff....again humans hate change, and they started putting NFL primetime within SportsCenter, it completely messed with the flow of what Primetime was all about. Funny circle your wagon takes, silly noises from Berman, TJ interjecting football knowledge into the show, and again....it was FUN!!! Why change it??
 
tucsoncacti said:
Oh one more thing....let me add

7) I think I fully moved away when they started to integrate NFL Primetime with Sportscenter. Love him or hate him Chris Berman was FANTASTIC for that one hour after the afternoon games on Sunday. Him and Tom Jackson were amazing, and it was great to see these highlights with....you guessed it...that familiar NFL Pirmetime tune. (Podcast Pardon My Take does a great job parodying this every Monday morning after Sunday football) But again ESPN has to mess with stuff....again humans hate change, and they started putting NFL primetime within SportsCenter, it completely messed with the flow of what Primetime was all about. Funny circle your wagon takes, silly noises from Berman, TJ interjecting football knowledge into the show, and again....it was FUN!!! Why change it??
Click to expand...
It changed because when NBC starting airing the Sunday night games, they didn't want a competing highlights show against their pregame show on NBC. So NFL Primetime was killed because of that, not because ESPN wanted to do it.
 
mikeg_74 said:
ESPN is dying in their current format and will seal the final nail in their coffin if they think going 100% digital and charging for it will turn them around. too many other sports outlets out there that provide sports coverage better than they do without the liberal political agendas thrown in.
Click to expand...
Mike, I'm not singling you out, but your post raises a question for me. I realize that there are many outlets that can report on a game, but only one outlet can actually show the game. Are people really not watching their team's games because they are being shown on ESPN? Like if the Rockets are playing in the Western Conference Finals and they are only on ESPN, you're not watching because of that? I understand not watching the shows like Sportscenter, NFL Live, etc but the exclusivity of live sports events is something that large groups of people will continue to pay for.
 
arydolphin said:
Mike, I'm not singling you out, but your post raises a question for me. I realize that there are many outlets that can report on a game, but only one outlet can actually show the game. Are people really not watching their team's games because they are being shown on ESPN? Like if the Rockets are playing in the Western Conference Finals and they are only on ESPN, you're not watching because of that? I understand not watching the shows like Sportscenter, NFL Live, etc but the exclusivity of live sports events is something that large groups of people will continue to pay for.
Click to expand...

I think there is larger part of their current subscribers through traditional cable/satellite that will not pay if they went all digital. Partly bc they may not have the means to view or Budget.

As far as live games, you do bring up a great point and the die hards will probably pay to watch, but others like me who support our local teams, but not as invested probably won't. If you told me they are on espn exclusively for me to watch, I'm not going to pay. I'm not that emotionally invested in them.

Now 20 something mikeg would budget for this bc I needed my sports, but life changes and so do priorities.

My bigger point is that the demographic with the most disposable income to pay for a monthly service might not do so if push came to shove.
 
arydolphin said:
Mike, I'm not singling you out, but your post raises a question for me. I realize that there are many outlets that can report on a game, but only one outlet can actually show the game. Are people really not watching their team's games because they are being shown on ESPN? Like if the Rockets are playing in the Western Conference Finals and they are only on ESPN, you're not watching because of that? I understand not watching the shows like Sportscenter, NFL Live, etc but the exclusivity of live sports events is something that large groups of people will continue to pay for.
Click to expand...

if you make them pay, i think you would see a massive reduction in viewership.
 
arydolphin said:
It changed because when NBC starting airing the Sunday night games, they didn't want a competing highlights show against their pregame show on NBC. So NFL Primetime was killed because of that, not because ESPN wanted to do it.
Click to expand...
I find that interesting because if I wanted to I could go to NFL network and watch highlights. I get what your saying but I do find it a bit odd since ESPN has NFL contract too, I don't see an issue if it's been a staple show for well over a decade.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 
I’m more inclined to turn on Real Housewives of Orange County than I am to turn on ESPN
 
tucsoncacti said:
I find that interesting because if I wanted to I could go to NFL network and watch highlights. I get what your saying but I do find it a bit odd since ESPN has NFL contract too, I don't see an issue if it's been a staple show for well over a decade.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I was talking about when the NBC contract first started. From this article on NFL Primetime: https://fansided.com/2017/03/14/nfl-primetime-chris-berman-tom-jackson-oral-history/

NBC acquired the rights to Sunday Night Football in 2006, effectively killing NFL Primetime on ESPN. The Peacock is permitted to air 60 minutes worth of highlights, something NBC Sports executive Dick Ebersol negotiated into the deal. Ebersol, a friend of Berman’s, made sure ESPN was not allowed the same highlights deal. It was a death sentence for Primetime.

Still, NBC doesn’t utilize most of its highlight allotment. Instead, it focuses mostly on short highlights followed by analysts talking and quick-hitters featuring Mike Florio of NBC-owner Pro Football Talk and Peter King of The MMQB.

NBC didn’t want to use the highlights. They wanted to make sure Berman and Jackson couldn’t.
Click to expand...
 
ESPN saw some things in the future, and didn't see some others and this is causing their current situation.

They have invested TONS of money into live programming. Which was huge for a while, but they did not see the massive reduction in subscribers due to so much moving online and the massive number of cord cutting. So they are locked into paying huge payments for the rights deals while the amount of money they are receiving from cable companies is dwindling. but they have not been able to launch digital options that would bring in other revenue because of contracts they are locked into with cable/satellite companies....

Besides the massive layoffs I also think this is why they have moved into the hot take/political agenda angles they are now pushing so hard. They have to try and stand out and leave an impression on viewers. But most sports fans are watching sports so they don't have to hear about what is going on or be told what they should be thinking about this issue or that.

They are WAY behind on the digital side and maybe this helps them move forward.

I watch ESPN when my sports teams are on one of their channels and the off chance I am home for PTI, but other than that I listen to the PTI podcast everyday but that is it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top