ESPN is a joke

[I-39]

All they do is talk about the NFL, NBA with a little bit of pro baseball and wrestling mixed in (if they have time). No NHL coverage, and when they do talk about baseball, it always revolves around the Red Sox and Yankees. They blow things out of proportion, are biased towards superstars (LeBron, Kobe, Brady, Manning, etc) and have obnoxious personnel (like Skip Bayless, Colin Cowherd, Chris Broussard, Stephen A. Smith, Brian Windhorst, etc)

[MarcusDoT]

I believe they do that because most people who watches sports knows / loves those athletes you just named.

They do it for the views / money, not for the sports at all.

I once went on there so see a game about the 49ers, and I end up getting a speech about Tom Brady and will the Patriots make it to the Super Bowl.

ESPN isn't the greatest , so I know how you feel pal. 

[02 Park Ave]

Skip Bayless is the worst.😒

[andy]

IMHO I've always thought ESPN was more about "news" than sports. Worse, "news" includes all the tabloid trash.

[Big John]

^^  Well, the "E" stands for Entertainment, and note it comes before the "S" for Sports.  And the entertainment industry has been growing more trashy as time goes by.

[DandyDan]

Considering they have no deal with the NHL, it's probably no surprise they don't talk about the NHL very much.   The fact is, they know who their audience is and they cater to them.  And I'm sure you meant UFC instead of wrestling.

[Brandon]

ESPN has been a joke for a very long time.  When they started, they showed everything, every type of sport from show jumping to hockey to lacrosse.  Now, it's MLB, NBA, MLS (WTF cares!?!), and NFL with maybe some NASCAR and Indy.

As such, I'll watch something else.  Fuck ESPN.

[jeffandnicole]

If no one cared, the ratings would be zilch and advertisers would be flocking away.  MLS (which I don't watch either) is somehow hugely popular.  As for the rest of the network, yes, it's a sports network, but they're going to cater to what people want. The NHL has a loyal but small following, with many if the players from other countries. NFL has a loyal, large following, that cares about the sport all year long.

ESPN isn't a startup network trying to be something for everyone. They have their nitch, and go after those viewers. At least it isn't as bad as MTV or VH1. At least ESPN is still about sports; just not the ones some of you care about.   

[english si]

MLS (which I don't watch either) is somehow hugely popular.

Perhaps for all those reasons why soccer is the world's most played team sport, and the world's most watched team sport? Even some non-immigrants might see the appeal...

Sure, there's other hold outs where other sports are much bigger (Indian subcontinent and Cricket, for instance), but MLS is a league with the money to get all those aging stars like Gerrard and Lampard - so it might not be the absolute best soccer, but it's still decent soccer, and it airs in the afternoons in America, unlike European matches.

[jeffandnicole]

MLS (which I don't watch either) is somehow hugely popular.

Perhaps for all those reasons why soccer is the world's most played team sport, and the world's most watched team sport? Even some non-immigrants might see the appeal...

But in the US, the stadiums are generally small; along the size of an NBA or NHL arena.  They play few games.  They aren't on TV that much.  But yet, when they are on TV such as during the World Cup, they are immensely popular.  People that I know that would talk NFL 24/7 and never speak a syllable of soccer suddenly become enraged fans.  It's just...I don't know how to describe it - unusual!

[english si]

the stadiums are generally small. They play few games. They aren't on TV that much.

So MLS on ESPN is a rare chance for soccer fans to watch soccer - explains how it is hugely popular...

[okc1]

What gets me is that ESPN adds about $10/month to my cable bill (most of any channel), and there is no way to get cable channels without it.

[ctsignguy]

Years ago, i was working my weekend job with a young man (African) who didnt understand why Americans love American football more than soccer...

I first explained that American football is a microcosm of modern American life (Occasional violence sprinkled with committee meetings)...

then i noted that soccer seems content with what i called a 0-0 or 1-0 snoozefest (which may be why there were so many riots,....so little scoring was going on that the fans had to entertain themselves somehow)...i then noted for him that id they changed the rules (got rid of the off-sides, made the goals a foot wider on each side and a foot taller) then we would have some dandy 9-7 and 6-5 games and Americans love scoring!  He looked at me horrified and exclaimed "But...but...that wouldnt be soccer!"   
My reply "Maybe, but it would be more fun to watch!"   

And yes, i do miss the old Australian Rules Football they used to show.....would rather watch that than all those sports opinion shows! >_<

[english si]

then i noted that soccer seems content with what i called a 0-0 or 1-0 snoozefest

A nil-nil draw can be a snoozefest, or can be epic. There's more to sport than getting points.

And if points was where excitement was, then Twenty20 cricket would be the most loved sport in America with scores in the 100s (and short playing time).

My reply "Maybe, but it would be more fun to watch!"   

Sounds as dull as ditchwater, tbh. What makes soccer exciting is that it takes effort to score.

If it was easy and happened 15 times a game, then its a case of who gives a shit that the ball is in the back of the net.

What you propose sounds like changing Snooker to Pool. They tried, at the height of Snooker's popularity, to make Pool happen as a TV event in the UK, holding a tournament with some famous snooker players and the best pool players. They thought that without the defensive play, pool would be more successful. The snooker players had mostly never played it, but soon found that the smaller table and larger pockets made it pretty easy to beat most of the pool players. Viewers just got bored as balls were potted with a boring inevitability and changed channel. Pool has (20+ years later) never appeared on mainstream UK TV again, whereas Snooker still gets decent coverage.

[nexus73]

Years ago, i was working my weekend job with a young man (African) who didnt understand why Americans love American football more than soccer...

I first explained that American football is a microcosm of modern American life (Occasional violence sprinkled with committee meetings)...

then i noted that soccer seems content with what i called a 0-0 or 1-0 snoozefest (which may be why there were so many riots,....so little scoring was going on that the fans had to entertain themselves somehow)...i then noted for him that id they changed the rules (got rid of the off-sides, made the goals a foot wider on each side and a foot taller) then we would have some dandy 9-7 and 6-5 games and Americans love scoring!  He looked at me horrified and exclaimed "But...but...that wouldnt be soccer!"   
My reply "Maybe, but it would be more fun to watch!"   

And yes, i do miss the old Australian Rules Football they used to show.....would rather watch that than all those sports opinion shows! >_<

I agree with ditching the offsides rule and giving soccer matches a large dose of fast break goals. 

0-0 games when there are two great disciplined defensive teams is also fun to watch.  I really enjoyed Paraguay's D in the 2010 World Cup but they had no chance on O.  Thus a need for the game to evolve just as we saw in the NBA.  Prior to the Pistons winning titles, it was almost always a three digit score for each side.  Detroit showed the world how to play D in an O-oriented game and the result was great in my eyes.  Soccer starts off on the opposite end so they need to have more O come along to offset the defensive orientation and arrive at a more compelling balancing point for play style.

Rick

[SP Cook]

I firmly believe the if you took the amount of time ESPN's Sports Center show and its "sports argument" shows like PTI, ATH, Sports Reporters, etc.  devoted to each sport, the coverage would be about "right" relative to each sport's popularity in the USA.  With one huge exception.  The NBA.  ESPN GROSSLY over-covers the NBA, which, really is not all that popular outside certain demographic groups and is pretty much totally ignored by everyone outside the urban core.

ESPN also, when it can, ignores things that are not ESPN property.  NHL, certain college conferences, golf, etc.

As to soccer, it is laughable to call it "immensely popular" in the USA in any context.  Soccer has been the sport of the next generation.  Four generations and counting.  America ignores it, because it is fundamentally repugnant to everything America is about.   

[I-39]

I firmly believe the if you took the amount of time ESPN's Sports Center show and its "sports argument" shows like PTI, ATH, Sports Reporters, etc.  devoted to each sport, the coverage would be about "right" relative to each sport's popularity in the USA.  With one huge exception.  The NBA.  ESPN GROSSLY over-covers the NBA, which, really is not all that popular outside certain demographic groups and is pretty much totally ignored by everyone outside the urban core.

ESPN also, when it can, ignores things that are not ESPN property.  NHL, certain college conferences, golf, etc.

As to soccer, it is laughable to call it "immensely popular" in the USA in any context.  Soccer has been the sport of the next generation.  Four generations and counting.  America ignores it, because it is fundamentally repugnant to everything America is about.   

ESPN devotes at least 75% of its coverage to NBA and NFL. Seriously, I turn it on and it's all NFL mock draft, Cavs are going to the Finals, LeBron big game, is Tebow going to make the Eagles, what is going on with James Harden, is LeBron going to leave Cleveland again, etc.

[hotdogPi]

I firmly believe the if you took the amount of time ESPN's Sports Center show and its "sports argument" shows like PTI, ATH, Sports Reporters, etc.  devoted to each sport, the coverage would be about "right" relative to each sport's popularity in the USA.  With one huge exception.  The NBA.  ESPN GROSSLY over-covers the NBA, which, really is not all that popular outside certain demographic groups and is pretty much totally ignored by everyone outside the urban core.

ESPN also, when it can, ignores things that are not ESPN property.  NHL, certain college conferences, golf, etc.

As to soccer, it is laughable to call it "immensely popular" in the USA in any context.  Soccer has been the sport of the next generation.  Four generations and counting.  America ignores it, because it is fundamentally repugnant to everything America is about.   

ESPN devotes at least 75% of its coverage to NBA and NFL. Seriously, I turn it on and it's all NFL mock draft, Cavs are going to the Finals, LeBron big game, is Tebow going to make the Eagles, what is going on with James Harden, is LeBron going to leave Cleveland again, etc.

Given that it's about 30% commercials, I don't think that's possible.

[algorerhythms]

I firmly believe the if you took the amount of time ESPN's Sports Center show and its "sports argument" shows like PTI, ATH, Sports Reporters, etc.  devoted to each sport, the coverage would be about "right" relative to each sport's popularity in the USA.  With one huge exception.  The NBA.  ESPN GROSSLY over-covers the NBA, which, really is not all that popular outside certain demographic groups and is pretty much totally ignored by everyone outside the urban core.

ESPN also, when it can, ignores things that are not ESPN property.  NHL, certain college conferences, golf, etc.

As to soccer, it is laughable to call it "immensely popular" in the USA in any context.  Soccer has been the sport of the next generation.  Four generations and counting.  America ignores it, because it is fundamentally repugnant to everything America is about.   

ESPN devotes at least 75% of its coverage to NBA and NFL. Seriously, I turn it on and it's all NFL mock draft, Cavs are going to the Finals, LeBron big game, is Tebow going to make the Eagles, what is going on with James Harden, is LeBron going to leave Cleveland again, etc.

Given that it's about 30% commercials, I don't think that's possible.

Some of the commercials are for the NBA and the NFL.

[tidecat]

If you haven't done so, check out Fox Sports Live, which airs nightly on Fox Sports 1, usually at 11 PM Eastern.  The primary anchors for Fox Sports Live used to host the Canadian version of SportsCenter, so they do cover plenty of hockey.

[formulanone]

I miss the days when ESPN had a real variety of sports, but had almost no MLB, NHL, NBA, and certainly no NFL. Once the more popular sports edged out the (cheaper) fringe programming, that changed. And that makes total sence.

The farcical element is when they devote hours to discussion about "what ifs" and "mock drafts", wasted time on over-analysis and pre-game/series discussion...which dominate the actually interesting-to-watch stuff. It's overtaken things to the point of near-hysteria.

[nexus73]

There was one year ESPN covered Magic: The Gathering and they handled it poorly.  Women's flat track roller derby had one bout from Seattle, where the Rat City Rollers draw over 10K to Key Arena once and then it too disappeared.  Between ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN News and ESPN3 you would think there would be a huge variety of competitive activities being covered.

The one positive I note is the "30 For 30" series.  If you enjoy a dramatically done human interest series of stories about those who are or have been involved with sports, this is must-watch TV.  Check out "The U", which is the story of how the Miami Hurricanes came out of nowhere to become one of the greatest college programs ever.  It was so well-received that some years later a second part was done and it too was a good 'un. 

Rick

[MarcusDoT]

Skip Bayless is the worst.😒

I enjoy seeing Skip Bayless getting roasted by athletes.

My favorite one is him vs. Richard Sherman. 

[jakeroot]

When they started, they showed everything, every type of sport from show jumping to hockey to lacrosse.

The only reason they showed that snooze-worthy programming was because they didn't have any contracts. The original ESPN was a joke.

[jeffandnicole]

the stadiums are generally small. They play few games. They aren't on TV that much.

So MLS on ESPN is a rare chance for soccer fans to watch soccer - explains how it is hugely popular...

Except there are no "hugely popular" MLS games scheduled to be broadcasted on ESPN.  Pertaining to a new contract, there are some games scheduled to be shown on ESPN 2.  And there will be 6 MLS Cup playoff games that can be broadcast on any ESPN network - but that could be ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN 3, ESPN 8 (the "Ocho"...anyone get that reference?), etc...   But as far as the flagship ESPN station goes, there are no guarantees that any game will be shown.