ESPN Has Lost 7 Million Subscribers The Past Two Years

[slorydn1]

I don't think I've watched 50 total hours of programming on ESPN since their final NASCAR broadcast from Homestead-Miami Speedway in November of 2014. My work schedule and advancing age have made it almost impossible to watch an entire Monday Night Football broadcast.

When Dan Patrick left the network the final reason for me to watch SportsCenter left with him. By then I was consuming all of my stats/scores/highlights in other media anyway.

Now that Chris Bermann is gone I see no reason to watch any of their NFL related programming except the game itself, anyway. I don't follow basketball any more, todays players would be spending most of their time in the emergency room if they had to play against the players of the 80's and early 90's (and with that time period's rules too).

I'll watch the Indy 500 Memorial day weekend as it is my tradition to watch all 3 races (F1's Monaco, the Indy 500, and NASCAR's Coke 600) back to back so that'll add 3 more hours to my ESPN total since 2014-still not sure I'll hit 50 hours,lol.

The Indy 500 was on ABC not ESPN, so you didn't have to add to your total.

Well, it is officially ESPN on ABC since ABC did away with their in-house sports division years ago when they merged with ESPN under the Disney umbrella. So my total got added to.

Oh and wow on Clayton getting the axe. Man they are going all out to cut good talent leaving nothing but crap left.

[SP Cook]

Worth noting re: Indy 500, is that the race, on ABC since TV was invented (and, foolishly IMHO, the last sports event AFAIK to have a local blackout) has one more year on the current contract, but the last race ABC has is this weekend's "grand prix" (sic) in Detroit.  After that pretty much everybody there who knows anything about motorsports is fired.  If ABC covers the race next year it will have to use in-house talent with no motorsports background or hire people just for the day.  Remember that when ABC got out of golf it had one more year of the (British) Open and it just sold the rights to NBC. 

My bet is that next year's Indy 500 will be on NBC, with ABC showing "Lebron's Fourth House's Fifth Bathroom Makeover" followed by "White Guilt, Why Everything You Think Is Stupid, And So Are You", and then "NBA Finals, The Preview Of The Preview Of The Pre-Game".

[formulanone]

Worth noting re: Indy 500, is that the race, on ABC since TV was invented (and, foolishly IMHO, the last sports event AFAIK to have a local blackout)

It's one of the strangest examples of a blackout I've ever heard of...from 1951 to 2016. I don't think IMS can truly sell-out upwards of 300,000 seats. It looked about 2/3 full this year. I thought I've heard they used to put it on local tape-delay, but I can't confirm that.

Wouldn't be surprised if NBC Sports network picks up the rest of Indycar, as there's traditionally been a good overlap in the audience between F1 and IndyCar. On the other hand, they'll get much better ratings on the major networks than on the cable outlet (NBC Sports isn't as widespread as Fox Sports or ESPN), so your prediction for NBC is probably correct; ABC got some poor ratings for the 500 this year, despite being a damn good race this year.

They say it was the worst ratings since 1986, which had the excuse of a week-long rain delay that year.

[NWI_Irish96]

Worth noting re: Indy 500, is that the race, on ABC since TV was invented (and, foolishly IMHO, the last sports event AFAIK to have a local blackout)

It's one of the strangest examples of a blackout I've ever heard of...from 1951 to 2016. I don't think IMS can truly sell-out upwards of 300,000 seats. It looked about 2/3 full this year. I thought I've heard they used to put it on local tape-delay, but I can't confirm that.

Wouldn't be surprised if NBC Sports network picks up the rest of Indycar, as there's traditionally been a good overlap in the audience between F1 and IndyCar. On the other hand, they'll get much better ratings on the major networks than on the cable outlet (NBC Sports isn't as widespread as Fox Sports or ESPN), so your prediction for NBC is probably correct; ABC got some poor ratings for the 500 this year, despite being a damn good race this year.

They say it was the worst ratings since 1986, which had the excuse of a week-long rain delay that year.

The blackout used to be state-wide until sometime around the mid-1980's, when it was shrunk to just Indianapolis.  It is shown in Indy later that evening, and gets really good ratings even though everybody already knows who won.  It really is silly.  I have lots of family and some go to the race, the rest don't, and whether or not it's on TV isn't going to change anything.  I went this year and it looked more than 2/3 full to me. 

Personally, I'd like to see FOX and NBC pick up Indy Car since they already have racing staff for NASCAR.  Maybe NBC could do IndyCar while FOX is doing NASCAR and vice versa.

I'd also like to see an agreement between the sports where 5 IndyCar drivers get guaranteed starting spots in the Daytona 500 and 5 NASCAR drivers get guaranteed spots in the Indy 500 with a $1 million prize to the driver of the ten with the best average finish in the two races.  Would be a good boost for both sports.

[bing101]

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/currency/disney-set-launch-direct-consumer-services/167776


Here is an update.

[bing101]

http://www.tvnewscheck.com/mobile/index/link/id/106358

Update

[SP Cook]

I just do not see who this ESPN package is aimed at.

If you like the NBA, and the very few other sports ESPN covers (one NFL game/week, some random baseball but a dozen other channels have it to including your local team on your local regional sports network, NCAA football and basketball, and that is darn near it) the stick with traditional cable or dish.   As long as that form exists, there will be some customers who have it, but watch other channels and thus subsidize you.

[Stephane Dumas]

Does that staff of ESPN enjoy shooting themselves in the foot? Robert Lee, a sportscaster have the same name as a Confederate general was removed from the U-Va broadcast game due to the Charlottesville events.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4815052/ESPN-pulls-sportscaster-Robert-Lee-UVA-game-name.html
but he's reassigned to another game Youngstown State and Pittsburgh.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41022954

Looks like ESPN will be soon beaten by reruns of Gilligan's Island, M*A*S*H, WKRP, Cheers, Friends and Yogi Bear in the ratings....

[jeffandnicole]

Does that staff of ESPN enjoy shooting themselves in the foot? Robert Lee, a sportscaster have the same name as a Confederate general was removed from the U-Va broadcast game due to the Charlottesville events.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4815052/ESPN-pulls-sportscaster-Robert-Lee-UVA-game-name.html
but he's reassigned to another game Youngstown State and Pittsburgh.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41022954

Looks like ESPN will be soon beaten by reruns of Gilligan's Island, M*A*S*H, WKRP, Cheers, Friends and Yogi Bear in the ratings....

I read this first on a clickbait site.  In the comments, someone mentioned that they had access to ESPN's broadcaster schedule, and Robert Lee was never scheduled for this game.  Apparently a website 506sports.com lists all the games and the broadcasters for the game, and Lee had been scheduled for another game since at least last week.  In fact, that particular broadcaster never usually broadcasts UVA games anyway.

In the various reportings of this issue, they never quote anyone specific at ESPN.  It's always written as 'ESPN stated' or 'the collective opinion at ESPN'. 

Of course, it sounds good; there's really no way to prove it one way or the other; and regular, supposed mainstream news outlets loved the story so it got some feet and ran.

[SP Cook]

ABC news (which is the same corporate owner as ESPN) reports the story as fact, so that is about as confirmed as you can get.    Why would Disney lie about its own idiocy?

I note that Sinclair's new sports channel, Stadium TV, is lauching next week.  It will be a "digital sub-channel" (those are the ones  you get with an antenna that are channel number.2, .3 and so on).  It will have a highlight show at 6, 11, and 1 similar to SportsCenter but without the politics.  They could do something with that. 

[The Nature Boy]

ABC news (which is the same corporate owner as ESPN) reports the story as fact, so that is about as confirmed as you can get.    Why would Disney lie about its own idiocy?

I note that Sinclair's new sports channel, Stadium TV, is lauching next week.  It will be a "digital sub-channel" (those are the ones  you get with an antenna that are channel number.2, .3 and so on).  It will have a highlight show at 6, 11, and 1 similar to SportsCenter but without the politics.  They could do something with that.

Disney is a sprawling bureaucracy and I highly doubt that the ABC newsroom has any contact with ESPN. I've worked for organizations where, despite sharing the same parent company, there is VERY little contact between different sub-entities.

I mean, it would probably be easy for them to call ESPN and say, "is this true or not?" but in the age of 24 hour news and social media, waiting to confirm a story isn't in vogue.

[bing101]

Does that staff of ESPN enjoy shooting themselves in the foot? Robert Lee, a sportscaster have the same name as a Confederate general was removed from the U-Va broadcast game due to the Charlottesville events.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4815052/ESPN-pulls-sportscaster-Robert-Lee-UVA-game-name.html
but he's reassigned to another game Youngstown State and Pittsburgh.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41022954

Looks like ESPN will be soon beaten by reruns of Gilligan's Island, M*A*S*H, WKRP, Cheers, Friends and Yogi Bear in the ratings....

http://www.adweek.com/tvspy/wbals-gerry-sandusky-takes-twitter-hate-in-stride/31069


Damn the last time an innocent person got dragged into another person's scandal was because Gerry Sandusky of Hearst Television got bashed for the Penn State Scandal even though Gerry Sandusky worked at Hearst when the Other Sandusky was generating the scandal.

[LM117]

ABC news (which is the same corporate owner as ESPN) reports the story as fact, so that is about as confirmed as you can get.    Why would Disney lie about its own idiocy?

I note that Sinclair's new sports channel, Stadium TV, is lauching next week.  It will be a "digital sub-channel" (those are the ones  you get with an antenna that are channel number.2, .3 and so on).  It will have a highlight show at 6, 11, and 1 similar to SportsCenter but without the politics.  They could do something with that.

Disney is a sprawling bureaucracy and I highly doubt that the ABC newsroom has any contact with ESPN. I've worked for organizations where, despite sharing the same parent company, there is VERY little contact between different sub-entities.

I mean, it would probably be easy for them to call ESPN and say, "is this true or not?" but in the age of 24 hour news and social media, waiting to confirm a story isn't in vogue.

Considering how crazy shit's gotten in this country, it wouldn't surprise me at all if the story is true.

[bing101]

http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/ryen-russilo-arrested-trespassing-espn-1202537461/

Update an ESPN pundit has been detained in Wyoming on Trespassing allegations.

[bing101]

http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/news/ravens-broadcaster-gerry-sandusky-says-removal-of-robert-lee-shows-level-of-epidemic-insanity/mb9oxl2azacw1p3wkhsx448v0

Now Gerry Sandusky responds to the ESPN fiasco over Robert Lee.

[Brandon]

^^ Yeah, this is fucking insane.  What do these twits want these folks to do, change their names?

[nexus73]

On US 199 around Cave Junction, there's a sign for Hiler Lumber.  At a distance, one quick glance would make a passerby think the sign says "Hitler". 

Pro football players with the last names of "Gay" and "Fagg" must have had a hard time akin to the song "A Boy Named Sue" mentioned.

Ima Hogg is a real person.  So is Dick Trickle.

So what's in a name?  Sometimes a lot of laughs!  I still would not want to stick a newborn with an awful name though.  Then we have the case of "John Smith".  So generic!  I knew a guy with that name.  He managed a local bowling alley here many years ago and was quite the nice guy.  Good thing he was a nice guy as can you imagine telling a police officer that your name REALLY is John Smith?

Today we have gone from amusement and grimacing over names to making them political footballs in a real game of football.  Sad!

Rick

 

[bing101]

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/347739-espn-president-defends-pulling-robert-lee-from-football-coverage

Update the President of ESPN responds to the decision over Robert Lee's assignment to the UVA game.

[formulanone]

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/347739-espn-president-defends-pulling-robert-lee-from-football-coverage

Update the President of ESPN responds to the decision over Robert Lee's assignment to the UVA game.

Holy crap, just assign him to one of 50 other games that weekend and be quietly done with it.

[SP Cook]

"Gurerrilla" -  A person who engages in irregular warfare, especially as a member of an independent unit carrying out harassment and sabotage.  From the Spanish, "guerra" (war) thus "guerreo" (warrior) with the ending "illa" making it mean "small", literally "little war" or "little warrior".   First recorded use, 1809, long before the Congo region was explored by Europeans.

"Gorilla" - A large anthropoid ape found in the Congo region.  From "Gorillai", a Greek myth of a tribe of hairy women.  First recorded use, 1847, by biologists naming the newly discovered species. 

"Guerrilla tennis" - War like or tricky tennis.  First known use, 2006 in a Nike ad about Pete Sampras.

"Guerrilla tennis" as applied to Venus Williams by Doug Adler.  Got him fired.

He is suing.  I hope he breaks the bank.

[bing101]

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/347739-espn-president-defends-pulling-robert-lee-from-football-coverage

Update the President of ESPN responds to the decision over Robert Lee's assignment to the UVA game.

Holy crap, just assign him to one of 50 other games that weekend and be quietly done with it.

http://nypost.com/2017/08/24/espn-president-we-were-protecting-robert-lee/
Update the President Says Some more on the Robert Lee issue. COme on here why is an innocent sports pundit even in  a scandal? Let the innocent person be a great sportscaster. Also I can see why CBS, NBC and FOx Sports Nets are all trying to grabb audiences away from ESPN. Plus Twitter, Facebook, Amazon, Hulu and Youtube are all taking audiences away from ESPN.   


Why are we even putting an Innocent person in a scandal? This is exactly like Gerry Sandusky the Baltimore Sports Anchor being dragged into the Penn State Scandal even though Gerry Sandusky has no known connection to Jerry Sandusky formerly of Penn State.

[bing101]

http://www.thedailybeast.com/the-alex-jones-of-sports-just-blew-up-espn

Update this conspiracy over a name is infowars crazy here.

[Takumi]

[bing101]

https://www.mediaite.com/online/fox-sports-clay-travis-robert-lee-fiasco-shows-espn-has-become-a-far-left-wing-network/



Damn now Clay Travis has been named in the article for making the Robert Lee/ ESPN story into Alex Jones type conspiracies.
Post Merge: August 28, 2017, 08:06:58 AM
https://www.outkickthecoverage.com/outkick-crushes-msespn-fox-news-msespn-fires-back/

Damn ESPN is called MSESPN!! 
Post Merge: August 28, 2017, 08:06:56 AM
http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/espn-top-rank-boxing-caa-1202539783/

Update on ESPN and Boxing.

[bing101]

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disney-abc-tv-group-eyes-cost-cuts-staff-restructuring-1034164


Update ABC/Disney will make corporate wide cuts affecting ESPN, ABC, and Disney Channel and they affect staffing cuts.