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The Rise and Fall of ESPN (3 Viewers)

Fantastic choice for a Friday news dump.

Friday, start of 4th of July weekend, first day of NBA free agency. \

Any dude who would really be pissed Suzy Kolber got fired is busy as **** this weekend with his family.:lmao:
 
I'd just like to chime in again and say I really don't watch basketball. ESPN's hockey coverage is suspect at best. Sean McDonough? That's who you've got calling your games? The scoldy bald dude?

Forget that.
 
I wonder if ESPN might trade in McShay for Mike Renner.

Renner left PFF, and I feel like he has a good rep among the drafniks. Wanted to post this somewhere in case it come true.
I like Renner, but I don't think he is ESPN material.
What even is ESPN material at this point?
Their two biggest stars are Stephen A and McAfee.

Barstool Sports with live sports sounds like a good idea, even if not my cup of tea.
 
I wonder if ESPN might trade in McShay for Mike Renner.

Renner left PFF, and I feel like he has a good rep among the drafniks. Wanted to post this somewhere in case it come true.
I like Renner, but I don't think he is ESPN material.
What even is ESPN material at this point?
Their two biggest stars are Stephen A and McAfee.

Barstool Sports with live sports sounds like a good idea, even if not my cup of tea.
Isn’t that basically what McAfee is? I know he’s not technically Barstool but he seems to basically have the Barstool approach. Ultimately, the entire financial dynamics of all entertainment are totally messed up right now and the corporations running everything now want to slash costs wherever they can regardless of anything else.
 
I won't go into the Disney "woke" stuff, but I think it's impossible to see these moves without considering the overall economics of Disney corporate, even understanding this is only one heading of that corporation. I THINK the vast majority of people are only watching ESPN for live sports. Other content has to matter a tiny amount, and besides live sports rights they are paying the other content voices (and at least a couple of live sports voices, e.g. Buck and Aikman) exorbitant salaries. Just not sustainable. I wish they were firing other people, just on an ideological basis, but Disney values what they value.
 
Isn’t that basically what McAfee is? I know he’s not technically Barstool but he seems to basically have the Barstool approach
I think so, yes.
Ultimately, the entire financial dynamics of all entertainment are totally messed up right now and the corporations running everything now want to slash costs wherever they can regardless of anything else.
I figure ESPN figures they are better off paying big money to the top top drivers of eyeballs, and filling in elsewhere with fresh, cheap faces. I think there's a good chance they are right.
 
I won't go into the Disney "woke" stuff, but I think it's impossible to see these moves without considering the overall economics of Disney corporate, even understanding this is only one heading of that corporation. I THINK the vast majority of people are only watching ESPN for live sports. Other content has to matter a tiny amount, and besides live sports rights they are paying the other content voices (and at least a couple of live sports voices, e.g. Buck and Aikman) exorbitant salaries. Just not sustainable. I wish they were firing other people, just on an ideological basis, but Disney values what they value.
I would just say this is happening everywhere in entertainment. Warner Discovery to Paramount to Netflix, 2023 has been the year of slashing costs. Corporations finally started to say “hey I thought at some point streaming is supposed to be profitable, right?”. The fact is everyone raced head first into streaming with no real plan to make money, they only had a plan to grow an audience. That idiotic approach is now coming back to bite them in the ***.
 
Isn’t that basically what McAfee is? I know he’s not technically Barstool but he seems to basically have the Barstool approach
I think so, yes.
Ultimately, the entire financial dynamics of all entertainment are totally messed up right now and the corporations running everything now want to slash costs wherever they can regardless of anything else.
I figure ESPN figures they are better off paying big money to the top top drivers of eyeballs, and filling in elsewhere with fresh, cheap faces. I think there's a good chance they are right.
The funny thing is, ESPN is notorious for paying their talent horribly. It’s a running joke in the world of sports entertainment.
 
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I'd just like to chime in again and say I really don't watch basketball. ESPN's hockey coverage is suspect at best. Sean McDonough? That's who you've got calling your games? The scoldy bald dude?

Forget that.
Turner absolutely owns their *** for basketball. Shaq, Charles, Kenny and Ernie are probably the greatest sports talk teams ever assembled. Sometimes I’ll watch them and not even watch the game.
 
I'd just like to chime in again and say I really don't watch basketball. ESPN's hockey coverage is suspect at best. Sean McDonough? That's who you've got calling your games? The scoldy bald dude?

Forget that.
Turner absolutely owns their *** for basketball. Shaq, Charles, Kenny and Ernie are probably the greatest sports talk teams ever assembled. Sometimes I’ll watch them and not even watch the game.
And ESPN has Kendrick Perkins
 
I won't go into the Disney "woke" stuff, but I think it's impossible to see these moves without considering the overall economics of Disney corporate, even understanding this is only one heading of that corporation. I THINK the vast majority of people are only watching ESPN for live sports. Other content has to matter a tiny amount, and besides live sports rights they are paying the other content voices (and at least a couple of live sports voices, e.g. Buck and Aikman) exorbitant salaries. Just not sustainable. I wish they were firing other people, just on an ideological basis, but Disney values what they value.
I would just say this is happening everywhere in entertainment. Warner Discovery to Paramount to Netflix, 2023 has been the year of slashing costs. Corporations finally started to say “hey I thought at some point streaming is supposed to be profitable, right?”. The fact is everyone raced head first into streaming with no real plan to make money, they only had a plan to grow an audience. That idiotic approach is now coming back to bite them in the ***.

Good point. And mix in that Disney's last several movies have not been nearly as successful as they would have hoped.
 
I won't go into the Disney "woke" stuff, but I think it's impossible to see these moves without considering the overall economics of Disney corporate, even understanding this is only one heading of that corporation. I THINK the vast majority of people are only watching ESPN for live sports. Other content has to matter a tiny amount, and besides live sports rights they are paying the other content voices (and at least a couple of live sports voices, e.g. Buck and Aikman) exorbitant salaries. Just not sustainable. I wish they were firing other people, just on an ideological basis, but Disney values what they value.
I would just say this is happening everywhere in entertainment. Warner Discovery to Paramount to Netflix, 2023 has been the year of slashing costs. Corporations finally started to say “hey I thought at some point streaming is supposed to be profitable, right?”. The fact is everyone raced head first into streaming with no real plan to make money, they only had a plan to grow an audience. That idiotic approach is now coming back to bite them in the ***.

Good point. And mix in that Disney's last several movies have not been nearly as successful as they would have hoped.
What? Guardians is like the 2nd biggest film of the year. Over 800 box office I think. I remember reading the little mermaid did well too.
 
I won't go into the Disney "woke" stuff, but I think it's impossible to see these moves without considering the overall economics of Disney corporate, even understanding this is only one heading of that corporation. I THINK the vast majority of people are only watching ESPN for live sports. Other content has to matter a tiny amount, and besides live sports rights they are paying the other content voices (and at least a couple of live sports voices, e.g. Buck and Aikman) exorbitant salaries. Just not sustainable. I wish they were firing other people, just on an ideological basis, but Disney values what they value.
I would just say this is happening everywhere in entertainment. Warner Discovery to Paramount to Netflix, 2023 has been the year of slashing costs. Corporations finally started to say “hey I thought at some point streaming is supposed to be profitable, right?”. The fact is everyone raced head first into streaming with no real plan to make money, they only had a plan to grow an audience. That idiotic approach is now coming back to bite them in the ***.

Good point. And mix in that Disney's last several movies have not been nearly as successful as they would have hoped.
What? Guardians is like the 2nd biggest film of the year. Over 800 box office I think. I remember reading the little mermaid did well too.
Most of the Marvel movies have been disappointing recently, making money but less and less. They aren’t the cash cows they were.
 
I won't go into the Disney "woke" stuff, but I think it's impossible to see these moves without considering the overall economics of Disney corporate, even understanding this is only one heading of that corporation. I THINK the vast majority of people are only watching ESPN for live sports. Other content has to matter a tiny amount, and besides live sports rights they are paying the other content voices (and at least a couple of live sports voices, e.g. Buck and Aikman) exorbitant salaries. Just not sustainable. I wish they were firing other people, just on an ideological basis, but Disney values what they value.
I would just say this is happening everywhere in entertainment. Warner Discovery to Paramount to Netflix, 2023 has been the year of slashing costs. Corporations finally started to say “hey I thought at some point streaming is supposed to be profitable, right?”. The fact is everyone raced head first into streaming with no real plan to make money, they only had a plan to grow an audience. That idiotic approach is now coming back to bite them in the ***.
It’s kind of reminiscent of the beginnings of the internet. In the ‘90s people who should know better were pouring stupid money into any venture with “.com” in its name. Many of these had no coherent business plan.
 
I won't go into the Disney "woke" stuff, but I think it's impossible to see these moves without considering the overall economics of Disney corporate, even understanding this is only one heading of that corporation. I THINK the vast majority of people are only watching ESPN for live sports. Other content has to matter a tiny amount, and besides live sports rights they are paying the other content voices (and at least a couple of live sports voices, e.g. Buck and Aikman) exorbitant salaries. Just not sustainable. I wish they were firing other people, just on an ideological basis, but Disney values what they value.
I would just say this is happening everywhere in entertainment. Warner Discovery to Paramount to Netflix, 2023 has been the year of slashing costs. Corporations finally started to say “hey I thought at some point streaming is supposed to be profitable, right?”. The fact is everyone raced head first into streaming with no real plan to make money, they only had a plan to grow an audience. That idiotic approach is now coming back to bite them in the ***.

Good point. And mix in that Disney's last several movies have not been nearly as successful as they would have hoped.
What? Guardians is like the 2nd biggest film of the year. Over 800 box office I think. I remember reading the little mermaid did well too.
Little mermaid struggling to break even. Still not there yet and probably won't make it. Guardians 3 did well as a movie but not as a marvel movie.
 
I won't go into the Disney "woke" stuff, but I think it's impossible to see these moves without considering the overall economics of Disney corporate, even understanding this is only one heading of that corporation. I THINK the vast majority of people are only watching ESPN for live sports. Other content has to matter a tiny amount, and besides live sports rights they are paying the other content voices (and at least a couple of live sports voices, e.g. Buck and Aikman) exorbitant salaries. Just not sustainable. I wish they were firing other people, just on an ideological basis, but Disney values what they value.
I would just say this is happening everywhere in entertainment. Warner Discovery to Paramount to Netflix, 2023 has been the year of slashing costs. Corporations finally started to say “hey I thought at some point streaming is supposed to be profitable, right?”. The fact is everyone raced head first into streaming with no real plan to make money, they only had a plan to grow an audience. That idiotic approach is now coming back to bite them in the ***.
It’s kind of reminiscent of the beginnings of the internet. In the ‘90s people who should know better were pouring stupid money into any venture with “.com” in its name. Many of these had no coherent business plan.

Hey, look at all the pageviews...that has to be really valuable...wait, how do we make actual revenue off of this?
 
Little mermaid struggling to break even. Still not there yet and probably won't make it.
It’s already grossed over twice its budget. Do filmmakers expect ALL blockbusters to go over a billion now? The pandemic might be sociologically over with, but some of movie-watching trends borne of 2020-21 are still in force.
 
Salary cap.

Maybe some will return at a much lower salary. I mean where else can all of them go and make decent money talking sports?

If Suzy Kolber or whoever were making 2 million a year and they offered her 500 grand I think she and whoever would take it. Heck they might take it for 250K plus expenses.
 
I won't go into the Disney "woke" stuff, but I think it's impossible to see these moves without considering the overall economics of Disney corporate, even understanding this is only one heading of that corporation. I THINK the vast majority of people are only watching ESPN for live sports. Other content has to matter a tiny amount, and besides live sports rights they are paying the other content voices (and at least a couple of live sports voices, e.g. Buck and Aikman) exorbitant salaries. Just not sustainable. I wish they were firing other people, just on an ideological basis, but Disney values what they value.
I would just say this is happening everywhere in entertainment. Warner Discovery to Paramount to Netflix, 2023 has been the year of slashing costs. Corporations finally started to say “hey I thought at some point streaming is supposed to be profitable, right?”. The fact is everyone raced head first into streaming with no real plan to make money, they only had a plan to grow an audience. That idiotic approach is now coming back to bite them in the ***.

Good point. And mix in that Disney's last several movies have not been nearly as successful as they would have hoped.
What? Guardians is like the 2nd biggest film of the year. Over 800 box office I think. I remember reading the little mermaid did well too.
Little mermaid struggling to break even. Still not there yet and probably won't make it. Guardians 3 did well as a movie but not as a marvel movie.
It’s made half a billion. No way is that break even.
 
They are far better off developing cheap, new talent...no one is tuning in for most of these "big names"...it was a different time but in the heyday of ESPN most of their biggest stars were nobodies when they started there, and they developed their own distinct style and they kept it to sports or pop culture references...no need to outthink yourself...it is not an overly difficult formula.
 
Little mermaid struggling to break even. Still not there yet and probably won't make it.
It’s already grossed over twice its budget. Do filmmakers expect ALL blockbusters to go over a billion now? The pandemic might be sociologically over with, but some of movie-watching trends borne of 2020-21 are still in force.
I bet it’s marketing budget was equivalent to the cost of the movie itself.
 
I won't go into the Disney "woke" stuff, but I think it's impossible to see these moves without considering the overall economics of Disney corporate, even understanding this is only one heading of that corporation. I THINK the vast majority of people are only watching ESPN for live sports. Other content has to matter a tiny amount, and besides live sports rights they are paying the other content voices (and at least a couple of live sports voices, e.g. Buck and Aikman) exorbitant salaries. Just not sustainable. I wish they were firing other people, just on an ideological basis, but Disney values what they value.
I would just say this is happening everywhere in entertainment. Warner Discovery to Paramount to Netflix, 2023 has been the year of slashing costs. Corporations finally started to say “hey I thought at some point streaming is supposed to be profitable, right?”. The fact is everyone raced head first into streaming with no real plan to make money, they only had a plan to grow an audience. That idiotic approach is now coming back to bite them in the ***.

Good point. And mix in that Disney's last several movies have not been nearly as successful as they would have hoped.
What? Guardians is like the 2nd biggest film of the year. Over 800 box office I think. I remember reading the little mermaid did well too.
Little mermaid struggling to break even. Still not there yet and probably won't make it. Guardians 3 did well as a movie but not as a marvel movie.
It’s made half a billion. No way is that break even.
Which is like half of what they expected. It’s a not a good sign for future investments in these live action movies. Just like how recent Marvel dips indicate that future investment in Marvel won’t have the expected returns. The market is all about future expectations and it looks rough right now.
 
I won't go into the Disney "woke" stuff, but I think it's impossible to see these moves without considering the overall economics of Disney corporate, even understanding this is only one heading of that corporation. I THINK the vast majority of people are only watching ESPN for live sports. Other content has to matter a tiny amount, and besides live sports rights they are paying the other content voices (and at least a couple of live sports voices, e.g. Buck and Aikman) exorbitant salaries. Just not sustainable. I wish they were firing other people, just on an ideological basis, but Disney values what they value.
I would just say this is happening everywhere in entertainment. Warner Discovery to Paramount to Netflix, 2023 has been the year of slashing costs. Corporations finally started to say “hey I thought at some point streaming is supposed to be profitable, right?”. The fact is everyone raced head first into streaming with no real plan to make money, they only had a plan to grow an audience. That idiotic approach is now coming back to bite them in the ***.

Good point. And mix in that Disney's last several movies have not been nearly as successful as they would have hoped.
What? Guardians is like the 2nd biggest film of the year. Over 800 box office I think. I remember reading the little mermaid did well too.
Little mermaid struggling to break even. Still not there yet and probably won't make it. Guardians 3 did well as a movie but not as a marvel movie.
It’s made half a billion. No way is that break even.
Which is like half of what they expected. It’s a not a good sign for future investments in these live action movies. Just like how recent Marvel dips indicate that future investment in Marvel won’t have the expected returns. The market is all about future expectations and it looks rough right now.
I don’t disagree there but the whole movie industry needs to recalibrate expectations. People aren’t gonna go back like they used to.

Except the new Indiana Jones movie. I can’t find 5 seats together today and I live near a LOT of theaters.
 
I won't go into the Disney "woke" stuff, but I think it's impossible to see these moves without considering the overall economics of Disney corporate, even understanding this is only one heading of that corporation. I THINK the vast majority of people are only watching ESPN for live sports. Other content has to matter a tiny amount, and besides live sports rights they are paying the other content voices (and at least a couple of live sports voices, e.g. Buck and Aikman) exorbitant salaries. Just not sustainable. I wish they were firing other people, just on an ideological basis, but Disney values what they value.
I would just say this is happening everywhere in entertainment. Warner Discovery to Paramount to Netflix, 2023 has been the year of slashing costs. Corporations finally started to say “hey I thought at some point streaming is supposed to be profitable, right?”. The fact is everyone raced head first into streaming with no real plan to make money, they only had a plan to grow an audience. That idiotic approach is now coming back to bite them in the ***.

Good point. And mix in that Disney's last several movies have not been nearly as successful as they would have hoped.
What? Guardians is like the 2nd biggest film of the year. Over 800 box office I think. I remember reading the little mermaid did well too.
Little mermaid struggling to break even. Still not there yet and probably won't make it. Guardians 3 did well as a movie but not as a marvel movie.
It’s made half a billion. No way is that break even.
Which is like half of what they expected. It’s a not a good sign for future investments in these live action movies. Just like how recent Marvel dips indicate that future investment in Marvel won’t have the expected returns. The market is all about future expectations and it looks rough right now.
I don’t disagree there but the whole movie industry needs to recalibrate expectations. People aren’t gonna go back like they used to.

Except the new Indiana Jones movie. I can’t find 5 seats together today and I live near a LOT of theaters.
And the story around Indy is that it’s a lukewarm opening- not what they hoped for. Absolutely expectations and spending need to be readjusted.
 
I won't go into the Disney "woke" stuff, but I think it's impossible to see these moves without considering the overall economics of Disney corporate, even understanding this is only one heading of that corporation. I THINK the vast majority of people are only watching ESPN for live sports. Other content has to matter a tiny amount, and besides live sports rights they are paying the other content voices (and at least a couple of live sports voices, e.g. Buck and Aikman) exorbitant salaries. Just not sustainable. I wish they were firing other people, just on an ideological basis, but Disney values what they value.
I would just say this is happening everywhere in entertainment. Warner Discovery to Paramount to Netflix, 2023 has been the year of slashing costs. Corporations finally started to say “hey I thought at some point streaming is supposed to be profitable, right?”. The fact is everyone raced head first into streaming with no real plan to make money, they only had a plan to grow an audience. That idiotic approach is now coming back to bite them in the ***.

Good point. And mix in that Disney's last several movies have not been nearly as successful as they would have hoped.
What? Guardians is like the 2nd biggest film of the year. Over 800 box office I think. I remember reading the little mermaid did well too.

Their movies can be considered successful in general and still fall short (in some cases well short) of Disney's hopes/expectations.
 
I won't go into the Disney "woke" stuff, but I think it's impossible to see these moves without considering the overall economics of Disney corporate, even understanding this is only one heading of that corporation. I THINK the vast majority of people are only watching ESPN for live sports. Other content has to matter a tiny amount, and besides live sports rights they are paying the other content voices (and at least a couple of live sports voices, e.g. Buck and Aikman) exorbitant salaries. Just not sustainable. I wish they were firing other people, just on an ideological basis, but Disney values what they value.
I would just say this is happening everywhere in entertainment. Warner Discovery to Paramount to Netflix, 2023 has been the year of slashing costs. Corporations finally started to say “hey I thought at some point streaming is supposed to be profitable, right?”. The fact is everyone raced head first into streaming with no real plan to make money, they only had a plan to grow an audience. That idiotic approach is now coming back to bite them in the ***.

Good point. And mix in that Disney's last several movies have not been nearly as successful as they would have hoped.
What? Guardians is like the 2nd biggest film of the year. Over 800 box office I think. I remember reading the little mermaid did well too.
Most of the Marvel movies have been disappointing recently, making money but less and less. They aren’t the cash cows they were.

And don't even start about how they killed star wars
 
I won't go into the Disney "woke" stuff, but I think it's impossible to see these moves without considering the overall economics of Disney corporate, even understanding this is only one heading of that corporation. I THINK the vast majority of people are only watching ESPN for live sports. Other content has to matter a tiny amount, and besides live sports rights they are paying the other content voices (and at least a couple of live sports voices, e.g. Buck and Aikman) exorbitant salaries. Just not sustainable. I wish they were firing other people, just on an ideological basis, but Disney values what they value.
Basically every other part of Disney is seeing cuts; the fact that Grim Squeaker came for ESPN is no surprise. Lucasfilm is the only one left untouched; their hour is coming sooner rather than later.
 
I won't go into the Disney "woke" stuff, but I think it's impossible to see these moves without considering the overall economics of Disney corporate, even understanding this is only one heading of that corporation. I THINK the vast majority of people are only watching ESPN for live sports. Other content has to matter a tiny amount, and besides live sports rights they are paying the other content voices (and at least a couple of live sports voices, e.g. Buck and Aikman) exorbitant salaries. Just not sustainable. I wish they were firing other people, just on an ideological basis, but Disney values what they value.
I would just say this is happening everywhere in entertainment. Warner Discovery to Paramount to Netflix, 2023 has been the year of slashing costs. Corporations finally started to say “hey I thought at some point streaming is supposed to be profitable, right?”. The fact is everyone raced head first into streaming with no real plan to make money, they only had a plan to grow an audience. That idiotic approach is now coming back to bite them in the ***.

Good point. And mix in that Disney's last several movies have not been nearly as successful as they would have hoped.
What? Guardians is like the 2nd biggest film of the year. Over 800 box office I think. I remember reading the little mermaid did well too.
You might want to watch this video GB. Since this time last year, the Mouse has lost about $900 million. With the bomb that will be Indy 5, that figure will leap over a BILLION easily. Guardians only did well due to good will with the franchise, and even at that still underperformed. Disney has been pumping out :poop: for the last year and no one is going to see it.
 
I won't go into the Disney "woke" stuff, but I think it's impossible to see these moves without considering the overall economics of Disney corporate, even understanding this is only one heading of that corporation. I THINK the vast majority of people are only watching ESPN for live sports. Other content has to matter a tiny amount, and besides live sports rights they are paying the other content voices (and at least a couple of live sports voices, e.g. Buck and Aikman) exorbitant salaries. Just not sustainable. I wish they were firing other people, just on an ideological basis, but Disney values what they value.
I would just say this is happening everywhere in entertainment. Warner Discovery to Paramount to Netflix, 2023 has been the year of slashing costs. Corporations finally started to say “hey I thought at some point streaming is supposed to be profitable, right?”. The fact is everyone raced head first into streaming with no real plan to make money, they only had a plan to grow an audience. That idiotic approach is now coming back to bite them in the ***.

Good point. And mix in that Disney's last several movies have not been nearly as successful as they would have hoped.
What? Guardians is like the 2nd biggest film of the year. Over 800 box office I think. I remember reading the little mermaid did well too.
Most of the Marvel movies have been disappointing recently, making money but less and less. They aren’t the cash cows they were.

And don't even start about how they killed star wars
There’s only 3 Star Wars movies as far as I’m concerned. I saw Phantom Menace and like Kramer said, “I’m out!”
 
Little mermaid struggling to break even. Still not there yet and probably won't make it.
It’s already grossed over twice its budget. Do filmmakers expect ALL blockbusters to go over a billion now? The pandemic might be sociologically over with, but some of movie-watching trends borne of 2020-21 are still in force.
The budget is half the cost. Marketing and theater take also factor in. They need about $750-800m to break even.
 
Positive side effective is hopefully studios get more creative and abandoned the cookie cutter approach they have been depending on for the last decade. In the end it will probably just be more people replaced with AI.
 

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