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The Rise and Fall of ESPN (1 Viewer)

Just one more reason to never turn to this channel outside of live sports...

https://awfulannouncing.com/espn/espn-michael-irvin-stephen-a-smith-first-take-host.html
ESPN is already making changes to the keyshawn  morning show?  Godalmighty

Not sure the dynamic or the demographic they are going for but the handful of times I turned into the show I literally didnt understand about half of what they were saying.  Whether that was from the dialect or the poor speaking habits I just decided that show was just not for me

 
Just one more reason to never turn to this channel outside of live sports...

https://awfulannouncing.com/espn/espn-michael-irvin-stephen-a-smith-first-take-host.html
Obviously I would never watch this program with Irvin as a co-host, but what does ESPN care?  I don't watch Stephen A. Smith now.  They could reanimate James Madison and make him the co-host, and I still wouldn't watch because Stephen A. Smith is insufferable.  

I imagine the kind of person who enjoys Stephen A. Smith is probably the same type of person who enjoys the electrifying wordplay of Michael Irvin.  Can't blame ESPN for catering to their audience. 

 
How about if they teamed Madison with Stephon Marbury for the Madison vs. Marbury Show?
I'm not sure how an Anti-Federalist would feel about that, but you'd have to ask Ivan how far down the Anti-Federalist rabbit hole he goes. I know Ohio State's Brutus would not be happy.

Keyword is "writ of mandamus"

 
IvanKaramazov said:
Obviously I would never watch this program with Irvin as a co-host, but what does ESPN care?  I don't watch Stephen A. Smith now.  They could reanimate James Madison and make him the co-host, and I still wouldn't watch because Stephen A. Smith is insufferable.  

I imagine the kind of person who enjoys Stephen A. Smith is probably the same type of person who enjoys the electrifying wordplay of Michael Irvin.  Can't blame ESPN for catering to their audience. 
Yep, there are plenty of idiots who want the kind of mindless entertainment that buffoons like Screaming A provide.  I cannot imagine even real sports fan tuning into his show for legit sports analysis. 

 
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IvanKaramazov said:
Obviously I would never watch this program with Irvin as a co-host, but what does ESPN care?  I don't watch Stephen A. Smith now.  They could reanimate James Madison and make him the co-host, and I still wouldn't watch because Stephen A. Smith is insufferable. 
One could only hope a reanimated James Madison challenges SAS to a duel. 

 
Why is Max Kellerman deciding to move on at this particular moment? 

-He launched ATH and was terrific on that show, left ESPN in not the best way I felt at the time, ESPN kinda jobbed him IMHO but he carved out his path anyways and I thought it was great he came back to ESPN and gave it some needed credibility.

-First Take though can be pretty boring even with SaS barking out his opinions on there. The show is a cartoon at times.

But there really isn't much decent talk sports talk shows anymore and they fail worse on TV like ESPN...still enjoy a couple of quick minutes with Kornheiser but Mike Wilbon destroys that show and even his buddy Tony looks disgusted sometimes. 

ESPN other than a live sporting event is simply unwatchable and their social stances on everything only fuels some to want to turn it off. 

Quite frankly I'm surprised someone hasn't launched a better sports network by now.

 
Quite frankly I'm surprised someone hasn't launched a better sports network by now.


Fox, NBC, CBS and beIN have tried. Sinclair/Bally are trying now but it's a challenging business that's passed its prime.

Live sports are the tentpole properties but they're extremely expensive and in limited supply. 7/24 is a lot of time and content.  Sports don't lend themselves to reruns so they're stuck with people talking about sports to fill the time.

The need to drive engagement with their channels and websites is why we have personalities like Smith and Bayless and their loud dumb takes.  They generate more clicks than showing old highlight films or trash sports in the daytime.

 
Eephus said:
Fox, NBC, CBS and beIN have tried. Sinclair/Bally are trying now but it's a challenging business that's passed its prime.

Live sports are the tentpole properties but they're extremely expensive and in limited supply. 7/24 is a lot of time and content.  Sports don't lend themselves to reruns so they're stuck with people talking about sports to fill the time.

The need to drive engagement with their channels and websites is why we have personalities like Smith and Bayless and their loud dumb takes.  They generate more clicks than showing old highlight films or trash sports in the daytime.
yea basically. NBC is folding their sports network (I was very surprised by that), FS1 is total garbage, has anybody ever even seen cbs sports network?  Espn would never work if they got started today but they have 40 years of people just being used to flipping them on and I guess that is pretty important. 

I always thought the Skip/Smith stuff was just televised sports radio. I don’t know why anybody watches that stuff but I don’t know why anybody listens to sports radio either. 

 
yea basically. NBC is folding their sports network (I was very surprised by that), FS1 is total garbage, has anybody ever even seen cbs sports network?  Espn would never work if they got started today but they have 40 years of people just being used to flipping them on and I guess that is pretty important. 

I always thought the Skip/Smith stuff was just televised sports radio. I don’t know why anybody watches that stuff but I don’t know why anybody listens to sports radio either. 


Babyarm

 
Seeing that ESPN is in discussions to license its brand name to either Caesars Sportsbook or DraftKings.

I'm kinda surprised Disney would be sideways getting into the casino business. 

 
Seeing that ESPN is in discussions to license its brand name to either Caesars Sportsbook or DraftKings.

I'm kinda surprised Disney would be sideways getting into the casino business. 
I'm not. Disney is currently run by bean counters and if this is what they think will make them the most profit, then it is what they will do. 

 
Seeing that ESPN is in discussions to license its brand name to either Caesars Sportsbook or DraftKings.

I'm kinda surprised Disney would be sideways getting into the casino business. 
I'm not. Disney is currently run by bean counters and if this is what they think will make them the most profit, then it is what they will do. 


There's distance between the Disney and ESPN brands in the public's consciousness. They can do this and cash some chips without damaging the mouse.

 
Just one more reason to never turn to this channel outside of live sports...

https://awfulannouncing.com/espn/espn-michael-irvin-stephen-a-smith-first-take-host.html
Might not even want to do that anymore either after hearing about the high school game they aired last Saturday night between IMG Academy and Bishop Sycamore.

I’ve lived here for the last 20 years and I’ve never heard of Bishop Sycamore.

https://www.google.com/amp/amp.awfulannouncing.com/espn/we-learned-more-about-how-bishop-sycamore-ended-up-playing-on-espn-and-its-only-getting-shadier.html

 
Might not even want to do that anymore either after hearing about the high school game they aired last Saturday night between IMG Academy and Bishop Sycamore.

I’ve lived here for the last 20 years and I’ve never heard of Bishop Sycamore.

https://www.google.com/amp/amp.awfulannouncing.com/espn/we-learned-more-about-how-bishop-sycamore-ended-up-playing-on-espn-and-its-only-getting-shadier.html


The "coach" of BS explaining his thought process and discussions with players to have them play two games in three days was...mind blowing.  He obviously never took English.

 
Was listening to Keyshawn in the morning - he was talking about some team's offense.  Guy said, "They're in the bottom third half of the league."  These guys are just terrible.  Wish l had a dime for every time one of them spouted a double negative. haha

 
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I generally sleep with the TV on in my office.  I watch SportsCenter around 11pm and fall asleep, and most nights it's on until I wake up.  I have the pleasure of waking up to Stephen A. screaming at me.  I have to change the channel to NFL-N for Good Morning Football for my last hour or so of sleep.

I've been trying to turn the TV off at 1-2am when I usually wake up to pee and sleep with no TV on.  I don't sleep well.

But yeah, main point is Stephen A. is absolutely terrible.  And there are a few copycats that are starting to yell just like him.  It's unbearable.  

Also, I have to say this... what is up with the chick that hosts NFL Live?  Laura Rutledge I think.  It looks like she's in a perpetual state of being on the verge of cracking up.  She's kinda hot but she has this weird "I'm about to laugh at something" face going on.  Rant over.

 
I generally sleep with the TV on in my office.  I watch SportsCenter around 11pm and fall asleep, and most nights it's on until I wake up.  I have the pleasure of waking up to Stephen A. screaming at me.  I have to change the channel to NFL-N for Good Morning Football for my last hour or so of sleep.

I've been trying to turn the TV off at 1-2am when I usually wake up to pee and sleep with no TV on.  I don't sleep well.

But yeah, main point is Stephen A. is absolutely terrible.  And there are a few copycats that are starting to yell just like him.  It's unbearable.  

Also, I have to say this... what is up with the chick that hosts NFL Live?  Laura Rutledge I think.  It looks like she's in a perpetual state of being on the verge of cracking up.  She's kinda hot but she has this weird "I'm about to laugh at something" face going on.  Rant over.
I just assumed she was high

 
Sports Business Journal is reporting that ESPN Classic will be shut down at the end of the year.  I had no idea it still existed.

It was kind of cool to see old sport events when it first went on the air but YouTube filled the niche more effectively.

 
Also, I have to say this... what is up with the chick that hosts NFL Live?  Laura Rutledge I think.  It looks like she's in a perpetual state of being on the verge of cracking up.  She's kinda hot but she has this weird "I'm about to laugh at something" face going on.  Rant over.
I just assumed she was high


she's just a shell that has a lizard person inside.

 
Sports Business Journal is reporting that ESPN Classic will be shut down at the end of the year.  I had no idea it still existed.

It was kind of cool to see old sport events when it first went on the air but YouTube filled the niche more effectively.
as long as they dont end my weather channel classic i will be ok take that to the bank brohans

 
Good God.  Stephen A. Smith is purely unwatchable.  The screaming.  What in the actual eff?  Do people actually like his schtick?  I seriously can't believe he's so popular.

I sleep in my office a lot and usually have the TV on all night (on ESPN).  I wake up around 6am or so to him screaming on First Take or whatever that show is called.  I roll over, grab my remote and hit '212' to switch to NFL-N and go back to sleep for an hour.   F U Stephen A.  

 
The RSN model is tanking with the Diamond Sports Group, the parent company of the Bally Sports networks, rumored to be facing bankruptcy. 

Sinclair will be left holding the bag when the market collapses. Hate to see it :rolleyes:
Is that because they are not on many platforms to get income? They are not on dish network. Not sure what cable platforms they are on. They want higher fees but are getting no fees. 

 
Is that because they are not on many platforms to get income? They are not on dish network. Not sure what cable platforms they are on. They want higher fees but are getting no fees. 


They aren't able to negotiate carriage at rates that will cover their debt load. Bally Sports doesn't have enough content for an over the top offering like ESPN+.

A MLB strike would be disastrous for RSNs although not having to pay the teams might be a blessing in disguise.

 
The RSN model is tanking with the Diamond Sports Group, the parent company of the Bally Sports networks, rumored to be facing bankruptcy. 

Sinclair will be left holding the bag when the market collapses. Hate to see it :rolleyes:
Good.

Screw that company. They single handedly ruined local baseball watching. 

 
I helped a ton of people setup DNS unblockers for MLBtv last year.  Bally more or less isn't on any cable outlets here, didn't know they had their icy grip on other areas.  

 
Good God.  Stephen A. Smith is purely unwatchable.  The screaming.  What in the actual eff?  Do people actually like his schtick?  I seriously can't believe he's so popular.

I sleep in my office a lot and usually have the TV on all night (on ESPN).  I wake up around 6am or so to him screaming on First Take or whatever that show is called.  I roll over, grab my remote and hit '212' to switch to NFL-N and go back to sleep for an hour.   F U Stephen A.  


According to noted curmudgeon and all around ahole Jon Feinsten Steve is quite amicable and soft-spoke off-screen.

Which makes his on-screen persona that much worse.  He's a caricature. 

 
I helped a ton of people setup DNS unblockers for MLBtv last year.  Bally more or less isn't on any cable outlets here, didn't know they had their icy grip on other areas.  
I can’t understand how the pro leagues are ok with their teams not being shown in local markets? It’s wild. 

 
I can’t understand how the pro leagues are ok with their teams not being shown in local markets? It’s wild. 


One thing that is lost in the last round of fox stuff was local teams were required to air a certain amount of games over the air (10? 20?), they would usually do the Sunday afternoon games when football season was over, and a random daytime game here or there.  

With that lost there were Rangers fans I know that didn't even watch an inning on TV last year, and the only time they saw the team was in the stadium.  

 
Scott Van Pelt is doing his Bad Beats thing. He's showing the last minute of the N. Iowa/Wyoming tilt, down to even the free throws. Is ESPN this desperate for programming?

It was so annoying that I shut it off. Watching highlights of free throws by a team up six with forty-seven seconds left isn't cute accuracy, it's ####### grating. Bad Beats should be funny, exciting, and good. It's none of the three. Instead it's typical ESPN. Winking at nobody who cares, fat and bloated, co-hosted by a grunter. 

Just a ####### awful network. 

 
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I sleep in my office a lot and usually have the TV on all night (on ESPN).  I wake up around 6am or so to him screaming on First Take or whatever that show is called.  I roll over, grab my remote and hit '212' to switch to NFL-N and go back to sleep for an hour.   F U Stephen A.  
Not judging, but this seems like a horrible way to spend the night. I recommend finding the off button next time.

 
Scott Van Pelt is doing his Bad Beats thing. He's showing the last minute of the N. Iowa/Wyoming tilt, down to even the free throws. Is ESPN this desperate for programming?

It was so annoying that I shut it off. Watching highlights of free throws by a team up six with forty-seven seconds left isn't cute accuracy, it's ####### grating. Bad Beats should be funny, exciting, and good. It's none of the three. Instead it's typical ESPN. Winking at nobody who cares, fat and bloated, co-hosted by a grunter. 

Just a ####### awful network. 


Most sports gamblers I know love SVP and the whole Bad Beats thing.  :shrug:    But yes Steve is really annoying.

 
Most sports gamblers I know love SVP and the whole Bad Beats thing.  :shrug:    But yes Steve is really annoying.
It's a great concept. Last night was just especially annoying in its presentation. It wasn't fun to watch, and it should be great. It often is pretty good. I'd had it. Even ESPN could ruin it. 

 
Getting the Mannings is a pretty big deal I guess.

Color me skeptical about the MNF Megacast but they have the rights and channel capacity. Somebody will watch it.
One of the best things they’ve done in years.  The Manning simulcast is fantastic and much better than the regular broadcast.  It makes me wonder if we will start getting that type of show for other games / sports.  Shaq and Barkley doing an NBA just shooting the #### may be fun. 

 
One of the best things they’ve done in years.  The Manning simulcast is fantastic and much better than the regular broadcast.  It makes me wonder if we will start getting that type of show for other games / sports.  Shaq and Barkley doing an NBA just shooting the #### may be fun. 
TNT used to have that type of show a few seasons ago. It was called Players Only. Just a roundtable of former players watching the games and hearing them chat.

It didn't last too long, because these types of shows are very difficult to execute. You need literally the perfect mix of individuals who can both inform (moderate/carry a show), entertain, and have elite chemistry with each other.

That show didn't last long because they were mixing in and out different players each week, trying to find that Inside the NBA type chemistry. That's why when you find an Ernie/Kenny/Shaq/Chuck, you keep it...for 10+ years as TNT has been.

The Mannings seem to have that type of chemistry. But they'll need more than just the 2. Rotating extras could be good, or better if they can find a stable 3rd or 4th.

And then you need to hope ESPN doesn't screw things up (which they likely will), because they're the type of network that seems to just keep shuffling personnel around for the hell of it.

 
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One of the best things they’ve done in years.  The Manning simulcast is fantastic and much better than the regular broadcast.  It makes me wonder if we will start getting that type of show for other games / sports.  Shaq and Barkley doing an NBA just shooting the #### may be fun. 
Spending 30 minutes with the Mannings and then switch back over the regular broadcast will convince you that sports announcers are mostly just local talk radio sports guys with a little more polish who can say nothing for three hours to fill the dead space.  You know it's bad, but generally ignore it.  Then you see it done better and you can't unhear the awfulness.

 
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It's a great concept. Last night was just especially annoying in its presentation. It wasn't fun to watch, and it should be great. It often is pretty good. I'd had it. Even ESPN could ruin it. 
I’m not sure if it just depends how many good bad beats there were that week, but it’s a pretty inconsistent segment. I enjoy it most of the time, but agree that last night was sort of weird. They showed way too much of that highlight, like it was the beat of the century. Seemed sort of fun of the mill to me 🤨

 
TNT used to have that type of show a few seasons ago. It was called Players Only. Just a roundtable of former players watching the games and hearing them chat.

It didn't last too long, because these types of shows are very difficult to execute. You need literally the perfect mix of individuals who can both inform (moderate/carry a show), entertain, and have elite chemistry with each other.

That show didn't last long because they were mixing in and out different players each week, trying to find that Inside the NBA type chemistry. That's why when you find an Ernie/Kenny/Shaq/Chuck, you keep it...for 10+ years as TNT has been.

The Mannings seem to have that type of chemistry. But they'll need more than just the 2. Rotating extras could be good, or better if they can find a stable 3rd or 4th.

And then you need to hope ESPN doesn't screw things up (which they likely will), because they're the type of network that seems to just keep shuffling personnel around for the hell of it.


Why more than just the two? That in and of itself sounds like messing with something that doesn't need that kind of fixing. In other words, something that ESPN would do...

 
AAABatteries said:
One of the best things they’ve done in years.  The Manning simulcast is fantastic and much better than the regular broadcast.  It makes me wonder if we will start getting that type of show for other games / sports.  Shaq and Barkley doing an NBA just shooting the #### may be fun. 
When ESPN does the CFP championship, I love the channel they have where coaches are analyzing and breaking down game tape as it happens. The Michelle Beadle type with pop culture celebrity in his 13th minute is worthless and can be flushed. 

 

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