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The Rise and Fall of ESPN (1 Viewer)

Why though?  He's said three of the dumbest things any sports person has ever said in the last few months.  He clearly doesn't pay attention and is there for his hot takes.
I doubt anyone watches ESPN for real, thought-out analysis; they watch it for hot takes and loud personalities. 

 
At some point it moves past shtick and one truly has to wonder how he keeps his job.  I guess you could make an argument about his connections within the NBA but nowadays everyone has connections as the NBA is trying to be the most aggressive sport and encouraging things to get out there.  But his combativeness style, constant race undertones and just general lack of knowledge in other sports should be enough for him to hit the road.
And people were taking Michelle Beadle to the woodshed for saying she won't/doesn't watch the NFL. :rolleyes:   At least she admitted it, unlike SAS who wings it and give zero c raps about it.

 
https://twitter.com/Sports_Burd/status/1098612906877435905

Stephen A. Smith just completely forgot that Christian McCaffrey was on the Panthers and says they should sign Le’Veon Bell. Then tried to justify it by saying the Panthers don’t have “receivers.” #Panthers

:lmao:
There simply are no words.

I really dont know what to say.  How can one be so incompetent, so abrasive and so mentally challenged and still be rewarded like this.  Does ESPN ever learn?

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2829381-report-stephen-a-smith-to-sign-record-setting-10m-per-year-espn-contract?utm_source=cnn.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=editorial

 
There simply are no words.

I really dont know what to say.  How can one be so incompetent, so abrasive and so mentally challenged and still be rewarded like this.  Does ESPN ever learn?

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2829381-report-stephen-a-smith-to-sign-record-setting-10m-per-year-espn-contract?utm_source=cnn.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=editorial
I came here to post this. 

Are you farging kidding me? How this guy has a job is beyond me and the fact that he's going to get paid that much completely blows my mind. If you thought he was mailing it in before, wait till he has all that cash.

 
ESPN doesnt have a very good track record on giving sensible contracts out.  In fact I can list 5 off the top of my head that completely backfired.
How many of those 5 contracts were after more than a decade with the company and increased in size as their roles and use increased?

 
How many of those 5 contracts were after more than a decade with the company and increased in size as their roles and use increased?
Not sure if they were there for a decade other than Greenberg but...

Greenberg

Beadle

Rose

...are being paid an obscene amount for a show noone watches

 
Some people are just outraged/chagrined/resigned to futility about this no talent ### clown getting rewarded. I don't think anybody is really that surprised.  
Or you know this, but calling everyone surprised and naive makes Capella feel better about himself. 

 
Or you know this, but calling everyone surprised and naive makes Capella feel better about himself. 
Yeah, I won't go to Cappy's motive (and I find him to be a good guy) but it's pretty obvious people are more upset and sorta pissed than surprised by this sadness/madness.  

 
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I came here to post this. 

Are you farging kidding me? How this guy has a job is beyond me and the fact that he's going to get paid that much completely blows my mind. If you thought he was mailing it in before, wait till he has all that cash.
And amazing that a racist such as him could command such a ridiculous amount. 

 
How many of those 5 contracts were after more than a decade with the company and increased in size as their roles and use increased?
Not sure what the length of time with the company has to do with anything but the five ones that jumped in my head.

1. Greenburg - diaster

2. Beadle - complete diaster

3. Hill - Not sure what they were thinking

4. Katie Nolan - they paid her obscene money just to keep her from Fox

5. Michael Irvin

There are many many more but the point is espn has for years if not decades given out dumb contracts and the SAS is just another one.  There is no metric that I can be shown that says he is drawing viewers to the channel or is the most popular in the channels history.

 
Not sure what the length of time with the company has to do with anything but the five ones that jumped in my head.

1. Greenburg - diaster

2. Beadle - complete diaster

3. Hill - Not sure what they were thinking

4. Katie Nolan - they paid her obscene money just to keep her from Fox

5. Michael Irvin

There are many many more but the point is espn has for years if not decades given out dumb contracts and the SAS is just another one.  There is no metric that I can be shown that says he is drawing viewers to the channel or is the most popular in the channels history.
I think what makes this even worse is most of these contracts were given out around the massive layoffs.  And ESPN is still hemorrhaging money.  They might not have enough money to keep the NFL when that contract ends, meaning their only sport will pretty much be the declining NBA.

Not sure if this is true or not, but I had heard a story (can't find any info on it now, so not sure if actually accurate) that when FS1 was getting ready to premiere, ESPN began to not allow their highlight clips to be used by other networks.  This meant that FS1, who was hoping their SportsCenter-type show would be a tent pole, couldn't actually show highlights on their highlight show.  But the other networks retaliated by saying the same thing.  So every network had their sports and no longer shared highlights.  Thus, the death of the highlight show.  So while ESPN was successful in stopping FS1 from competing against their tent pole, they basically cut off their nose to spite their face.

Again, not sure how accurate that is but it kind of makes sense. 

 
John Skipper, the coke head who ran the company into the ground was on the BS podcast and man he seems pretty damn sure of himself that he did a fantastic job.  I cannot believe BS didnt go after him more for firing him and then the layoffs because of his horrific decisions. 

 
ESPN doesnt have a very good track record on giving sensible contracts out.  In fact I can list 5 off the top of my head that completely backfired.
ESPN hands out contracts based off the value the person brings back to the company. I’m sure some haven’t worked out but if they are giving this guy 10M a year it’s because he is worth substantially more to them than that. 

 
Or you know this, but calling everyone surprised and naive makes Capella feel better about himself. 
This entire thread is you goofballs saying how much guys like SAS suck and how worthless they are and then he gets massively paid and now your only response is to toss it all on me?  Don’t hurt yourself on the backtrack, Deion. 

 
This entire thread is you goofballs saying how much guys like SAS suck and how worthless they are and then he gets massively paid and now your only response is to toss it all on me?  Don’t hurt yourself on the backtrack, Deion. 
McDonald's makes a ton of money every year. Doesn't make it fine dining. SAS appeals to the masses who dig his schtick. I don't dig that schtick so I don't get why he's on the air. If ESPN wants to pay him and feel that return is good, then so be it. But don't act like you can guarantee that the contract is worth it to them so you can look down at all of us who don't get it. It was worth it to them to sign Greenberg and all the people on that show. How has that worked out? 

 
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McDonald's makes a ton of money every year. Doesn't make it fine dining. SAS appeals to the masses who dig his schtick. I don't dig that schtick so I don't get why he's on the air. If ESPN wants to pay him and feel that return is good, then so be it. But don't act like you can guarantee that the contract is worth it to them and you can't look down at all of us who don't get it. It was worth it to them to sign Greenberg and all the people on that show. How has that worked out? 
There is no data that says SAS appeals to anyone or that viewers like his shtick.  Its just another bad move by ESPN.



 
There is no data that says SAS appeals to anyone or that viewers like his shtick.  Its just another bad move by ESPN.

Disney, ABC and ESPN are data driven organizations.  They know what and who generate engagement on their various platforms.

I get that you don't care for Smith but his contract indicates that his bosses think otherwise.  It's their money, not yours.

 

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