The "Complain About ESPN" Thread

Re: The "Complain About ESPN" Thread

I'm happy to say that I don't know who either of those people are. My ESPN avoidance skills are approaching a master's level.

I was surfing coz Mike & Mike are preempted by the women's British Open. I settled on NHL Network which was showing a replay of Toronto's epic game 7 collapse.

[St. Clown]

Re: The "Complain About ESPN" Thread

Wall to wall coverage of Riley Cooper.

"Let's go live to Sal Pal!"





Next channel please...

I'm happy to say that I don't know who either of those people are. My ESPN avoidance skills are approaching a master's level.

Re: The "Complain About ESPN" Thread

Wall to wall coverage of Riley Cooper.

"Let's go live to Sal Pal!"





Next channel please...

[aparch]

Re: The "Complain About ESPN" Thread

I thought Fox Sports was also going to be adding FS2 right out of the gate, but they seem to have cooled from that idea (for right now).

I'm hoping that some of their regional NHL games can get simulcast on FS1. Or, at the very least that "Fox Sports Go" gets a nice app on AppleTV. Right next to WatchESPN.

[joecct]

Re: The "Complain About ESPN" Thread

Another survey, this time from FS1. They wanted my opinion on a bunch of different show ideas and what they should be called. Anything that sounds too much like an ESPN (or TMZ) show I shot down. I also said "a new channel" (since they didn't actually say it was for FS1) should emphasize the NHL and international soccer more. One down note: whoever built the survey still lists the NBCSN as Versus. Based on the show ideas from the survey, I'd say FS1 looks promising.

I just hope they cover all sports, not just the ones they broadcast.

Will we need a "Complain about FS1" thread in 17 days???

Re: The "Complain About ESPN" Thread

Another survey, this time from FS1. They wanted my opinion on a bunch of different show ideas and what they should be called. Anything that sounds too much like an ESPN (or TMZ) show I shot down. I also said "a new channel" (since they didn't actually say it was for FS1) should emphasize the NHL and international soccer more. One down note: whoever built the survey still lists the NBCSN as Versus. Based on the show ideas from the survey, I'd say FS1 looks promising.

[Biddco]

Re: The "Complain About ESPN" Thread

Huge applause erupts from this thread:

http://deadspin.com/espns-july-ratin...-too-967158007

[aparch]

Re: The "Complain About ESPN" Thread

No kidding. Do any of the Yankees vs. Red Sox games get broadcast locally or do they get blacked out because 15/18 of them are on ESPN?

Broadcast exclusivity is for the weekend games only (Fox Saturday, ESPN Sunday Night). Any of the Monday or Wednesday games are also aired by the local station.

[SJHovey]

Re: The "Complain About ESPN" Thread

All true.

One of the reasons we point and laugh though is that they try to position themselves as a national network and these days they're basically NESN that shows up in every house. They don't even cover the west coast teams other than the Lakers.

In addition, there've turned into Entertainment Tonight in a lot of ways. Do Patriot fans even care about Tebow?

My friends and I were talking about this the other day. I actually think they've followed the MTV model. MTV made it's mark showing music videos. They then morphed into this "original programming" network that just peddles a lot of schlock 24/7. ESPN is doing the same thing. About all you get on ESPN anymore is non-stop video versions of talk radio, with a bunch of people screaming at each other over minutiae even the most devout fan cares very little about.

ESPN will always be there, like Microsoft. But FOX is going to cut into their share, and you'll see a larger migration to the more specialized networks like the MLB and NFL networks, etc...

[Dude Love]

Re: The "Complain About ESPN" Thread

One of the reasons we point and laugh though is that they try to position themselves as a national network and these days they're basically NESN that shows up in every house. They don't even cover the west coast teams other than the Lakers.

No kidding. Do any of the Yankees vs. Red Sox games get broadcast locally or do they get blacked out because 15/18 of them are on ESPN?

Re: The "Complain About ESPN" Thread

They care about the ratings. To get strong ratings you appeal
to places where there are a lot of people. The corridors from New England to DC and from San Francisco to San Diego contain over half the country's population. Appeal to them and you have a good chance to get good numbers. Appealing to people in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and the Dakotas is waaaaaaay down the list. It isn't "east coast bias" so much as appealing to places where there are people. If the vast majority of our population lived in the middle of this country you'd see programming aimed at attracting them. I don't think you'll see a lot of differences with the new FS 1

All true.

One of the reasons we point and laugh though is that they try to position themselves as a national network and these days they're basically NESN that shows up in every house. They don't even cover the west coast teams other than the Lakers.

In addition, there've turned into Entertainment Tonight in a lot of ways. Do Patriot fans even care about Tebow?

Maybe they just can't see over the Appalachians...

As a fan of Midwestern sports, why in the world would I tune into daily reports by Sal Pal from Eagles camp, or Jets camp, or Tebow, etc, etc, etc..

How long since the Jets or Eagles were relevant, yet we get seemingly daily reports. I bet ESPN is doing well in the Northeast, which seems to be all they care about.

They care about the ratings. To get strong ratings you appeal
to places where there are a lot of people. The corridors from New England to DC and from San Francisco to San Diego contain over half the country's population. Appeal to them and you have a good chance to get good numbers. Appealing to people in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and the Dakotas is waaaaaaay down the list. It isn't "east coast bias" so much as appealing to places where there are people. If the vast majority of our population lived in the middle of this country you'd see programming aimed at attracting them. I don't think you'll see a lot of differences with the new FS 1

[MountieBoyOz]

Re: The "Complain About ESPN" Thread

Maybe they just can't see over the Appalachians...

As a fan of Midwestern sports, why in the world would I tune into daily reports by Sal Pal from Eagles camp, or Jets camp, or Tebow, etc, etc, etc..

How long since the Jets or Eagles were relevant, yet we get seemingly daily reports. I bet ESPN is doing well in the Northeast, which seems to be all they care about.

I dare someone to bring a "ESPN fears Onrait & O'Toole" sign to an ESPN broadcasted game.

Re: The "Complain About ESPN" Thread

Imagine what will happen if FS1 takes off and you see a massive shift of viewers from Sportscenter to FS1's analogue. Keeping in mind that ESPN just built a $130 million studio for SC. If I'm ESPN, I'm worried. Very worried. Even if FS1 is a flop, there seems to be more and more momentum to challenge their supremacy. This isn't someone trying to edge their way in. This is a series of high profile attempts (with growing frequency) at trying to fill a growing void in quality sports programming.

Then there's the exodus of talent from ESPN and TSN to the direct competitors. I don't know if they've come out and said it, however, I can't help but think it has to do (in part) with the network dictating sensationalistic content.

I'm actually stunned at the choices ESPN is still making. It's almost like they don't understand that they are being laughed at by the vast majority of sports fans.

Maybe they just can't see over the Appalachians...

As a fan of Midwestern sports, why in the world would I tune into daily reports by Sal Pal from Eagles camp, or Jets camp, or Tebow, etc, etc, etc..

How long since the Jets or Eagles were relevant, yet we get seemingly daily reports. I bet ESPN is doing well in the Northeast, which seems to be all they care about.

[MountieBoyOz]

Re: The "Complain About ESPN" Thread

I remember the author of the book about ESPN "These Guys Have All the Fun" said many at ESPN were furious that hockey got axed.