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mugtang

ESPN is laying off 100 employees today

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25 minutes ago, halfmanhalfbronco said:

McMurphy never worked in Boise.  You are thinking of Brian Murphy.  

Yeah Brett McMurphy is a very good national CFB writer. Lots of really talented folks are losing their jobs. Hate ESPN but still sucks for good sports reporting. Hoping they land somewhere good.

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24 minutes ago, SFtoVA said:

This is just the bubble blowing up. I think ESPN losing their clout will be a win for fans in general.

I don't necessarily disagree but how so?

Boom goes the dynamite.

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This is not the bubble bursting.  You're going to have to wait until at least 2021 for that.  When the ESPN's MLB and NFL deals is up.  Then we will be talking real money.

In the beginning the Universe was created.
This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move.

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Surprised about Jayson Stark and also Danny Kannell since they in the last year put him to replace Russillo's role on the talkd show. I think some of the writers and such will go back to what they were doing before but I think some are going to get picked up by probably FOX who seems to be signing many former ESPN people...maybe some will end up with NBC Sports or Comcast. Some I really don't think will be unemployed for long.

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34 minutes ago, RSF said:

This is not the bubble bursting.  You're going to have to wait until at least 2021 for that.  When the ESPN's MLB and NFL deals is up.  Then we will be talking real money.

I don't know.  Baseball ratings were already on the decline when 2012 when the TV contracts were up--that didn't stop them from getting a 100% increase in rights fees.  And the MLB demographic is one of the oldest in sports...expecting them to get another silly deal.

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15 minutes ago, WAC_FAN said:

I don't know.  Baseball ratings were already on the decline when 2012 when the TV contracts were up--that didn't stop them from getting a 100% increase in rights fees.  And the MLB demographic is one of the oldest in sports...expecting them to get another silly deal.

That's why I said 'at least'.   The ratings arent an issue (and they've been trending up anyways)..  And 2012 was before ESPN renegotiated its carriage agreements...which is the REAL reason ESPN has lost so many subscribers.  Not cord cutting, not liberal bias.  Simple greed.  ESPN was so focused on getting a specific subscription rate that they were willing the relax the rules on what tiers ESPN had to be on.  And shot themselves in the foot in the process.  Between that and ESPN throwing big money (in some cases, overpaying) at big properties, and you get where we are today.

 

 

These layoffs are window dressing, btw.  Relative chump change.  This is ESPN showing the bean counters at Disney and the stockholders that they are doing something.  Eveybody's freaking because The Worldwide Leader is only making 2 gazillion a year in profit  instead of 3.  In their last quarter Disney cable earnings fell 11%...to 860 million.  But revenue only fell 2 percent.  

 

ESPN's ability to evolve with modern technology (a process well underway) and to slow the growth of rights fees (which does not necessarily mean reducing them) will be the big battles.  And both of those are long term.

In the beginning the Universe was created.
This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move.

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2 minutes ago, BackthePack said:

How long will it be before we hear Netflix and/or Amazon will start streaming live sports?

A year ago....Twitter streamed NFL Thursday Night games last year, and Amazon will do it this year.

In the beginning the Universe was created.
This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move.

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31 minutes ago, RSF said:

That's why I said 'at least'.   The ratings arent an issue (and they've been trending up anyways)..  And 2012 was before ESPN renegotiated its carriage agreements...which is the REAL reason ESPN has lost so many subscribers.  Not cord cutting, not liberal bias.  Simple greed.  ESPN was so focused on getting a specific subscription rate that they were willing the relax the rules on what tiers ESPN had to be on.  And shot themselves in the foot in the process.  Between that and ESPN throwing big money (in some cases, overpaying) at big properties, and you get where we are today.

 

 

These layoffs are window dressing, btw.  Relative chump change.  This is ESPN showing the bean counters at Disney and the stockholders that they are doing something.  Eveybody's freaking because The Worldwide Leader is only making 2 gazillion a year in profit  instead of 3.  In their last quarter Disney cable earnings fell 11%...to 860 million.  But revenue only fell 2 percent.  

 

ESPN's ability to evolve with modern technology (a process well underway) and to slow the growth of rights fees (which does not necessarily mean reducing them) will be the big battles.  And both of those are long term.

How long have you been working at ESPN? Times are changing, ESPN should recognize that and try to get ahead of the game.

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10 minutes ago, SFtoVA said:

How long have you been working at ESPN? Times are changing, ESPN should recognize that and try to get ahead of the game.

 

 

Which part are you disputing?  Because I believe I said they are already doing that, and the rest is all public knowledge for people who interested enough in seeking it out.

In the beginning the Universe was created.
This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move.

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2 minutes ago, RSF said:

 

 

Which part are you disputing?

I don't think I'm disputing any part of that really. It sounds like you think ESPN is in trouble come 2021, I think they are in trouble now. I think the game has changed and I question if they'll b able to keep up.

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8 minutes ago, RSF said:

 

 

Which part are you disputing?  Because I believe I said they are already doing that, and the rest is all public knowledge for people who interested enough in seeking it out.

Sorry, post changed before I replied. I don't think ESPN is doing what they could/should. Maybe that will change, maybe not. I'm guessing not, and that ultimately it'll be a good thing for fans.

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26 minutes ago, SFtoVA said:

I don't think I'm disputing any part of that really. It sounds like you think ESPN is in trouble come 2021, I think they are in trouble now. I think the game has changed and I question if they'll b able to keep up.

I think ESPN has issues to deal with in the future, and those issues will not be solved overnight.  But a company that makes 2 billion a year in profits but sees dark times ahead is in trouble if they ignore those dark times and dont do something different.  And they are, but that takes time, and there are no guarantees.  I can stream ESPN to my TV right now.  Eventually that will be the norm.  But that day is not here yet.  The companies that are truly in trouble are not the content providers but the distributors.  They can be cut out completely.  Maybe the TV networks in general (not just ESPN by any stretch) can be as well....which is why they are all attempting to evolve.  People talk about Netflix/Amazon/Twitter streaming live sports.  That's where ESPN is headed with ESPN3.  And the Hulus of the world as well.  Will they get there?  Who knows.  Working to their advantage are two things - and both are related to money.  The sports leagues are, in all likelihood, never going to want to invest the money required to be their own distributor/providers.  They'll take their fees and be happy.  And while ESPN may be behind the curve to Netflix and Amazon (arguable, but I'll stipulate) but they are even or ahead of their current competition (the networks).  ESPN3 vs FoxSports2Go isnt currently a contest.  And they have the money to invest to catch up and get ahead of those that may seek to replace them.  And the time.

 

 

But their bigger problem - they be spending too much money - they're stuck with that one for now.  Rights fees are a big nut.  And yes, 2021 is when they can start doing something about that.  And not before.  In the meantime, we get today's window dressing.  You dont hear Fox having these problems? Why?  They have fewer money in rights fees.  Disney spends 1.9 billion a year for NFL rights.  Fox spends 1.1 for a lot more content.  ESPN spends 1.5 billion for the NBA.  Fox spends less (thru local rights) for a lot more content.

In the beginning the Universe was created.
This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move.

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Jayson Stark really surprised me. They also gutted all of their NHL writers, which isn't really a surprise. 

Now we need for the NCAA to add in another coach, and we can hire Trent Dilfer as a QB coach. ;) 

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I get all my sports news from the mwcboard.

“Science is the belief in the ignorance of experts.”

-Richard Feynman

"When buying and selling are controlled by legislation, the first things to be bought and sold are legislators."

-P.J. O’Rourke

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