ESPN in financial trouble?

[badger]

Oh, where to begin...

Disney is forcing ESPN to cut $100 million from its budget next year and a staggering $250 million from its budget in 2017.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/early-lead/wp/2015/07/10/disney-is-making-espn-do-some-serious-cost-cutting/

This is fresh off news that cable cutters (like me!) have caused ESPN to loses 3.2 million subscribers in “a little over a year.”
http://www.wsj.com/articles/espn-tightens-its-belt-as-pressure-on-it-mounts-1436485852

So, Bill Simmons getting let go was just the beginning. Colin Cowherd and Keith Olbermann are also on the outs...
http://thebiglead.com/2015/07/09/espn-has-reportedly-lost-3-2-million-cable-subscribers-in-past-year/

As, of course, also were coach commentators like Lou Holtz and Bobby Knight.

Soooo... SF.com... where does ESPN come up with $100 million next year and $250 million the year after to cut? TV deals are likely a non-stater, because they're longterm and already signed, so don't bother mentioning the conference/Texas deals. Here's my ideas:

1- Less projects that don't generate revenue. Bye bye ESPYs, Grantland, FiveEightThirty, 30 for 30
2- Less talking heads that don't generate ratings by themselves. No longer will ESPN hire the fired and retired coaches on name recognition alone
3- Less live on-site reporting and more studio commentary. They may do ESPN College Gameday for FB and MBB still, but expect far less away location sets, especially during the offseason.

In case anyone is worried about Big 12 and OU revenue, remember that our tier 3 rights are through Fox, and current conference TV deals last through 2025 with both Fox and ESPN:
http://www.kansascity.com/sports/college/article437058/Big-money-headed-to-Big-12-SEC-schools-thanks-to-giant-revenue-distribution.html

If we are to see any change in TV in the coming decade, I would suspect it would be with the means we watch --- streaming services may be forthcoming with so many cable cutters (LIKE ME!) already pledging allegiance to their wallets, rather than Longhorn Network forced subscriptions :mad:

Please discuss! This offseason's killing me

[swardboy]

After what they are trying to cram down our throats culturally, sayanora is all I have to say. They've overstepped their mission and there will always be someone to fill the gap.

[BoulderSooner79]

Hasn't Fox Sports also had to cut budgets? I'm sure they face the same problem with the shift away from cable providers. Ultimately, content must be paid for and these sports providers must adapt to this new level of competition.

[badger]

After what they are trying to cram down our throats culturally, sayanora is all I have to say
It was definitely eye roll worthy to watch them bash the sport of football most of the week, then FOOTBALL FOOTBALL FOOTBALL on gameday, whether it be concussions, arrests, domestic violence incidents, etc. The hypocritical critique is strong at ESPN.


Hasn't Fox Sports also had to cut budgets?
From late last month:

Awful Announcing has learned through multiple sources that Fox Sports 1 is making cuts to its news operation. The news updates that regularly air on Fox Sports 1 during commercial breaks will be folded into the At the Buzzer online brand and most significantly, some personnel at the newsdesk and producers will be let go.

Fox Sports released this statement to Awful Announcing:

“The consumption of news and information is constantly evolving and we are shifting to a digital/mobile-first strategy under our successful @TheBuzzer brand to reflect changing consumer habits. As a result, in an effort to reduce expenses and increase efficiency, we are aligning our staffing to better meet our new programming needs and viewer’s consumption habits.”

We’ve also learned that Fox Sports 1 is planning on cutting back on live reporting for events it doesn’t have the rights to air and pundits and reporters will be doing much less traveling as a part of these moves. One source inside Fox Sports described the atmosphere on Friday once the news began to spread of the restructuring as chaotic.
http://awfulannouncing.com/2015/fox-sports-1-is-cutting-back-its-television-news-operation.html

Sports was an arms race and it looks like opponents are shooting themselves instead of each other. ESPN drove the price up, thinking others could never match their revenue, and now their own revenue is falling.

ESPN has been very annoying in the past several years, if not earlier. All of those "As Seen On TV" ads during commercial breaks, talking heads that would scream at you until the next commercial break, OTL reporting on how sports is bigger than sports with touching piano music... gaaaah make it stop

[dwarthog]

Getting rid of Berman would help their budget woes quite a bit.

[Curly Bill]

Being more about sports and less about sports propaganda would help their cause with me.

[SoonerorLater]

I think everybody would have to agree that Caitlyn Jenner's acceptance speech at the ESPY's was truly inspirational. This is the type of programming that could be lost forever if ESPN takes an ax to their budget.

[Tear Down This Wall]

Hmmm. Guess Longhorn Network isn't doing them much good either. Go figure.

[Tear Down This Wall]

Being more about sports and less about sports propaganda would help their cause with me.

Bingo! It's quickly becoming like Oprah Sports Network. They should just be honest, change their name to OSPN, and be done with it.

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

I think you'll see them go back to some of the crazy profitable sports that they've let go over the years in favor of higher revenue sports. They had something like an 80% profit margin on horse racing, bowling, and billiards. I doubt whether they'll be able to get that again, but it is better than their marginal profits on the NBA.

[Curly Bill]

I think you'll see them go back to some of the crazy profitable sports that they've let go over the years in favor of higher revenue sports. They had something like an 80% profit margin on horse racing, bowling, and billiards. I doubt whether they'll be able to get that again, but it is better than their marginal profits on the NBA.

They need to let TNT have the NBA. After watching Barkley and the gang do their NBA games, having to watch ESPN do theirs is a big letdown.

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

I think everybody would have to agree that Caitlyn Jenner's acceptance speech at the ESPY's was truly inspirational. This is the type of programming that could be lost forever if ESPN takes an ax to their budget.kudos!

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

The makes me twitchy Erin Andrews was smart to jump to FOX when she did.

[ObiKaTony]

Fox is gaining with viewers and money. Espn is a joke

[KantoSooner]

Agreed but, for the sake of all that's holy, can someone shoot all the current fox sports cameramen, editors and producers? How many times must we endure the elementary school level video they shovel out?

[Sooner95]

Fox can support itself with regular sitcom/tv shows, so that has to help I'd think.

ESPN has gotten bloated, I can't tell you the last time I actually sat down and watched an entire Sport Center run. To much garbage and to many ads.

Shows like Mike & Mike, their ad placement is so predictable it's funny, most of the talk shows, just hard to watch, no flow, interviews are so quick you hardly get anything out of them anymore.

They should go back to showing re-runs of previous sporting events or something..to many shows on this and that.

How many shows can you have on evaluating college football?? Or the breakdown of the top 48 cornerbacks in the NFL...

[Sooner95]

And Colin leaving is a pretty big move indeed. Large hole to fill during that time-slot not just for TV but Radio actually.

Does anyone actually think Mike & Mike makes it another 2 yrs? I do not. I've always gotten the impression that both hosts have nearly run their course and they'd like to move on to something else.

[Curly Bill]

And Colin leaving is a pretty big move indeed. Large hole to fill during that time-slot not just for TV but Radio actually.

Does anyone actually think Mike & Mike makes it another 2 yrs? I do not. I've always gotten the impression that both hosts have nearly run their course and they'd like to move on to something else.

Those two give me tired head. The big guy doesn't have the IQ to pull off some of the crap he tries to be all high-minded about, and the little one I expect to go all Bruce Jenner one of these days - he's such a pansy!

[SoonerorLater]

Just tell me that somehow, someway, in all of this cost cutting, that gasbag Skip Bayless and his partner George Jefferson get shown the door and end up on one of those Fox directional sports channels.

[Curly Bill]

Just tell me that somehow, someway, in all of this cost cutting, that gasbag Skip Bayless and his partner George Jefferson get shown the door and end up on one of those Fox directional sports channels.

Skip Bayless could be the biggest and most worthless windbag in all of sports. I detest that guy!

[Sooner95]

haha George Jefferson! Classic.

That's just it, those are the kinds of shows I believe they simply have to many of.

[Therealsouthsider]

....screw ESPN, they can go the way of MTV

ss

[Mazeppa]

Other than college football there's nothing else I watch on espn, maybe i'm not alone.

[Breadburner]

ESPN sucks and has for awhile.....

[BoulderSooner79]

Other than college football there's nothing else I watch on espn, maybe i'm not alone.

You're not alone. I used to watch ESPN pretty often and now it is a rarity - almost never outside CFB season. I don't hate them or anything, I've just slowly lost interest I guess.

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

I suffer mild anger when I see Keith Olberhimler's name on the tv schedule. What a Leftist douc*e!

[Boomer.....]

The 9 Bullet Points of Doom for ESPN (https://500ish.com/the-9-bullet-points-of-doom-for-espn-a692d0f48182)


When Disney struck a deal to put channels on Dish Network Corp.’s Sling TV service, it negotiated the right to terminate the deal if ESPN lost three million Nielsen households after May 2014 — a threshold that has now been crossed, according to people familiar with the matter.
Other factors could play into Disney exercising that right, including if Sling TV attracts more than two million subscribers, though that benchmark is still a ways off, the people said.

If ESPN pull out of Sling, it will be bad news.

[FaninAma]

They need to do a reality show starring Katelyn(Don't Call Me Bruce) Jenner. They would make a fortune off all of the self-lobotomized viewers in this country.

[badger]

After testing Hulu Plus for week-long trial (still have a few days left), NP and I agreed that it was too many ads for something that requires $8 a month to subscribe to. They're short and mostly not annoying, but the fact that they're there when we pay for programs, not ads, is enough to say "no thanks."

And then there's ESPN on Sling TV. $20 a month for ESPN and ESPN2 along with other channels to get a blank "ESPN We're in a commercial break. We'll be back soon" message during commercial breaks, along with some generic background music.

Soooo... if ESPN decides it needs to go to a streaming service at $30 a month, something's gotta give, because I dunno about the rest of you, but I'm not paying $30 a month to get half programming, half AS SEEN ON TV ads.

When you watch ESPN on Sling TV, you really start to see how much ESPN depends on its commercial break revenue to be a cash cow.

doooooooom good riddance SEC Conference/Bevo lover

PS: We're probably not doing Sling TV without ESPN. We can access PBS and Disney elsewhere without it for our daughter's Sesame Street and Mickey Mouse watching

[champions77]

So ESPN is losing Millions. Their MegaMillion deal with UT is responsible for some of their losses. It's a reasonable conclusion that ESPN will get out of that contract as soon as they can, and the revenues of UT will be greatly affected.
UT Ad Steve Patterson Has the reputation of being a real money whore, even charging Texas letter winners to go on the field.
So, is it then reasonable to conclude that maybe Texas has gone to the Big XII demanding a greater share of Conference revenues, and that is the underlying reason the David Boren is not happy with the Big XII, and obviously is not pleased with the University of Texas, not even mentioning them by name?
Has OU gotten to the place where Arkansas, Nebraska and Texas A&M changed Conferences to escape Texas? Will This lead OU to another conference? SEC Maybe?

[bluedogok]

I think you'll see them go back to some of the crazy profitable sports that they've let go over the years in favor of higher revenue sports. They had something like an 80% profit margin on horse racing, bowling, and billiards. I doubt whether they'll be able to get that again, but it is better than their marginal profits on the NBA.
They might go the route that Fox did with Speed years ago, all the the motorhead reality shows they had like Pinks were a pay for play proposition. You can't tell me that ESPN is actually paying for the "CORNHOLE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP", that has to be a time rental.

They did it to themselves when they went after every major league sport and paying a premium for it. I preferred it when they had some oddball sports along with college football. I miss the Australian Rules Football but I am not going to pay extra for the Fox Soccer channel that carries it.

[badger]

maybe Texas has gone to the Big XII demanding a greater share of Conference revenues

Perhaps with WVU and TCU scheduled to get bigger shares in the coming years, Texas is trying to protect its own percentage while making the other seven that used to have bigger shares eat the difference when WVU and TCU get more revenue... but I doubt it.

I have no doubt UT is dicking around. I just think its in other ways.

[champions77]

Perhaps with WVU and TCU scheduled to get bigger shares in the coming years, Texas is trying to protect its own percentage while making the other seven that used to have bigger shares eat the difference when WVU and TCU get more revenue... but I doubt it.

I have no doubt UT is dicking around. I just think its in other ways.

Badger when I first heard of OU being "not happy" with the Big XII, my thoughts naturally turned to UT. I mean based on their history, how could you look anyplace else? So everything I've heard about Patterson is that he is a huge money whore. That every waking hour he is thinking about ways to make more. I just connected the dots and came to this conclusion. Something more than just the LHN has got Boren PO'd. With the LHN doing poorly, it stands to reason that a vital source for revenue will not be there down the road. How does Patterson make up for it? He's already raised ticket prices a substantial amount. And then add in Texas's arrogance, and how "valuable" they are to the livelihood of the Conference, I bet I'm not too far off.

We'll see. Boren has a plan, just don't know exactly what it is.

[badger]

The numbers:
http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/05/29/big-12-sets-record-for-big-revenue-too/

Cliff's notes: Not including tier 3 rights, 8 Big 12 schools got $27 million each this year from TV revenue via Big 12. TCU and West Virginia got $24 and $23 million apiece.

BUT... those two get "full shares" next year of the tier 1/2 rights. Not sure if that means 8 schools' revenues go down, or just don't go up as much as previous (they got $23 million in 2014).

If trouble is afoot with Bevo TV (UT reportedly got $15 million from it last year), then yes, I have no doubt that Steve Patterson is looking for a replacement revenue stream... but I guarantee you that the other nine will say "NO" if not "HELL NO" if UT's looking to encroach on their share

[champions77]

The numbers:
http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/05/29/big-12-sets-record-for-big-revenue-too/

Cliff's notes: Not including tier 3 rights, 8 Big 12 schools got $27 million each this year from TV revenue via Big 12. TCU and West Virginia got $24 and $23 million apiece.

BUT... those two get "full shares" next year of the tier 1/2 rights. Not sure if that means 8 schools' revenues go down, or just don't go up as much as previous (they got $23 million in 2014).

If trouble is afoot with Bevo TV (UT reportedly got $15 million from it last year), then yes, I have no doubt that Steve Patterson is looking for a replacement revenue stream... but I guarantee you that the other nine will say "NO" if not "HELL NO" if UT's looking to encroach on their share

No doubt all of the schools would say no....unless they threatened to leave. Worked well for them in 1995 when Conference was being formed. Maybe Boren just tired of dealing with them. Still thought it was out of character to not even say their name in his last statement. For the school that feels that they are God's gift to mankind, that is really a disparaging way to address them.

[rock on sooner]

They need to do a reality show starring Katelyn(Don't Call Me Bruce) Jenner. They would make a fortune off all of the self-lobotomized viewers in this country.

There already is one..."Call me Cait" premiers later this month on E or some
such channel.....

[FaninAma]

So ESPN is losing Millions. Their MegaMillion deal with UT is responsible for some of their losses. It's a reasonable conclusion that ESPN will get out of that contract as soon as they can, and the revenues of UT will be greatly affected.
UT Ad Steve Patterson Has the reputation of being a real money whore, even charging Texas letter winners to go on the field.
So, is it then reasonable to conclude that maybe Texas has gone to the Big XII demanding a greater share of Conference revenues, and that is the underlying reason the David Boren is not happy with the Big XII, and obviously is not pleased with the University of Texas, not even mentioning them by name?
Has OU gotten to the place where Arkansas, Nebraska and Texas A&M changed Conferences to escape Texas? Will This lead OU to another conference? SEC Maybe?

Boren has done some good things during his tenure at OU but on the issue of confernce alignment he has been a dumbass although i suspect he knows what needed(and still needs) to be done but was too much of a wimpy politican to take charge and tell the BoR OU needed to go to another conference whether OSU was invited or not.

[badger]

Note to self: Trash ESPN to wake the sleeping SF.com in future offseasons :P

Would the Bevo Network have been more viable if they had a less sh1tty team behind it? What if they launched it in 2005 or right after, rather than waiting until after the "If Colt would've played..." game. They could have gotten in KD pre-Thunder for a season, they couldn't gotten in some good-not-great football seasons and built a following on that, rather than 5-7 in football and men's basketball in the CBI (first game loss if I'm not mistaken!).

The SEC Network launched at a time when football interest couldn't have been higher in the conference. It expanded, it was winning championships every year, yadda yadda you've heard it all before.

Texas launched during the downfall of Mack Brown with mediocrity abounding.

[champions77]

Boren has done some good things during his tenure at OU but on the issue of confernce alignment he has been a dumbass although i suspect he knows what needed(and still needs) to be done but was too much of a wimpy politican to take charge and tell the BoR OU needed to go to another conference whether OSU was invited or not.

I agree. At the time, his devotion was so great for OSU that the only thing I could think of was he was going to reenter politics. I would hope that he now fully understands that our place in College Football gives OU some opportunities not necessarily afforded to osu, and that his foremost responsibility is to make decisions in the best interest of The University of Oklahoma, regardless of how that decision affects osu, good or bad.

Another thing that I've noticed, at least in the OU circles I run with, is that most OU fans would gladly sacrifice the osu association if it meant for OU to play in a better conference. I know I feel that way. If OU going to the SEC means that osu would then be a proud member of the Missouri Valley Conference or Conference USA......so be it.

[bluedogok]

My allegiance is not to OSU, Texas or anyone else. They need to do what is best for OU....period

Living in Austin you always heard that UT and A&M would never be separated, we all see how that turned out.

[Eielson]

I agree with most of the criticisms on here of ESPN, but the Fox love in this thread is laughable. Fox sucks.

[olevetonahill]

Other than college football there's nothing else I watch on espn, maybe i'm not alone.


Other tha College Football Theres nothing else on TeeVee that I watch no matter what channel

I agree with most of the criticisms on here of ESPN, but the Fox love in this thread is laughable. Fox sucks.

Bro I dont see a Lot of love for Fox in this thread, you sure you reading it right?

[Eielson]

Bro I dont see a Lot of love for Fox in this thread, you sure you reading it right?

Not from all, but there were a couple on the first page (RLIMC and Obikatony).

[olevetonahill]

Not from all, but there were a couple on the first page (RLIMC and Obikatony).

Two aint a LOT but Ill give it to ya LOL

[Eielson]

Two aint a LOT but Ill give it to ya LOL

Two more than there should have been! Fox is the worst. They should be the minor leagues of sports broadcasts.

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

Quote Originally Posted by olevetonahill
Bro I dont see a Lot of love for Fox in this thread, you sure you reading it right?
Not from all, but there were a couple on the first page (RLIMC and Obikatony).I'm gonna check on my love proclamation for FOXNEWS. I might have said they sorta at least try to have both conservatives and socialists on there, for what is a more Fair and Balanced approach than the MSM, but that doesn't seem like a ringing endorsement to me. I do believe Limbaugh and Levin are the real deal as far as presentation and analysis of the political landscape, and Limbaugh is the best. That's why he is such a resounding success.

Fox sports does have my favorite sports women, if that is what Eilson is talking about, Erin Anderson and Charissa Thompson, both former ESPeNis reporters. Holly Sonders is something else, as well.

[Eielson]

The makes me twitchy Erin Andrews was smart to jump to FOX when she did.

This is what I was referring to.

[olevetonahill]

Two more than there should have been! Fox is the worst. They should be the minor leagues of sports broadcasts.

If I was smart enough to sync the TeeVee with the Radio Id be in heaven

[badger]

If Fox does anything right, it's giving OU sports more airplay on its major and minor stations across all sports --- I've seen OU wrestling on Fox Sports, I've seen tons of OU basketball, men's and women's. I've seen OU gymnastics, I've seen OU track, I've seen OU volleyball. So, kudos to them for giving love to all OU sports, not just football.

Alas, I cut the cable in June, so I'll have to find someone else's TV if I want to keep watching OU sports on minor Fox Sports channels.

I do still have access to ESPN and what were they showing last night? Mets Nats. Yawn. Gimme OU anything over MLB snoozefest. Speaking of, I also liked watching OU baseball and softball on Fox Sports. I wish there was a way to watch Fox Sports without cable.

[badger]

Also, please don't confuse my kudos as love of Fox Sports. Their broadcast quality is substandard compared to their colleagues at ESPN, ABC, NBC and CBS for college football. This includes picture quality, commentator talking, camera angles, you name it. I would rather watch OU football on any channel than Fox Sports, even if it means listening to guys who sound like they'd rather be anywhere else

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

Quote Originally Posted by RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!
The makes me twitchy Erin Andrews was smart to jump to FOX when she did.
This is what I was referring to.I was talking about her opportunity for career advancement, more money, since ESPeNis is ramming an iceberg.

Did you not think I meant that? You want her to stay on a sinking ship?

[Eielson]

Quote Originally Posted by RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!
The makes me twitchy Erin Andrews was smart to jump to FOX when she did.I was talking about her opportunity for career advancement, more money, since ESPeNis is ramming an iceberg.

Did you not think I meant that? You want her to stay on a sinking ship?

I took it to mean you thought Fox was better than ESPN.

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

I took it to mean you thought Fox was better than ESPN.They are doing things that don't damage themselves as much as ESPN does. Getting Erin Andrews and Charissa Thompson was a smart move.

[badger]

It was a career move for Erin Andrews, from a more prominent role to a bump in pay... but I'm not sure it was the greatest career move, as not nearly as many people see her on the Fox channels as they did with her role on ESPN College Gameday.

I'm not sure how things would have been if she had stayed --- getting to sit at the desk with Herbie and Corso? getting to have her own show(s) during the week? getting more endorsement and advertisement opportunities? --- but I guess it doesn't matter now.

Once again, I appreciate that Fox Sports gives OU's other sports a place to be televised, but I'd rather OU football be televised elsewhere.

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

Regardless of what EA might have been able to do at ESPeNis, I would bet she's making more money than she previously did, and Fox isn't phking up as much as ESPeNis.

[Eielson]

Even if ESPN went down (which I doubt), they weren't taking Erin Andrews with her.

[Mookie91]

ESPN is like every other major media outlet in its social agenda and opinion based reporting. They are facing a difficult technological issue and an overinflated "personality" budget.

[Tear Down This Wall]

ESPN is like every other major media outlet in its social agenda and opinion based reporting. They are facing a difficult technological issue and an overinflated "personality" budget.

And, just the overkill of it all. How many times do I have to see reruns of the same thing? None. None more, because I can change the channel.

Get some new and more interesting sports programming that has to do with sports being played live, and not slipping into emotionally and politically forced Oprah-type shows. It's like a mule kick to the nuts to see grown men carrying on like women on those thing.

Shut up and be a man! You were a sportsman, for pete's dragon! Quit whining!

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

Even if ESPN goes down (which I doubt), they can't go down on Erin Andrews now.FI

[badger]

FYI - ESPN carwash for Big 12 coaches is today. Skip Bayless had Bob Stoops on First Take. Haven't seen any other Stoops appearances yet

[ouflak]

We'll see. Boren has a plan, just don't know exactly what it is.

If history is any guide, he will sprout some tender roots into the soft soil, expand a small green shoot subtly out into the bright sun, and let his lovely wallflower petals blossom like no other wallflower has done before. All to OU's detriment. I have long since lost faith that Boren has any idea or even genuine interest in what happens to OU athletically.