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  1. #1
    Vacuums eat while yelling

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    ESPN in financial trouble?

    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/...-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-tig...nts-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/esp...-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/col...tribution.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

    Please discuss! This offseason's killing me

  2. #2
    SoonerFans.com Elite Member swardboy's Avatar
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    Re: ESPN in financial trouble?

    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.
    "I'm going to request that you stop posting in this thread." - circa 2008
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  3. #3
    SoonerFans.com Elite Member
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    Re: ESPN in financial trouble?

    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.

  4. #4
    Vacuums eat while yelling

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    Re: ESPN in financial trouble?

    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-...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

  5. #5
    Sooner All-Big XII-2-1+1-1+1 dwarthog's Avatar
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    Re: ESPN in financial trouble?

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

  6. #6
    I'm a shootist Curly Bill's Avatar
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    Re: ESPN in financial trouble?

    Being more about sports and less about sports propaganda would help their cause with me.
    Behold the pale horse. The man who sat on him was death, and Hell followed with him.

    Olevet Posse Pistolero

    Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize 2015.

  7. #7
    Sooner All-Big XII-2-1+1-1+1 SoonerorLater's Avatar
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    Re: ESPN in financial trouble?

    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.

  8. #8
    Sooner All-Big XII-2-1+1-1+1 Tear Down This Wall's Avatar
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    Re: ESPN in financial trouble?

    Hmmm. Guess Longhorn Network isn't doing them much good either. Go figure.
    "General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"
    President Ronald Reagan at the Berlin Wall, June 12, 1987

  9. #9
    Sooner All-Big XII-2-1+1-1+1 Tear Down This Wall's Avatar
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    Re: ESPN in financial trouble?

    Quote Originally Posted by Curly Bill View Post
    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.
    "General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"
    President Ronald Reagan at the Berlin Wall, June 12, 1987

  10. #10
    SoonerFans.com Elite Member jkm, the stolen pifwafwi's Avatar
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    Re: ESPN in financial trouble?

    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.

  11. #11
    I'm a shootist Curly Bill's Avatar
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    Re: ESPN in financial trouble?

    Quote Originally Posted by jkm, the stolen pifwafwi View Post
    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.
    Behold the pale horse. The man who sat on him was death, and Hell followed with him.

    Olevet Posse Pistolero

    Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize 2015.

  12. #12
    SoonerFans.com Elite Member
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    Re: ESPN in financial trouble?

    Quote Originally Posted by SoonerorLater View Post
    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!
    Put a lid on it! Kiss it goodbye. We gave it away, and apparently thought it made sense to do so.

  13. #13
    SoonerFans.com Elite Member
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    Re: ESPN in financial trouble?

    The makes me twitchy Erin Andrews was smart to jump to FOX when she did.
    Put a lid on it! Kiss it goodbye. We gave it away, and apparently thought it made sense to do so.

  14. #14
    Sooner Benchwarmer
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    Re: ESPN in financial trouble?

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

  15. #15
    SoonerFans.com Elite Member KantoSooner's Avatar
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    Re: ESPN in financial trouble?

    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?
    "I don't know karate, but I know ka-razor!" - James Brown

  16. #16
    Sooner All-Big XII-2-1+1-1+1 Sooner95's Avatar
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    Re: ESPN in financial trouble?

    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...
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  17. #17
    Sooner All-Big XII-2-1+1-1+1 Sooner95's Avatar
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    Re: ESPN in financial trouble?

    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.
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  18. #18
    I'm a shootist Curly Bill's Avatar
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    Re: ESPN in financial trouble?

    Quote Originally Posted by Sooner95 View Post
    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!
    Behold the pale horse. The man who sat on him was death, and Hell followed with him.

    Olevet Posse Pistolero

    Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize 2015.

  19. #19
    Sooner All-Big XII-2-1+1-1+1 SoonerorLater's Avatar
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    Re: ESPN in financial trouble?

    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.

  20. #20
    I'm a shootist Curly Bill's Avatar
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    Re: ESPN in financial trouble?

    Quote Originally Posted by SoonerorLater View Post
    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!
    Behold the pale horse. The man who sat on him was death, and Hell followed with him.

    Olevet Posse Pistolero

    Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize 2015.

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