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ESPN (A bunch of Death-Spiraling maroons)

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Nigel Tufnel said:
These are all good points, but I'm not sure how much it relates to the steady decline in cable viewership. This decline isn't just an ESPN thing, it's cable in general. Now, the fact that they have overpaid for broadcast rights, yeah that's a problem. As is supporting LHN if it cannot hold its own.

But if mellenials don't want to watch, or at least pay for watching sports, then the industry will change.

A la carte programming will ultimately offer a huge change as well. I suspect that many existing networks and programs will die with a la carte or they will find their way going the YouTube route.
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For sure, the emerging technology is a problem for them, and cable and satellite companies have made some mistakes. The music industry didn’t like their music sold in I form, but eventually embraced it, and they seem to be doing pretty good with it, but where would they be if they insisted you buy their CD’s at a store?

I think there is a general feeling that cable and satellite have been raping us for decades, especially with bundling packages – to get these 3 channels they know we want, we have to buy these 72 channels that we never watch. It’s like being required to buy 10 lbs. of prunes at the grocery in order to buy a bundle of bananas. It’s a bad sign when people are purchasing your product, but they think they are being used and over-charged.

The market will eventually provide something that is less expensive and more tailored to customers’ wants. As you note, ala carte ordering will really change things, but I have Direct TV, and they are clearly committed to the bundling concept – and why not? They have made a boatload of money doing it, but almost all of their customers will jump ship as soon as they have a better option. I will.

I also think customer service has been a problem. Direct TV is pretty good, but Dish is a nightmare – especially if you want to talk to a person.

With better and more reliable internet and streaming, I’d guess that eventually every channel will become its own direct distributor, and people will truly have ala carte choices.
 
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OSUK said:
For sure, the emerging technology is a problem for them, and cable and satellite companies have made some mistakes. The music industry didn’t like their music sold in I form, but eventually embraced it, and they seem to be doing pretty good with it, but where would they be if they insisted you buy their CD’s at a store?

I think there is a general feeling that cable and satellite have been raping us for decades, especially with bundling packages – to get these 3 channels they know we want, we have to buy these 72 channels that we never watch. It’s like being required to buy 10 lbs. of prunes at the grocery in order to buy a bundle of bananas. It’s a bad sign when people are purchasing your product, but they think they are being used and over-charged.

The market will eventually provide something that is less expensive and more tailored to customers’ wants. As you note, ala carte ordering will really change things, but I have Direct TV, and they are clearly committed to the bundling concept – and why not? They have made a boatload of money doing it, but almost all of their customers will jump ship as soon as they have a better option. I will.

I also think customer service has been a problem. Direct TV is pretty good, but Dish is a nightmare – especially if you want to talk to a person.

With better and more reliable internet and streaming, I’d guess that eventually every channel will become its own direct distributor, and people will truly have ala carte choices.
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I'm not convinced a la carte will make things a great deal cheaper. Just more focused. And the fringe guys all then look to YouTube or Netflix to "bundle" their offering with others.
 
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Nigel Tufnel said:
I'm not convinced a la carte will make things a great deal cheaper. Just more focused. And the fringe guys all then look to YouTube or Netflix to "bundle" their offering with others.
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I started to say something about that, but then I remembered the "walls of text" thing. Lol.

Yeah, it doesn't mean cheaper necessarily, but it would mean buying what you want to buy.
 
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BUCKYLE said:
This has nothing to do with politics, sports watchers or even [Mark May]ty ESPN. Most people who watch live sports still have cable. A LOT of people who don't give a [Mark May] about sports have dropped cable in favor of netflix, hulu, hbo, amazon, etc. Since ESPN was on every basic cable package in the country, they are losing a buck per cord cutter.
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I suspect there are a lot of people who, like me, continue to pay for cable only because of the package pricing; that they have no internet-only option that costs significantly less than internet-plus-cable. When your options are internet for X dollars, and internet plus cable for X+2% dollars, you'll probably take option two. When and if that pricing system changes, cable subscriptions will plummet.
 
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TooTallMenardo said:
:lol: A robotic puppet replacing one of the more enjoyable radio personalities in Greenberg. What could possibly go wrong.
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You might be attributing too much individuality to Greenberg's role in ESPN's version of The Odd Couple.

If Tony Randall can take Jack Lemmon's role, Trey Wingo can probably take Mike Greenberg's (as well as simultaneously taking Tony Randall's and Jack Lemmon's).
 
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wheels-falling-off.jpg
 
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I usually listen to part of one segment of that radio show every morning as I drive to work, until they hit their next 8 minute commercial break. Then I tune out and and don't come back to it. I have grown tired of Greenberg's act, and am glad to see him go. The shtick is not funny. It wasn't very funny to start with and has gotten less funny over time.
 
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colobuck79 said:
I usually listen to part of one segment of that radio show every morning as I drive to work, until they hit their next 8 minute commercial break. Then I tune out and and don't come back to it. I have grown tired of Greenberg's act, and am glad to see him go. The shtick is not funny. It wasn't very funny to start with and has gotten less funny over time.
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And fuck the Jets.
 
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This could be another nut punch I didn't consider.

https://www.si.com/college-football...als-amazon-google?xid=socialflow_twitter_sicr

Or these companies might kick the tires on sports rights and decide they don’t need them. Remember, they’re already wildly successful without live sports. This is the gamble Delany took when the Big Ten opted for six-year deals for its Tier 1 and Tier 2 rights. “There’s no doubt we’re in a disruptive environment,” Delany said. “There definitely is money and interest on the sideline. It really hasn’t emerged very much yet, but I’m sure that there is—whether it’s Apple or Google or Hulu or any number of companies.”

Delany is betting that demand for Big Ten football will be so valuable that the revenue from the next deals will outpace these deals. But he also has a hedge; the Big Ten Network’s deal with Fox runs until 2032. On the other end of the spectrum is the ACC, which allowed ESPN to lock up its rights until 2036 in return for getting a conference network that is scheduled to launch in 2019. “If you go shorter, you take out a little more risk,” Delany said. “But you also have a little more upside.”
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Nigel Tufnel said:
My experience with these pudgy fellers is that they spend more time at craft brew places with their phone not so interested in sporting events owned by "the man".
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:beer: As a millennial I can confirm. I've got over 40 brewers within a 40 minute drive. Our version of going out is meeting a couple of friends at one of these places and get some food from a truck. The whole time our phones are glued to our hands.
The only break from this is during football season where I spend all Saturday at home in front of the tv while my wife is bitching at me to go do something. But I steadfast as my father taught me.
 
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