I thought this chart is interesting and would show one part of the explanation for today's news:

https://twitter.com/mulvihill79/status/8...8409505795

For those saying this will eventually hit the P5, what they forget is schools like Texas, Ohio State, USC, Florida, etc will still be paid regardless. They have the fanbases, alumni, tshirt fans, exposure, tradition, etc to command higher payouts. The tv landscape probably will not favor mid to lower P5 schools but aid I'm Texas or Michigan, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

I was kinda hoping to hear Goodman's name on this scroll too. He is a douche.... I don't like it when anyone gets let go, but if i had to make a list Stephen A. and Goodman would be 1 and 1a.

I hope Bubble Watch is maintained by either ESPN or Eamon Brennan.

(04-26-2017 01:50 PM)Eldonabe Wrote:  I was kinda hoping to hear Goodman's name on this scroll too. He is a douche.... I don't like it when anyone gets let go, but if i had to make a list Stephen A. and Goodman would be 1 and 1a.

I read somewhere Goodman was laid off.

(04-26-2017 01:43 PM)Wedge Wrote:  

(04-26-2017 01:05 PM)stever20 Wrote:  

(04-26-2017 12:59 PM)Wedge Wrote:  

(04-26-2017 12:51 PM)stever20 Wrote:  Stark is a surprise. Although you have Kurkijan and Olney there presumably still.

Maybe, maybe not....

Quote:Richard Deitsch‏
@richarddeitsch

From multiple people: ESPN's Baseball Tonight franchise will be significantly impacted by today's cuts.

10:57 AM - 26 Apr 2017

well already seen Bowden and Stark gone- so that is pretty big there.

A related rumor...

Quote:Richard Deitsch
@richarddeitsch

From multiple sources: Do not be surprised if ESPN uses some of MLB Network's studio programming heading forward. Details? Do not know yet.

11:22 AM - 26 Apr 2017

MLB Network and Fox for that matter do a much better job of covering MLB then espn. Fox's "a team" of Pete Rose, Frank Thomas and A-Rod destroy anything ESPN had on the baseball side

Jackson

(04-26-2017 01:52 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  

(04-26-2017 01:50 PM)Eldonabe Wrote:  I was kinda hoping to hear Goodman's name on this scroll too. He is a douche.... I don't like it when anyone gets let go, but if i had to make a list Stephen A. and Goodman would be 1 and 1a.

I read somewhere Goodman was laid off.

Fake news on Goodman.

(04-26-2017 01:37 PM)stever20 Wrote:  

(04-26-2017 01:35 PM)RutgersGuy Wrote:  

(04-26-2017 12:06 PM)solohawks Wrote:  

(04-26-2017 12:00 PM)MissouriStateBears Wrote:  

(04-26-2017 10:50 AM)Big Frog II Wrote:  They way overpaid the NFL.

MNF is their #1 property and best ratings.

Maybe...but you would have to do a what if. What if ESPN had allowed NBCSN OR Fox to have MNF, a package the NFL doesn't really place any emphasis on anymore.

They would still be the #1 go to sports channel by a country mile. They would be watching their rivals saddled with a massive bill for tier 3 games. I think ultimately they could have adjusted and something would have presented itself in the future, like a Thursday night simulcast. IMO overpaying for tier 3 games will ultimately be viewed as a bad call

MNF is not even close to T3 games. They are looked at as the premier games of the week. Yes, obviously they don't always play out that way but they are scheduled to be important.

No way it's tier 3 games- but it's definitely not tier 1 either. Tier 1 is SNF and the 4:25pm games. Tier 2 is MNF and some of the TNF games.

No way, MNF is tier 1. SNF and MNF have comparable schedules.

Wedge,

The MLB thing is exactly what I was thinking about CFB given some of the layoffs. I expect ESPN will rely on the P5 network partners to provide content. They have primary with SECN, ACCN, and LHN plus relationships with the B1G and P12 where some reciprocal content deals can be had.

The shift toward digital is inevitable. Leaving on air with Howard Beale type personalities, mirrors talk radio trend toward a few screaming heads as their ad revenue share plunged from 9.2% to 6% this century (1/3rd drop in 15 years). TV has been in slow (very slow) decline. Newspaper and Magazine Ads have basically all move to Internet as has the radio money that moved (podcasts).

ESPN is hard to watch now. I only tune in for games. I am baffled why Disney keeps all those overflow channels such as ESPNnews and ESPNClassic and ESPNU which have almost zero subscription value but require programming. They should IMO be combined into one channel, say ESPNextra, for overflow.

Whatever, not my company. Wonder if these cuts are also related to rumors about Apple looking into buying Disney

Reese Waters is the latest LEAVE:

https://twitter.com/reesewaters/status/8...2176287744

How is LeBetard not on this list? Worst ESPN show ever.

(04-26-2017 02:05 PM)ColKurtz Wrote:  How is LeBetard not on this list? Worst ESPN show ever.

Cheap, personality driven content. That is what ESPN says their strategy is.

Screw real news content, infotainment.

(04-26-2017 01:58 PM)RutgersGuy Wrote:  

(04-26-2017 01:37 PM)stever20 Wrote:  

(04-26-2017 01:35 PM)RutgersGuy Wrote:  

(04-26-2017 12:06 PM)solohawks Wrote:  

(04-26-2017 12:00 PM)MissouriStateBears Wrote:  MNF is their #1 property and best ratings.

Maybe...but you would have to do a what if. What if ESPN had allowed NBCSN OR Fox to have MNF, a package the NFL doesn't really place any emphasis on anymore.

They would still be the #1 go to sports channel by a country mile. They would be watching their rivals saddled with a massive bill for tier 3 games. I think ultimately they could have adjusted and something would have presented itself in the future, like a Thursday night simulcast. IMO overpaying for tier 3 games will ultimately be viewed as a bad call

MNF is not even close to T3 games. They are looked at as the premier games of the week. Yes, obviously they don't always play out that way but they are scheduled to be important.

No way it's tier 3 games- but it's definitely not tier 1 either. Tier 1 is SNF and the 4:25pm games. Tier 2 is MNF and some of the TNF games.

No way, MNF is tier 1. SNF and MNF have comparable schedules.

I personally don't think that MNF has anywhere near the quality of games of SNF.

However, the big item that many people are missing is that Monday Night Football is *required* in ESPN's contracts with cable/satellite providers in order to charge the top line subscriber rate (which is over $7 per sub now). If ESPN loses NFL games, then that cable sub rate *automatically* goes down by contract.

As a result, there is no such thing as ESPN "overpaying" for the NFL. The MNF package *alone* contractually allows ESPN to charge the highest cable sub rate(by an order of magnitudes over the next-most-expensive cable network. Frankly, ESPN doesn't really "overpay" for any of its marquee sports like the NBA, MLB and P5 conferences. Once again, those sports are what allow for ESPN to charge $7 per cable sub in the first place... and what will allow ESPN to shift to whatever becomes the dominant distribution model going forward. It's painful now, but sports are still the one type of programming that is both live AND exclusive, so ESPN still has the most valuable trove of content in the media marketplace by far. Virtually every other type of programming is non-exclusive, can be time-shifted to be watched on-demand and/or commoditized.

I can't say it enough: ESPN is STILL the single most valuable ENTERTAINMENT company (not just cable network or sports network) in the entire world BY FAR. The revenue that they generate is INSANELY high. A month of ESPN cable sub revenue is still more than the domestic gross of Star Wars: The Force Awakens... which happens to be the highest grossing movie domestically of all-time. REPEAT: 1 month of ESPN cable sub revenue is more than the biggest domestic grossing movie in history. Those are the heights from where ESPN is coming down from - this is FAR from a "normal" company. That seems to continue to be really hard for a lot of sports fans to understand when they see the alarmist headlines of layoffs and lower cable subs. The money that ESPN generates is INSANE to the point that it is absolutely unparalleled in the history of the entire entertainment industry. The fact that it's going to take a step back from those INSANE revenue levels and go to more of a normalized place on the landscape needs to be put into context.

Roger Cossack gone as well:
https://twitter.com/RogerCossack/status/...8360837122

(04-26-2017 02:21 PM)Rube Dali Wrote:  Roger Cossack gone as well:
https://twitter.com/RogerCossack/status/...8360837122

Not enough court cases for him to cover. He should move over to HLN

(04-26-2017 01:58 PM)RutgersGuy Wrote:  

(04-26-2017 01:37 PM)stever20 Wrote:  

(04-26-2017 01:35 PM)RutgersGuy Wrote:  

(04-26-2017 12:06 PM)solohawks Wrote:  

(04-26-2017 12:00 PM)MissouriStateBears Wrote:  MNF is their #1 property and best ratings.

Maybe...but you would have to do a what if. What if ESPN had allowed NBCSN OR Fox to have MNF, a package the NFL doesn't really place any emphasis on anymore.

They would still be the #1 go to sports channel by a country mile. They would be watching their rivals saddled with a massive bill for tier 3 games. I think ultimately they could have adjusted and something would have presented itself in the future, like a Thursday night simulcast. IMO overpaying for tier 3 games will ultimately be viewed as a bad call

MNF is not even close to T3 games. They are looked at as the premier games of the week. Yes, obviously they don't always play out that way but they are scheduled to be important.

No way it's tier 3 games- but it's definitely not tier 1 either. Tier 1 is SNF and the 4:25pm games. Tier 2 is MNF and some of the TNF games.

No way, MNF is tier 1. SNF and MNF have comparable schedules.

uh, no way in hell.

SNF schedule
KC/NE
NYG/Dal
GB/Atl
Oak/Was
Ind/Sea
KC/Hou
NYG/Den
Atl/NE
Pit/Det
Oak/Mia
NE/Den
Phi/Dal
NYG/Was
GB/Pit
Phi/Sea
Bal/Pit
Dal/Oak
Min/GB
flex game last day of season
(remember flex schedules start week 11, so could flex out bad game)

worst game is probably Oakland/Miami....

now MNF:
NO/Min
LAC/Den
Det/NYG
Dal/Az
Was/KC
Min/Chi
Ind/Ten
Was/Phi
Den/KC
Det/Oak
Mia/Car
Atl/Sea
Hou/Bal
Pit/Cin
NE/Mia
Atl/TB
Oak/Phi

they're not close even as scheduled, not to mention that NBC can flex out games if necessary late, and they get last game of the season which always is a big game.

(04-26-2017 02:00 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  Wedge,

The MLB thing is exactly what I was thinking about CFB given some of the layoffs. I expect ESPN will rely on the P5 network partners to provide content. They have primary with SECN, ACCN, and LHN plus relationships with the B1G and P12 where some reciprocal content deals can be had.

The shift toward digital is inevitable. Leaving on air with Howard Beale type personalities, mirrors talk radio trend toward a few screaming heads as their ad revenue share plunged from 9.2% to 6% this century (1/3rd drop in 15 years). TV has been in slow (very slow) decline. Newspaper and Magazine Ads have basically all move to Internet as has the radio money that moved (podcasts).

ESPN is hard to watch now. I only tune in for games. I am baffled why Disney keeps all those overflow channels such as ESPNnews and ESPNClassic and ESPNU which have almost zero subscription value but require programming. They should IMO be combined into one channel, say ESPNextra, for overflow.

Whatever, not my company. Wonder if these cuts are also related to rumors about Apple looking into buying Disney

The overflow channels are not that expensive to program. They could, theoretically, run a replay loop of one ESPN SportsCenter show on ESPNews, plus reairs of talking head shows and simulcasts of ESPN Radio.

They own boatloads of college content. They could reduce ESPNU's studio programming and rely more heavily on game reruns and delayed broadcasts. For instance, I believe they previously eliminated all studio programming on LHN.

ESPN Classic is all reruns. Zero original programming cost.

(04-26-2017 02:25 PM)orangefan Wrote:  

(04-26-2017 02:00 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  Wedge,

The MLB thing is exactly what I was thinking about CFB given some of the layoffs. I expect ESPN will rely on the P5 network partners to provide content. They have primary with SECN, ACCN, and LHN plus relationships with the B1G and P12 where some reciprocal content deals can be had.

The shift toward digital is inevitable. Leaving on air with Howard Beale type personalities, mirrors talk radio trend toward a few screaming heads as their ad revenue share plunged from 9.2% to 6% this century (1/3rd drop in 15 years). TV has been in slow (very slow) decline. Newspaper and Magazine Ads have basically all move to Internet as has the radio money that moved (podcasts).

ESPN is hard to watch now. I only tune in for games. I am baffled why Disney keeps all those overflow channels such as ESPNnews and ESPNClassic and ESPNU which have almost zero subscription value but require programming. They should IMO be combined into one channel, say ESPNextra, for overflow.

Whatever, not my company. Wonder if these cuts are also related to rumors about Apple looking into buying Disney

The overflow channels are not that expensive to program. They could, theoretically, run a replay loop of one ESPN SportsCenter show on ESPNews, plus reairs of talking head shows and simulcasts of ESPN Radio.

They own boatloads of college content. They could reduce ESPNU's studio programming and rely more heavily on game reruns and delayed broadcasts. I believe they previously eliminated all studio programming on LHN.

ESPN Classic is all reruns. Zero original programming cost.

wouldn't it be cheaper to Just have espn 1 & 2. then on game casts that would be on esnpu, espn news, sec just open up the espn 2 alt, 2nd alt 3rd alt. Like how the B1G and SEC do for gms already.

(04-26-2017 02:05 PM)ColKurtz Wrote:  How is LeBetard not on this list? Worst ESPN show ever.

They double down on idiots because the network is catering to those who watch them.

We expose it that we know who these people are when we watch for their name to appear on the chopping block. We all know who these dopes are...that's helping them keep their jobs.

(04-26-2017 02:11 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  

(04-26-2017 02:05 PM)ColKurtz Wrote:  How is LeBetard not on this list? Worst ESPN show ever.

Cheap, personality driven content. That is what ESPN says their strategy is.

Screw real news content, infotainment.

Yep, and with that they lose sports fans like me. I use to watch ESPN an hour so a day. Now, it's on during football season if ND plays on ESPN. I don't like politics with my sports, and yes even if they were talking conservative talking points I would be annoyed. I want my sports to be about sports.