ESPN

[Tbonewannabe]

This, btw, is why it's not about their politics. You are as against them and their political stances as possible, yet you still subscribe.

The commenters on the article...are on ESPN and giving their time to them, and are almost certainly still subscribers.

I would think it is a combination of cord cutting plus losing advertising dollars. Ratings in general are down for TV viewership with the rise of Youtube and Netflix. Now with all of the conference channels, you might not watch UCLA vs Cal when you can watch SEC Network+ on your tv. I watch all the MSU games no matter what so I end up watching less games of other teams. Also with DVR, I can catch up on different shows that I didn't watch during the week instead of leaving it on ESPN. I used to just have it on ESPN if nothing else was on but I can watch a DVR or On Demand show instead.

[smootness]

I would think it is a combination of cord cutting plus losing advertising dollars. Ratings in general are down for TV viewership with the rise of Youtube and Netflix. Now with all of the conference channels, you might not watch UCLA vs Cal when you can watch SEC Network+ on your tv. I watch all the MSU games no matter what so I end up watching less games of other teams. Also with DVR, I can catch up on different shows that I didn't watch during the week instead of leaving it on ESPN. I used to just have it on ESPN if nothing else was on but I can watch a DVR or On Demand show instead.

Advertising revenue represents a fraction of what subscription revenue is for ESPN. And sure, they want ratings...which is why you see shows like First Take becoming more and more prominent. It's also why you see so much fuss over things like Caitlyn Jenner. If some random women's college tennis player wins the Arthur Ashe award, who cares? If they give it to Caitlyn Jenner, boom...people go nuts, in both directions. Which is good for ESPN's business.

But these cuts have nothing to do with ad revenue losses and everything to do with subscription losses.

And SECN+ is an ESPN product.

[Political Hack]

Well then say what you're for / against douche. I'm saying I don't want my kids to see the garbage produced by espn outside of the sports events that we have no choice of watching unless it's on those channels. My guess is you'll say the word snowflake again without actually putting forth any discussion.

Calling people douches is grounds for banishment.

[confucius say]

This, btw, is why it's not about their politics. You are as against them and their political stances as possible, yet you still subscribe.

The commenters on the article...are on ESPN and giving their time to them, and are almost certainly still subscribers.

Except that several said they were not subscribing anymore.

It doesn't have to be just one reason why espn is failing. Like most things in life, there is more than one contributing factor.

[confucius say]

I don't know why nobody understand this. ESPNs numbers aren't tanking because of politics or social issues. ESPN shelled out ridiculous cash for broadcast rights and then passed that along to the viewer by jacking up their subscriber fee to the cable companies. Cable companies then raise their rates. Subscribers then cut the cord because now there are tons of options to watch everything you want without hemorrhaging your money to a cable company.

No doubt that's the driving factor. Also no doubt they have lost viewers and subscribers bc of their self proclaimed mission to infuse sports coverage with political/cultural issues. Their ratings are down even among non cord cutters, and advertisers know this.

[HereComesTheSpiral]

I think their subscription decline to their magazine and Insider is hurting more than cord cutters.

[Thick]

ESPN is laying off 100 people, including Ed Werder. They lay off legit reporters with perspective like Ed Werder while keeping PCs like Jemele Hill, yellers like Stephen A Smith, and offered millions to keep Skip Bayless last year.

I'm not sure I've seen an American business run themselves in the ground more by not understanding their demographic and playing in the political sand box as much as ESPN.

For someone that grew up watching the channel non stop, I now despise what they stand for.

^^^^This^^^^

[Liverpooldawg]

I saw an article that pretty much summed up the impact of ESPN's politics. It stated all the economic reasons that have been discussed here are hurting them, ESP chord cutting. It said that there is no way to quantify the impact of the politics but that it's never a good idea to give people who are already considering leaving you another reason to do so.

My personal takes on the politics: I don't want to hear about politics, social justice warrioring, or human interest stories of ANY kind when I watch sports. One of the reasons I watch sports is to escape from that stuff.

Chord cutting is going to make TV much more expensive in the long run, much more expensive.

[Dawg61]

Netflix affect. They are ****ing up a lot of companies that had become greedy and lazy.

[Tbonewannabe]

Advertising revenue represents a fraction of what subscription revenue is for ESPN. And sure, they want ratings...which is why you see shows like First Take becoming more and more prominent. It's also why you see so much fuss over things like Caitlyn Jenner. If some random women's college tennis player wins the Arthur Ashe award, who cares? If they give it to Caitlyn Jenner, boom...people go nuts, in both directions. Which is good for ESPN's business.

But these cuts have nothing to do with ad revenue losses and everything to do with subscription losses.

And SECN+ is an ESPN product.

I was just throwing out the SECN+ as what I am watching instead of having ESPN on. I think more than anything ESPN didn't have to compete and now there are other channels and the internet taking a good percentage of the pie along with people cutting cords.

[jumbo]

Also of note. FS1 lost over 100k more subscribers in February than ESPN did.

[shoeless joe]

ESPN radio is also a joke. When I'm around jcn I listen to it, mostly weekends, and it's horrible. Never thought I'd actually want to hear Freddie Coleman and his inability to actually speak English. Every time I listen it's two guys and a girl and they're joking about something that is slightly related to sports and anybtime actual sports are brought up they show their ignorance.

Also, I have no idea how jay Crawford lasted this long.

[Cooterpoot]

ESPN screwed me out of a lazy assed weekend dropping this damn draft during the week and spreading it out. I could always drink beer and take a nap. Not anymore...

[Dawg61]

To be fair, I wouldn't let children listen braindead old morons drone on about team chemistry and locker room guys and momentum either.

Oh wait, you're just scared of the outside world -- that's a healthy approach to parenting.

Huh? We spend our life in the outside world, sports, fishing, grilling, everything we can. But yeah I could teach my kids to be a douchebag like you on espn and cnn, maybe a little protesting (rioting) instead of working. No thanks, we're doing good.

He didn't mention the content being appropriate, rather that he just disagrees with it -- that's the most weakwilled, snowflakeyest mindset I've ever heard.

You don't know anything about me. All I know is that you're scared of ESPN corrupting your children and that's pitiful snowflake logic.

Well then say what you're for / against douche. I'm saying I don't want my kids to see the garbage produced by espn outside of the sports events that we have no choice of watching unless it's on those channels. My guess is you'll say the word snowflake again without actually putting forth any discussion.

Calling people douches is grounds for banishment.

You banned him for calling the other guy a douche after he told him how he should raise his own children? Savage

[Pollodawg]

Did they really ban someone for calling a douche a douche? Would he have still been banned if he shared your political persuasion? Lmao.

[Pollodawg]

Dude A: "I monitor what my kids watch"
Dude B: "Youre stupid."
Dude A: "You're a douche."

Dude A: Banned. Whatever commandant Klink. ������

[Dawg61]

Did they really ban someone for calling a douche a douche? Would he have still been banned if he shared your political persuasion? Lmao.

Dude A: "I monitor what my kids watch"
Dude B: "Youre stupid."
Dude A: "You're a douche."

Dude A: Banned. Whatever commandant Klink. ������

Haha the douche reaper lurks

[smootness]

Except that several said they were not subscribing anymore.

It doesn't have to be just one reason why espn is failing. Like most things in life, there is more than one contributing factor.

Eh, just not sure I believe them. I just have a hard time believing that a person who has cut their entire cable subscription due to ESPN's liberal stances would take the time to visit ESPN's site and maintain an account there.

[smootness]

I think their subscription decline to their magazine and Insider is hurting more than cord cutters.

No, it's definitely cord cutters. They're losing 10,000 cable subscribers a day.

[Reason2succeed]

I saw an article that pretty much summed up the impact of ESPN's politics. It stated all the economic reasons that have been discussed here are hurting them, ESP chord cutting. It said that there is no way to quantify the impact of the politics but that it's never a good idea to give people who are already considering leaving you another reason to do so.

My personal takes on the politics: I don't want to hear about politics, social justice warrioring, or human interest stories of ANY kind when I watch sports. One of the reasons I watch sports is to escape from that stuff.

Chord cutting is going to make TV much more expensive in the long run, much more expensive.

So you don't like Tebow or Dak's back story being talked about? The part many of you are missing is that ESPN and journalist have ALWAYS talked about the lives of athletes. The difference isn't as much in the coverage as it is in the actual athletes.

Jenner used to be an athlete. I didn't care for them giving him/her an award either but we are sitting here talking about it a year later which is exactly why they did it. I didn't care to watch Michael Sam kiss his boyfriend in the mouth but it is a moment I will never forget no matter how hard I try. That's just TV in general. Shock value sells.

The most interesting part is that the argument that PC is killng ESPN but espn just jettisoned the dead weight of people who didn't do it and kept those who did. Maybe just maybe they know those they are losing aren't their target demographic anymore anyway. My guess is they are going after millennials and women.

P.S. this liberal has learned his lesson about who gets banned around here and for what. Let's just say those who cry about people being PC sure try to keep this place their type of PC.