ESPN lays off Ed Werder day before the NFL draft

[siberian khatru]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">After 17 years reporting on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NFL?src=hash">#NFL</a>, I&#39;ve been informed that I&#39;m being laid off by ESPN effective immediately. I have no plans to retire</p>&mdash; Ed Werder (@Edwerderespn) <a href="https://twitter.com/Edwerderespn/status/857225944221831168">April 26, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

And that's just the beginning of the bloodbath. Up to 100 ESPNers are expected to be axed, including a lot of on-air folks. So consider this the ESPN Layoffs Megathread to track all the victims.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">ESPN should have marketed this. Could have turned it into like an episode of Hard Knocks. Who survives the cuts, who doesn&#39;t...</p>&mdash; Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) <a href="https://twitter.com/redsteeze/status/857229578045140992">April 26, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[Titty Meat]

Ed Werder was good at his job. Should have canned half the people on Around The Horn.

[Gravedigger]

Or the useless old guy on the Dan LeBatard, Bomani Jones show. I have respect for LeBatard and Jones individually, but together with the old guy, that show is unwatchable for me.

[Frosty]

Oh no! Who will suck off the Cowboys during the draft now?

[Prison Bitch]

Ed Werder was good at his job. Should have canned half the people on Around The Horn.

I love the SJWs on ESPN, it is really fun to watch


Anyway, he's only the tip of the iceberg on layoffs to come (but just the tip)

[cabletech94]

Thanks Disney!!!

[mcaj22]

I hope Dan, Stu and the shipping container survive this!

[Marcellus]

How many hours a week could that guy have been working for ESPN?

[scho63]

Who is Ed Werder? That's how little I watch ESPN anymore!

[ptlyon]

Ed Werder was good at his job. Should have canned all of the people on Around The Horn.

FYP

[Bowser]

Crazy. Werder is a Cowboys honk, but he was still good at what he did. They should have fired a half a dozen of the other dipshits before they fired him.

Eisen and the guys over at NFL Network should go get him and have him sit in on the draft tomorrow.

[Frazod]

Who is Ed Werder? That's how little I watch ESPN anymore!

Exactly. Can't remember the last time I watched anything on ESPN that wasn't an actual game involving a team I actually root for. Other than that, it's as dead to me as MTV.

[ClevelandBronco]

Here's how valuable ESPN is to me: I've never heard of this guy.

And I see I'm nowhere near alone.

[Rasputin]

Did they ax Herm?


Yet Herm doesn't get the ax?

[Rooster]

Here's how valuable ESPN is to me: I've never heard of this guy.

And I see I'm nowhere near alone.

I recognized the name but had to Google him to remember who he is. All the talking heads are the same to me.

[Titty Meat]

I love the SJWs on ESPN, it is really fun to watch


Anyway, he's only the tip of the iceberg on layoffs to come (but just the tip)

Yup anytime liberals take something over they ruin it just look at any big city in America.

[Dayze]

probably a decision so they freed up more space to have another couple of shows where a white guy argues with a black guy, moderated by an attractive chick (white or black, you choose). How many of those fake 'hot take' / argument type shows are on ESPN now?

ESPN was great in the 90's.
now with this whole internetz ....their pretty much obsolete (Sans live games).

just make a sportscenter twice a day, and rebroadcast it throughout the day. But nooooo....they gotta have all these personal interest stories, social justice themed shows. that's why ESPN is so lame.....they try to fill each hour of the day with some sort of new show that has 3-5 hosts....of course that's going to cost a ton of money. Just re-air sportscenter and STFU.

[scho63]

ESPN will cut 100 on-air personalities today

They are cleaning house of big contracts to save money. Place is a cluster-F*** !

[MahiMike]

Or the useless old guy on the Dan LeBatard, Bomani Jones show. I have respect for LeBatard and Jones individually, but together with the old guy, that show is unwatchable for me.

WHAT? The old guy is the ONLY good part of that show man.

[MahiMike]

probably a decision so they freed up more space to have another couple of shows where a white guy argues with a black guy, moderated by an attractive chick (white or black, you choose). How many of those fake 'hot take' / argument type shows are on ESPN now?

ESPN was great in the 90's.
now with this whole internetz ....their pretty much obsolete (Sans live games).

just make a sportscenter twice a day, and rebroadcast it throughout the day. But nooooo....they gotta have all these personal interest stories, social justice themed shows. that's why ESPN is so lame.....they try to fill each hour of the day with some sort of new show that has 3-5 hosts....of course that's going to cost a ton of money. Just re-air sportscenter and STFU.

The MTVisation of America continues.

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Layoffs Will all be same race, sex too.

[siberian khatru]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Add me to the list. Just got the &#39;call.&#39; I&#39;ve been informed my contract will not be renewed at ESPN.</p>&mdash; Dana O&#39;Neil (@ESPNDanaOneil) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNDanaOneil/status/857242844985163776">April 26, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[siberian khatru]

Please, please, PLEASE let Sarah Spain be next.

[O.city]

Not a fan of the excitement over someone getting fired.

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Not a fan of the excitement over someone getting fired.

Talentless hacks

[Amnorix]

Hope ESPN dies as a channel and a media outlet.

[O.city]

Talentless hacks

I mean they cover all these rigged sports and illuminati and shit, right?

[Frosty]

Werder I knew. I have no idea who Dana O'Neil is. Google didn't even help.

[FloridaMan88]

Hope ESPN dies as a channel and a media outlet.

Yeah celebrate the fact people are losing their jobs today because bandwagon Patriots fans such as yourself continue with your lame fake outrage over ESPN's supposedly "biased" DeflateGate reporting.

[Rooster]

WHAT? The old guy is the ONLY good part of that show man.

I agree. He cracks me up.

[FloridaMan88]

Werder I knew. I have no idea who Dana O'Neil is. Google didn't even help.

She was a writer for ESPN.com, specifically for college basketball.

[siberian khatru]

Werder I knew. I have no idea who Dana O'Neil is. Google didn't even help.

She's popped up on some college BB games I've watched.

Like most here, I only watch ESPN for live sports and some 30 for 30s. Haven't watched a studio show in ... forever.

Surprised how many said they've never heard of Werder. He's been doing the NFL draft for years (yes, as a Cowboys honk), so I remember seeing him a lot before I switched the vast majority of my draft viewing to NFL Network 2-3 years ago.

[ptlyon]

Did they ax Herm?


Yet Herm doesn't get the ax?

That's cuz he plays to win the game. HELLO.

[The Franchise]

Well there goes his Twitter handle.

[Fish]

Great to see ESPN taken down a peg.

[Titty Meat]

Not a fan of the excitement over someone getting fired.

Hmm how long have they been talking about Phil Jackson getting fired now?

[MahiMike]

Too bad they didn't have a poll on this. We could've bombarded them with Stephen A. Smith votes.

[Dayze]

I forgot who Stephen A Smith was, so i googled....yep, he's the one I was thinking of.
a verbose blowhard.

reminds me of Damon Wayans character from In Living Color of a prisoner who has spent his time learning a new vocabulary.

[frozenchief]

Did they ax Herm?


Yet Herm doesn't get the ax?

ESPN doesn't want to offend anybody. And if you remember Herm's tenure in KC, he was extremely non-offensive.

[Frosty]

She's popped up on some college BB games I've watched.

I don't watch BB so I guess that explains why I hadn't heard of her. I imagine there will be more of those.

With Werder going, I wonder is Sal Paolantonio is also soon to get axed. he is basically the Eagles' version of Werder.

[Dayze]

they could probably save some money by reducing Sunday NFL Countdown from 18 hosts, down to 2, maybe 3.

because nothing gets me fired up for Sunday more than hearing 10 former athletes talking at the same time.

[WhawhaWhat]

Live updates of the ESPN cuts. (http://awfulannouncing.com/espn/confirmed-espn-layoffs-constantly-updated.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter)

[Hammock Parties]

at least we have bomb ass programming like this tho

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EM5piBO6nJo?ecver=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Aka affirmative action SC

[Hammock Parties]

It has nothing to do with their race. I don't give a shit about who's anchoring sportscenter anymore and watching them dance isn't going to change my mind.

Plus, actual sports starts at 6...why would I be watching Sportscenter instead?

It's a cringey, ineffective ad. Fire the person who created it, not Ed Werder.

Ed Werder was a goofy looking dude with a pornstache and about 0 personality but he certainly had league connections and always gave excellent info on NFL Countdown.

Maybe he should take dance lessons though! You need to be young and hip now, Ed! Not old and informative.

[siberian khatru]

I was the demographic ESPN wanted/needed back in the 80s and 90s. I am not what they want now.

[FloridaMan88]

Karl Ravech, Ryen Russillo and Hannah Storm to have their roles "significantly reduced" and John Buccigross potentially may not have his contract renewed.

Link http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/layoffs-hit-espn-as-network-sheds-air-talent-997616

[FloridaMan88]

College Football reporter, Brett McMurphy gone as well.

[Frosty]

Yet Donk trash Mark Schlereth still lives. :shake:

[Al Bundy]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Six years ago, made most difficult decision ever made leaving <a href="https://twitter.com/Rivals">@Rivals</a> to come to <a href="https://twitter.com/espn">@ESPN</a>. Even after being laid off today, I don’t regret it.</p>&mdash; Jeremy Crabtree (@jeremycrabtree) <a href="https://twitter.com/jeremycrabtree/status/857262564169986048">April 26, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[tk13]

Not a fan of the excitement over someone getting fired.

It's the world we live in now. Everything has become so politicized and the internet allows people to be jerks. Twitter is ablaze with people turning this into some kind of political argument. You see it in this thread. It's sad people with a vacuum in their life so they fill it with hate. There's zero politics involved here. ESPN did celebrate Jenner. You know who else they celebrated? Tebow. They spent entire SportsCenter episodes on him. All they care about is attention, and money, and now they're not getting it because so many people are cutting the cord.

[Titty Meat]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Six years ago, made most difficult decision ever made leaving <a href="https://twitter.com/Rivals">@Rivals</a> to come to <a href="https://twitter.com/espn">@ESPN</a>. Even after being laid off today, I don’t regret it.</p>&mdash; Jeremy Crabtree (@jeremycrabtree) <a href="https://twitter.com/jeremycrabtree/status/857262564169986048">April 26, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Rivals is a much better service anyway.

[Dayze]

at least we have bomb ass programming like this tho

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EM5piBO6nJo?ecver=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

god....

is that actually a show?


wow.

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

I will contact all these poor souls and offer them work.

[DJ's left nut]

They're going to keep doubling down on their 'embrace debate' strategy and their lurch to the left in an attempt to appeal to millennials and remain culturally relevant in a landscape where they are less athletically relevant than they've ever been.

If you can't beat VICE, you may as well join 'em, I guess.

This isn't a surprise to any sports fan. People that are hardcore fans of any particular sport get almost all their information from the respective specialized network. College fans turn to their conference programming anymore. ESPN's old business model is dead and they needed to streamline.

They've chosen their horse - we'll see how far it takes them.

[Hammock Parties]

They're just firing old people.

They want young people watching their shit programming.

[Titty Meat]

They're going to keep doubling down on their 'embrace debate' strategy and their lurch to the left in an attempt to appeal to millennials and remain culturally relevant in a landscape where they are less athletically relevant than they've ever been.

If you can't beat VICE, you may as well join 'em, I guess.

This isn't a surprise to any sports fan. People that are hardcore fans of any particular sport get almost all their information from the respective specialized network. College fans turn to their conference programming anymore. ESPN's old business model is dead and they needed to streamline.

They've chosen their horse - we'll see how far it takes them.

Will the new talent be debating from their safe space?

[DJ's left nut]

Karl Ravech, Ryen Russillo and Hannah Storm to have their roles "significantly reduced" and John Buccigross potentially may not have his contract renewed.

Link http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/layoffs-hit-espn-as-network-sheds-air-talent-997616

A friend of mine has a parent that's high up in network programming and will occasionally give us some pretty great behind the scenes stuff on media personalities.

Hannah Storm literally fucked her way to the top. She's actually halfway decent now, but she evidently banged the entire chain of command to get there.

[WhawhaWhat]

Jeremy Crabtree got cut.

[DJ's left nut]

Will the new talent be debating from their safe space?

They're focusing on an age group with the attention span of a gnat. I understand that it's young viewers that attract advertising dollars so they had little choice but to go this route.

But they're going to be more and more of a niche network because that's where all media is headed. To me, they look like they're trying to push towards VICE sports. It'll be a slow transition, but from the outside looking in, that sure seems to be the market they're trying to appeal to. And frankly I think it's because they realize that they've simply lost the hardcore sports fan to the sport specific channels.

ESPN will never again be what we grew up on and once they finally start to get out from under some of these burdensome television rights deals that are killing their bottom line, I'll be you see them get even smaller. And in the void I think you'll see the PPV model become more popular for many sports and the regional networks will grab an even larger share of many events.

ESPN as we know it is dead but they are going to have a hard time transitioning because they're trying to turn the Titanic here. And they're going to have to do so while also swallowing their pride.

[siberian khatru]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I feel blessed &amp; privileged to have worked <a href="https://twitter.com/espn">@ESPN</a> and most importantly work w/ so many great people.Thank you. I look forward to what&#39;s next</p>&mdash; Jim Bowden (@JimBowdenMLB) <a href="https://twitter.com/JimBowdenMLB/status/857257737503297540">April 26, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[siberian khatru]

A friend of mine has a parent that's high up in network programming and will occasionally give us some pretty great behind the scenes stuff on media personalities.

Hannah Storm literally fucked her way to the top. She's actually halfway decent now, but she evidently banged the entire chain of command to get there.

Hannah Storm yelled at me at the 1991 World Series. I and two other reporters were 30 seconds late to the pre-game pitchers' media conference, and to get to the only open seats we had to walk across an aisle in which Storm's video camera was perched, briefly obscuring the view. I took it in stride.

[DJ's left nut]

Hannah Storm yelled at me at the 1991 World Series. I and two other reporters were 30 seconds late to the pre-game pitchers' media conference, and to get to the only open seats we had to walk across an aisle in which Storm's video camera was perched, briefly obscuring the view. I took it in stride.

You probably should've acted like you were a network executive and tried to fuck her.

In 1991 I'll bet she was a smokeshow.

EDIT: OH GAWD!!! I WAS SO WRONG!!! {shudder}

[Dayze]

You probably should've acted like you were a network executive and tried to **** her.

In 1991 I'll bet she was a smokeshow.

I picture that going down like Karmer pretending to be Dr. Von Nostrom

"yes, that's right Ms. Storm. I'm Siberian Von Nostrom....eh...uh, the executive of affiliates, and uh...marketing programming for the, uh....Network"


Oh really? Which network?

"...uh...yeah...that's right".

[KChiefs1]

Must have voted for Trump.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[siberian khatru]

You probably should've acted like you were a network executive and tried to fuck her.

In 1991 I'll bet she was a smokeshow.

EDIT: OH GAWD!!! I WAS SO WRONG!!! {shudder}

<img style="-webkit-user-select: none; cursor: zoom-in;" src="https://img.comc.com/ebay-both/a4dcac5c-fdbd-48ab-a01c-31d99a1046bc.jpg?refresh" width="808" height="647">

She had a hell of an eye-roll, though.

[FloridaMan88]

Danny Kannell out as well.

[KChiefs1]

A lot of talent let go while hacks like Stephen A have a job.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Dayze]

A lot of talent let go while hacks like Stephen A have a job.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

yep. it's mind blowing.


just goes to show you the direction they want to go. if Bayliss was still there, he'd still be kept around. They want opinionated, polarizing, and inflammatory 'hosts', to 'aruge' with one another on topics they disagree on ....just to disagree for the sake of a show.

[notorious]

Danny Kannell out as well.

What the fuck!?

Russillo and Kannell were the only guys worth listening to on the radio.

[displacedinMN]

SHould have a list of who gets axed

[CoMoChief]

god....

is that actually a show?


wow.

Gotta connect with the inner city sjw trash with the anti american liberal narrative.

this is what's trendy now....you didn't know?

and despite losing money, people cutting the cord, declining viewership on their shows (SC, ATH, PTI etc) and laying people off, ESPN/Disney execs were interviewed stating they had no intentions changing their narrative.

Well....ok then. I guess they're gonna double down and fall on their own sword. We'll see..maybe they're just too big to fail and at the end of the day don't give a fuck.

[Rooster]

What the ****!?

Russillo and Kannell were the only guys worth listening to on the radio.

Kannell surprises me too.

[notorious]

Disney has more money than Jesus.

[BWillie]

There is nothing more boring than the NFL draft, rounds 2-7. Everybody thinks they know shit. Nobody does.

[nychief]

http://deadspin.com/a-running-list-of-espn-layoffs-1794664091

[notorious]

Kannell surprises me too.

The only way to save the radio side is to have SVP reunite with Russillo. That was magic.

[mcaj22]

Jayson Stark out

wow

[Gravedigger]

Jayson Stark, really? I mean they do have a bank of good baseball guys, so I guess that was a hard decision. Sad to see him go.

[Rooster]

Jayson Stark out

wow

WTF!! Really?

So they are basically firing the only people they have that know about sports.

[Titty Meat]

They're going to keep doubling down on their 'embrace debate' strategy and their lurch to the left in an attempt to appeal to millennials and remain culturally relevant in a landscape where they are less athletically relevant than they've ever been.

If you can't beat VICE, you may as well join 'em, I guess.

This isn't a surprise to any sports fan. People that are hardcore fans of any particular sport get almost all their information from the respective specialized network. College fans turn to their conference programming anymore. ESPN's old business model is dead and they needed to streamline.

They've chosen their horse - we'll see how far it takes them.


Now youre making me feel old. Im not familiar with Vice do they do anything other than documentaries? The North Korea one was awesome.

[ChiefsCountry]

What the ****!?

Russillo and Kannell were the only guys worth listening to on the radio.

Russillo is going to get put with Greenberg on a morning show on ESPN I bet with Stephen A Smith show taking their radio spot.

[suzzer99]

How many "on air personalities" that you've never heard of does ESPN employ? Sheesh.

Also I thought that old guy on the LeBatard show was his dad?

[WhawhaWhat]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Laid off by ESPN today.Although sad cause I loved my job, mostly filled w/gratitude &amp; appreciation for the 9 years <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GreatFriendsAndTeammates?src=hash">#GreatFriendsAndTeammates</a></p>&mdash; Trent Dilfer (@TDESPN) <a href="https://twitter.com/TDESPN/status/857286119171342336">April 26, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[Hammock Parties]

Wow. Dilfer might have been the best NFL analysis guy they have.

Fucking morons.

NFL Network is going to grab him.

[Titty Meat]

Used to always have to debate what Network to watch for the draft. This pretty much settles that.

[O.city]

They never got on board with the digital world. Cord cutting killed them.

[ChiefsCountry]

They never got on board with the digital world. Cord cutting killed them.

Not really true. ESPN3 and WatchESPN is top notch.

[O.city]

Not really true. ESPN3 and WatchESPN is top notch.

True, but they never went full speed ahead that way imo. They went with all this dumb during the day shit that was expensive

[siberian khatru]

Jayson Stark out

wow


WOW. Assume he'll still be on Petro's show regularly on 810

[Hammock Parties]

OH SNAP

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">When you pursue a political agenda rather than a business agenda and people lose their jobs, remember: No One Is To Blame.</p>&mdash; Jason Whitlock (@WhitlockJason) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhitlockJason/status/857228074940747777">April 26, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[O.city]

Eh, whit seems jaded. That could come back to bit him in a year when fs1 doesn't renew his deal

[Buehler445]

Did they ax Herm?


Yet Herm doesn't get the ax?

His stupid fucking dumb motherfucking ass was on this morning while I was changing channels.

Fuck Squirmin Herman Motherfucking Sack of Cunt Edwards. Fuck that fucking guy.

It has nothing to do with their race. I don't give a shit about who's anchoring sportscenter anymore and watching them dance isn't going to change my mind.

Plus, actual sports starts at 6...why would I be watching Sportscenter instead?

It's a cringey, ineffective ad. Fire the person who created it, not Ed Werder.

Ed Werder was a goofy looking dude with a pornstache and about 0 personality but he certainly had league connections and always gave excellent info on NFL Countdown.

Maybe he should take dance lessons though! You need to be young and hip now, Ed! Not old and informative.

Werder got on Rusillo and Kannel a lot and he was really goddamned funny and had a lot of really great stories.

He wrote a story one time bashing this dude. He tried to get an interview with the player. Player pulled a gun. ROFL Not sure I'll ever forget that story.


Karl Ravech, Ryen Russillo and Hannah Storm to have their roles "significantly reduced" and John Buccigross potentially may not have his contract renewed.

Link http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/layoffs-hit-espn-as-network-sheds-air-talent-997616

FUCK Rusillo was the ONLY motherfucker worth listening to. They better not axe his radio show.

Yet Donk trash Mark Schlereth still lives. :shake:

I'm pretty sure Schlareth quit them a few years ago. Now he mows his grass in Denver, because why? Who gives a fuck. Fuck him.

I think he is just a consultant now.

What the fuck!?

Russillo and Kannell were the only guys worth listening to on the radio.

That's the only goddamned programming worth listening to.

[Buehler445]

Dilfer was the only motherfucker that, you know, watched football. OUT MOTHERFUCKER.

God I'm so pissed about Rusillo. Jesus tits he was the only level head in the fucking building.

[Buehler445]

Hopefully the entire wing of ESPNW goes. They used to do some nice things but then it was just about how oppressed women are.

[Buehler445]

Pretty much the only motherfuckers left in there that I give half a fuck about what they have to say consists of:

Jay Bilas
....

....

Fran Frischilla? Eh. Sometimes.

Van Pelt if he's not trying to hard. He tries too hard most of the time.

[Dayze]

didn't ESPN give an award to Jenner?....like a Hero award or some shit?

I didn't watch it, I just remember hearing about it.

[Buehler445]

If that smarmy fucking cliche machine Vitale calls another game after all these cuts I'm going to cut someone's nuts.

I turned on Rusillo and Kannel on at Lunch because that's what I do, Adnan Virk is on doing it by himself. ROFL He's just rambling. Mostly about his podcast.

[CoMoChief]

WTF!! Really?

So they are basically firing the only people they have that know about sports.

Because it's not about sports or knowledge of the sport.

It's about pushing a sjw liberal agenda....plain n simple.

That's why you have a bunch of women on these shows now. No guy really wants to listen to that shit, most of them don't know shit about anything they're discussing. I happened to be getting my haircut the other day and noticed they had ESPN on and ATH was on. All panelists were women and it was no different then if I were to turn on The View. It was simply unwatchable.

ESPN has lost connection with it's base and they don't really give a damn.

[CoMoChief]

OH SNAP

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">When you pursue a political agenda rather than a business agenda and people lose their jobs, remember: No One Is To Blame.</p>&mdash; Jason Whitlock (@WhitlockJason) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhitlockJason/status/857228074940747777">April 26, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

He is 100% correct.

[CoMoChief]

didn't ESPN give an award to Jenner?....like a Hero award or some shit?

I didn't watch it, I just remember hearing about it.

Of course. Have to please the 1000 trannies in America who watch ESPN.

They also have to film Michael Sam (a 7th rd draft pick) make out with his beta-male prison bitch bf too while they smear cake and lick eachothers faces like they just tied the knot.

[BlackHelicopters]

Never heard of this person.

[Dayze]

Of course. Have to please the 1000 trannies in America who watch ESPN.

yeah, I remember hearing that ....it was right around that moment, that I was done with ESPN....though, i was already pretty much there. the "Hero" bullshit just put me over the top.

[Buehler445]

Because it's not about sports or knowledge of the sport.

It's about pushing a sjw liberal agenda....plain n simple.

That's why you have a bunch of women on these shows now. No guy really wants to listen to that shit, most of them don't know shit about anything they're discussing. I happened to be getting my haircut the other day and noticed they had ESPN on and ATH was on. All panelists were women and it was no different then if I were to turn on The View. It was simply unwatchable.

ESPN has lost connection with it's base and they don't really give a damn.

I don't give a fuck what sex these people are. I give a shit about the content. They used to have a woman do some baseball stuff, and she was really pretty good. Fine. No problems.

There is a basketball color analyst that is a woman that does some mens games. I liked her.

I can't remember who it was but there was a woman on talking about the women's soccer team and it's labor negotiations. It was really in depth and it was fascinating. Naturally the people interviewing her degraded it into how women are oppresed and it isn't fair that men get paid the same when the women have a bigger following shit. Fuck those people.

[MahiMike]

Wow. Dilfer might have been the best NFL analysis guy they have.

****ing morons.

NFL Network is going to grab him.

Agreed. He's the biggest name so far.

[Dayze]

Dilfer was actually, much to my surprise, pretty much the only guy that I can remember that would call out coaches, teams, players, for dumb decisions / playcalls etc.

I can't cite a specific exapmle, but I just remember watching him and being surprised at how blunt he could be on a subject that would typically be danced around with kid gloves.

It's gonna be hilarious to see ESPN's new lineup after all the layoffs take place. Just a bunch of pretty faces with no substance. perfect for today's viewership / their market share.

[Buehler445]

Dilfer was actually, much to my surprise, pretty much the only guy that I can remember that would call out coaches, teams, players, for dumb decisions / playcalls etc.

I can't cite a specific exapmle, but I just remember watching him and being surprised at how blunt he could be on a subject that would typically be danced around with kid gloves.

It's gonna be hilarious to see ESPN's new lineup after all the layoffs take place. Just a bunch of pretty faces with no substance. perfect for today's viewership / their market share.

Russillo is a big NBA guy but he does it too. Naturally on a smaller platform, but he was very much the antithesis of Stephen A Smith.

[ptlyon]

OH SNAP

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">When you pursue a political agenda rather than a business agenda and people lose their jobs, remember: No One Is To Blame.</p>&mdash; Jason Whitlock (@WhitlockJason) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhitlockJason/status/857228074940747777">April 26, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

What a fucking hypocrite

[Dayze]

when i drove a truck over the road, i actually enjoyed listening to R & K almost every day.
Lebetard is pretty awful but could be funny here or there.
Listed to quite a bit of Cowherd when he was with ESPN ....he reminds me too much of Greenburg - they're both in LOVE with the sound of their own voices.

[alanm]

WHAT? The old guy is the ONLY good part of that show man.You mean Lebatard's Dad. He's hilarious.

[Dayze]

What a ****ing hypocrite

no shit.

just substitute "political' with 'race' in his tweet, and it's basically Whitlock's M.O.

[Titty Meat]

Remember when Dilfer said the Patriots werent good anymore after the Chiefs beat them?

[FloridaMan88]

Herm must have compromising photos of Walt Disney... only way to explain him keeping his job.

He's parlayed a few outlandish press conferences as a HC into a TV career.

[WhawhaWhat]

Herm must have compromising photos of Walt Disney... only way to explain him keeping his job.

He's parlayed a few outlandish press conferences as a HC into a TV career.

He's part of the clown show that ESPN likes these days.

[FloridaMan88]

OH SNAP

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">When you pursue a political agenda rather than a business agenda and people lose their jobs, remember: No One Is To Blame.</p>&mdash; Jason Whitlock (@WhitlockJason) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhitlockJason/status/857228074940747777">April 26, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

ESPN's problems have very little to do with having a "political agenda"... it has almost everything to do with cord cutting and the changing ways due to technology that people consume sports programming.

[WhawhaWhat]

ESPN's problems have very little to do with having a "political agenda"... it has almost everything to do with cord cutting and the changing ways due to technology that people consume sports programming.

If ESPN was the tie that kept a lot of people attached to cable and now ESPN's politics made cutting those ties a lot easier, then their agenda absolutely had something to do with it.

I've seen a few people make that "ESPN's problems have very little to do with having a "political agenda" comment and it seems very shortsighted.

[FloridaMan88]

If ESPN was the tie that kept a lot of people attached to cable and now ESPN's politics made cutting those ties a lot easier, then their agenda absolutely had something to do with it.

I've seen a few people make that "ESPN's problems have very little to do with having a "political agenda" comment and it seems very shortsighted.

So why wasn't ESPN affected in 2003 when they hired and then fired Rush Limbaugh for Sunday NFL Countdown?

If having a "political agenda" is to blame for ESPN's current problems, why didn't it cause similar financial problems in 2003?

[vailpass]

If ESPN was the tie that kept a lot of people attached to cable and now ESPN's politics made cutting those ties a lot easier, then their agenda absolutely had something to do with it.

I've seen a few people make that "ESPN's problems have very little to do with having a "political agenda" comment and it seems very shortsighted.

Yep.

[mcaj22]

from what I read this isnt Disneys decision its entirely ESPNs/John Skippers decision to re-tool/re-brand/whatever the hell direction nobody has a clue they want to go in

[Titty Meat]

So why wasn't ESPN affected in 2003 when they hired and then fired Rush Limbaugh for Sunday NFL Countdown?

If having a "political agenda" is to blame for ESPN's current problems, why didn't it cause similar financial problems in 2003?

More of America thinks like Limbaugh than they do Kaitlin Jenner/BLM

[FloridaMan88]

More of America thinks like Limbaugh than they do Kaitlin Jenner/BLM

So why didn't ESPN suffer the same viewership losses/financial losses in reaction to firing Limbaugh in 2003?

[DJ's left nut]

ESPN's problems have very little to do with having a "political agenda"... it has almost everything to do with cord cutting and the changing ways due to technology that people consume sports programming.

Eh, it's both.

Cord cutting required that they try to maximize their exposure to a reducing base. If you can't still get the # of viewers, at least ensure the viewers you have are more ensconced than ever.

They have unquestionably taken a political position and pushed it. You' have to pretty much bury your head in the sand not to notice it (or be of the persuasion that they're trying to secure so there's no cognitive dissonance there to really bring it to your attention).

Like I said - they were always going to have to go a different direction. They were always going to have to streamline and find a slightly smaller, more fanatical audience. They had a handful of different routes they could've gone and they have clearly chosen to go towards the left, chase millennials and push social justice causes.

It may work out for them, it may not. It wasn't something that happened instead of cord cutting, it's something that happened because of cord cutting and the choice they made alienated many of their viewers. Their gamble is that it made the remaining viewers more valuable and provided them an advertising lifeboat.

I think it's wrongheaded. Their management disagrees and has more knowledge/experience than I do. We'll see if they're right.

[DJ's left nut]

from what I read this isnt Disneys decision its entirely ESPNs/John Skippers decision to re-tool/re-brand/whatever the hell direction nobody has a clue they want to go in

I saw something a few weeks ago that said Skipper is positioning himself for a career in politics.

It's probably bullshit, but it's at least something that makes sense given recent developments.

[PunkinDrublic]

OH SNAP

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">When you pursue a political agenda rather than a business agenda and people lose their jobs, remember: No One Is To Blame.</p>&mdash; Jason Whitlock (@WhitlockJason) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhitlockJason/status/857228074940747777">April 26, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Whitlock is just stepping and fetching for his boss. I'm sure he'll get a nice pat on the head.

[DJ's left nut]

So why didn't ESPN suffer the same viewership losses/financial losses in reaction to firing Limbaugh in 2003?

Because in 2003 where else was there to turn?

They had a captive audience back then. Many people were pissed but were stuck.

In the last 5+ years, the rise of sport-specific networks and explosion in online content, not to mention reporters having direct access to fans via social media and the sports themselves becoming better and better at direct content, has given fans that were upset other options.

It's the standard elastic/inelastic demand curve. In 2003 the elasticity wasn't there - ESPN could piss off viewers and there was really nothing sports-hungry viewers could do about it. In 2017, if you piss off a viewer, that person can literally never turn on ESPN again in their lives and miss very little for it.

It's silly to act like their chosen direction had no ideological or partisian bend and that said direction did nothing to cost them viewers. It very clearly has. They just think they'll make it back through strength and loyalty in their smaller base.

[O.city]

I don't think it's a big of a political thing as its being made out to be, but it has something g to do with it.

[JohnnyHammersticks]

Well thank God Linda Cohn didn't get fired. Hopefully this will mean more airtime for her. She really nails the part of the obnoxious, stinky-crotched New York windbag who knows absolutely nothing.

She makes me want to drink bleach.

[FloridaMan88]

I don't think it's a big of a political thing as its being made out to be, but it has something g to do with it.

I think it is 95% cord-cutting/technology and maybe 5% because of a "political agenda".

[Dayze]

Well thank God Linda Cohn didn't get fired. Hopefully this will mean more airtime for her. She really nails the part of the obnoxious, stinky-crotched New York windbag who knows absolutely nothing.

She makes me want to drink bleach.

LMAO

[WhawhaWhat]

So why wasn't ESPN affected in 2003 when they hired and then fired Rush Limbaugh for Sunday NFL Countdown?

If having a "political agenda" is to blame for ESPN's current problems, why didn't it cause similar financial problems in 2003?

:facepalm: Once again shortsighted.

It's not something that happens overnight with a mass exodus from cable. It's a gradual thing that's reached a critical point for ESPN.

[FloridaMan88]

:facepalm: Once again shortsighted.

It's not something that happens overnight with a mass exodus from cable. It's a gradual thing that's reached a critical point for ESPN.

It took 14 years?

Also do you realize that since 2003 when Limbaugh was fired, ESPN went through a period of time when they had record growth/profits?

[MahiMike]

STEPHEN A. SMITH!

YES!

[DJ's left nut]

It took 14 years?

Also do you realize that since 2003 when Limbaugh was fired, ESPN went through a period of time when they had record growth/profits?

They had record profits because advertisers flocked to live sports due to their 'TIVO-proof' nature during the exponential increase in DVR use. Advertisers paid through the nose to get adds on that people wouldn't just fast-forward through because they insisted on watching their sports live. As a consequence, revenues spiked for ESPN as well as for every major sports league.

The DVR led to ESPN's record profits. Then along came cord-cutters who could use their computers as DVRs and get all that same programming online without resorting to bundled cable packages and suddenly ESPN couldn't do anything about it.

You're just wrong here - these things your citing are EASILY explained at the time and EASILY distinguishable from the current era.

[FloridaMan88]

They had record profits because advertisers flocked to live sports due to their 'TIVO-proof' nature during the exponential increase in DVR use. Advertisers paid through the nose to get adds on that people wouldn't just fast-forward through because they insisted on watching their sports live. As a consequence, revenues spiked for ESPN as well as for every major sports league.

The DVR led to ESPN's record profits. Then along came cord-cutters who could use their computers as DVRs and get all that same programming online without resorting to bundled cable packages and suddenly ESPN couldn't do anything about it.

You're just wrong here - these things your citing are EASILY explained at the time and EASILY distinguishable from the current era.

You are making my point... that cord cutting/technology is primarily to blame for ESPN's current viewership/financial losses and not a reaction to a political agenda.

[saphojunkie]

Yup anytime liberals take something over they ruin it just look at any big city in America.

LMAO

[Dayze]

I'm a good example of what I believe DJ is referring to.

I always teetered on watching ESPN etc; and the political BS - Jenner, BLM, Kaepernick, etc...threw me over the edge / straw that broke the camels back thing. Done with them.....if they were't worth my time before, they certainly aren't now. I hvaen't cut the cord, I still have DTV, but I watch probably 1 hour a month (and that's generous) of non-live game/races ESPN stuff.

I think (not putting words into DJ's mouth here) what he's saying is while cord cutting was part of the blame, I think alot of people who were basically only holding off from cutting the cord because of ESPN/live - the only reason they were really bothering with cable at all - said 'screw it' and cut the cord after all the political garbage ESPN has beeing doing the past few years.

at least, that's how I read it etc / my $.02.

[vailpass]

You are making my point... that cord cutting/technology is primarily to blame for ESPN's current viewership/financial losses and not a reaction to a political agenda.

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTKu-4QZOfeJ89Y3a0johrHS05PNsT_tPGr3svYfPhuuPkMvWsWUw

[DJ's left nut]

You are making my point... that cord cutting/technology is primarily to blame for ESPN's current viewership/financial losses and not a reaction to a political agenda.

The Cord cutting is to be blamed for the initial contraction - I never argued otherwise. But the politics drove the knife deeper and if the bleeding doesn't stop, they will be a big reason why.

ESPN is clearly gambling that there is a group of sports fans that want to integrate their sports and politics and that this group of fans will be fiercly loyal and tuned in to their new vision. If that's the case, the streamlined ESPN will be better and stronger than any other direction they could have gone (conceding that 'universal sporting monolith' was no longer an option available to them). But if those people are as fickle and easily distracted as I expect them to be, nothing about the 'new' ESPN will resonate with them. They'll slowly find other things to do while the other viewers that were alienated by the politics simply won't come back.

ESPN had to make a choice because of cord cutting. Their choice was to use politics as a leg of their new stool. If that choice was a mistake (I believe it was), said stool will collapse.

You're not allowing for any nuance at all; claiming that politics made a nominal difference. I suspect that's because you agree with the politics they're pushing (by all means; tell me I'm wrong). Their politics have made a difference in the viewership they presently have - the horse they chose to ride. They'd just better goddamn well hope it doesn't come up lame. This isn't the first round of layoffs nor are the politics a new thing for them (really started nearer 2013) so if you are to consider these early returns on that decision, the choice has not been a good one.

[DJ's left nut]

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTKu-4QZOfeJ89Y3a0johrHS05PNsT_tPGr3svYfPhuuPkMvWsWUw

Yeah...I kind feel like he's missing my point here.

Eh, whatever. I'm sure somebody gets it.

[saphojunkie]

What a fucking hypocrite

THIS

[WhawhaWhat]

Eh, whatever. I'm sure somebody gets it.

Most do.

[suzzer99]

BOOM (http://www.jeffpearlman.com/the-espn-carnage/)

As many of you have likely heard by now, ESPN is firing people left and right today. And it’s heartbreaking.

This isn’t just ending the internship program, or cutting back on free coffee. This is the dismissal of some of the biggest and most-reputable names in journalism. Ed Werder. Paul Kuharsky. Jean-Jacques Taylor. Dana O’Neil. Mike Goodman. Mark Saxon. Brett McMurphy. Stephen A. Smith.

Oh, wait.

Stephen A. Smith was not fired. His $3.5 million-per-year salary is safe. And do you know why? Because he’s really good at yelling. And screaming. And shouting. And barking. And stewing. And making 20-second arguments over things he almost certainly doesn’t really care about. Which, of course, shouldn’t detract from his long and storied career as a reporter, where he befriended (and protected) players he liked and threatened those who dared challenge the Tao of Stephen A. Like, ahem, Kevin Durant.

But here’s the thing: This isn’t actually about Stephen A. Smith. It’s about the decline of good journalism and, sadly, the decline in the demand for good journalism. At some point in modern history, we (as a people) decided we prefer personalities and pizzazz over substance and detail. Our zest for a well-reported story has been overtaken by our zest for the mindless carnival barkings of hacks like Stephen A. and Skip Bayless.

This is not Stephen A. Smith’s fault. He realized long ago that reporting on Eric Snow’s sprained ankle wasn’t cutting it (just as Skip realized reporting on Troy Aikman’s non-homosexuality sexuality wasn’t cutting it). So he adapted to the times, surrendered his integrity card and went full-blown Ringling Bros. And it worked. He’s getting paid; he’s receiving the airport recognition he craves; he’s The Man—even if that status is flimsy, transparent and utterly void of substance.

Meanwhile, journalists (people employed to report, investigate, write) are discarded with ruthless and reckless abandon.

Don’t be fooled by ESPN’s upbeat statements of corporate adjustment. Don’t buy the inevitable “We’ll be a stronger company” baloney.

This is a shedding of quality.

This is an assault on the profession.

[FloridaMan88]

The Cord cutting is to be blamed for the initial contraction - I never argued otherwise. But the politics drove the knife deeper and if the bleeding doesn't stop, they will be a big reason why.

ESPN is clearly gambling that there is a group of sports fans that want to integrate their sports and politics and that this group of fans will be fiercly loyal and tuned in to their new vision. But if those people are as fickle and easily distracted as I expect them to be, nothing about the 'new' ESPN will resonate with them. They'll slowly find other things to do while the other viewers that were alienated by the politics simply won't come back.

ESPN had to make a choice because of cord cutting. Their choice was to use politics as a leg of their new stool. If that choice was a mistake (I believe it was), said stool will collapse.

You're not allowing for any nuance at all; claiming that politics made a nominal difference. I suspect that's because you agree with the politics they're pushing (by all means; tell me I'm wrong). Their politics have made a difference in the viewership they presently have - the horse they chose to ride. They'd just better goddamn well hope it doesn't come up lame. This isn't the first round of layoffs nor are the politics a new thing for them (really started nearer 2013) so if you are to consider these early returns on that decision, the choice has not been a good one.

My political affiliation is on the side of the people who are claiming that ESPN has a political agenda so your assumption is incorrect.

The idea that the only reason that people offended by ESPN's political agenda when they fired Limbaugh in 2003 didn't stop consuming ESPN and significantly affect ESPN's bottom line is because they didn't have the available technology to pursue alternative options to ESPN confirms that changes in technology are primarily to blame for ESPN's current issues.

ESPN's political agenda and people's negative reaction to ESPN's political agenda existed in 2003 (with the Limbaugh firing) and today.

What didn't exist in 2003, which exists today and is what is primarily causing ESPN's financial issues is cord cutting and changes in technology.

It's not that difficult to understand...

https://assets.bwbx.io/images/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/iMMNbzMUA2Nk/v0/600x-1.png

[MahiMike]

Well thank God Linda Cohn didn't get fired. Hopefully this will mean more airtime for her. She really nails the part of the obnoxious, stinky-crotched New York windbag who knows absolutely nothing.

She makes me want to drink bleach.

HAHAHA! No shit. Can't stand that accent and her NY bias.

[MMXcalibur]

ESPN has gone from barely passable hockey coverage to "lol wtf is hockey?!/1!?" with the departures of LeBrun and Burnside.

...and for some reason, Adam Teicher remains.

[Dayze]

ESPN has gone from barely passable hockey coverage to "lol wtf is hockey?!/1!?" with the departures of LeBrun and Burnside.

...and for some reason, Adam Teicher remains.

he's safe.
they're retaining all personnel under 5'1"

[Frazod]

It just occurred to me, this is the most interest I've had regarding anything ESPN-related in years. LMAO

[DJ's left nut]

Pearlman pegged it in that middle paragraph:

But here’s the thing: This isn’t actually about Stephen A. Smith. It’s about the decline of good journalism and, sadly, the decline in the demand for good journalism. At some point in modern history, we (as a people) decided we prefer personalities and pizzazz over substance and detail. Our zest for a well-reported story has been overtaken by our zest for the mindless carnival barkings of hacks like Stephen A. and Skip Bayless.

The 'embrace debate' shit isn't ESPN's fault as much as it's a market reaction. We, as a society, have gotten really goddamn stupid and have seemingly no interest in digesting content that is neutrally provided and then coming to our own conclusions.

Honestly, we're all guilty of it in a lot of areas. The problem is that an ever increasing percentage of us are becoming guilty of it in ALL areas. They're just completely averse to critical thinking and want people to give them the ideas that they can then select and incorporate in whatever conversations they have later. It's why reasonable disagreement is dead - because you have to actually have your OWN thoughts to hear someone else's, recognize the merit in them and still be able to say, dispassionately I will add, that they are wrong and that's fine.

If you have nothing but soundbite tripe to offer and someone disagrees with you, you have no foundation that you drew that soundbite tripe from. So do you retreat to that foundation, reformulate and engage on different lines? Nope - can't do that. Instead you just yell the soundbite LOUDER. And the other side's in the same boat so they yell back...louder. And around and around we go.

[siberian khatru]

Pearlman pegged it in that middle paragraph:



The 'embrace debate' shit isn't ESPN's fault as much as it's a market reaction. We, as a society, have gotten really goddamn stupid and have seemingly no interest in digesting content that is neutrally provided and then coming to our own conclusions.

Honestly, we're all guilty of it in a lot of areas. The problem is that an ever increasing percentage of us are becoming guilty of it in ALL areas. They're just completely averse to critical thinking and want people to give them the ideas that they can then select and incorporate in whatever conversations they have later. It's why reasonable disagreement is dead - because you have to actually have your OWN thoughts to hear someone else's, recognize the merit in them and still be able to say, dispassionately I will add, that they are wrong and that's fine.

If you have nothing but soundbite tripe to offer and someone disagrees with you, you have no foundation that you drew that soundbite tripe from. So do you retreat to that foundation, reformulate and engage on different lines? Nope - can't do that. Instead you just yell the soundbite LOUDER. And the other side's in the same boat so they yell back...louder. And around and around we go.

:clap:

[suzzer99]

PTI is the highest rated show on ESPN right? That gives me some hope as those guys aren't complete drooling morons like Smith and Bayless.

The problem is there's enough of a drooling moron fanbase to give Smith higher ratings than other alternatives.

[DJ's left nut]

My political affiliation is on the side of the people who are claiming that ESPN has a political agenda so your assumption is incorrect.

The idea that the only reason that people offended by ESPN's political agenda when they fired Limbaugh in 2003 didn't stop consuming ESPN and significantly affect ESPN's bottom line is because they didn't have the available technology to pursue alternative options to ESPN confirms that changes in technology are primarily to blame for ESPN's current issues.


I'm afraid we're just speaking past each other here. You're arguing that the politics aren't relevant. I'm arguing that they're relevant in the 'who' comprises their viewer base and if they aren't rebounding to the extend they would like, it's absolutely because of those politics.

Let's say ESPN has a focus group of 100 people and of those 100 people, 30 are just going to fade away - full stop. This is pretty likely. So now ESPN is down to 70 and their choices are to try to keep all 70 at their current viewing patters or to appeal to some segment of that 70 more strongly.

In my estimation, ESPN chose the latter. They chose to make politics part of the platform and in so doing, they just flat out alienated another 20. Of the remaining 50, maybe 20 of them actually give a shit about the politics and the 30 in the middle are just people that are still watching based on nothing more than intertia.

I don't believe these choices happened in the last year - I believe they happened really about 4-5 years ago. And the 20 that care about the politics aren't doing enough to make up for the 20 that left because of the politics. And if they had, THIS round of layoffs may not have been necessary. Or at least not to this extent.

I believe you're of the mind that those same 50 viewers would've left either way and I just don't think that's correct. I think perhaps they'd have lost 50 viewers of some stripe no matter what direction they chose, but had they chose that direction better, they could've increased saturation over 1/2 those remaining viewers enough to cover some of the losses and they could've stemmed the tide by now.

[O.city]

Pearlman pegged it in that middle paragraph:



The 'embrace debate' shit isn't ESPN's fault as much as it's a market reaction. We, as a society, have gotten really goddamn stupid and have seemingly no interest in digesting content that is neutrally provided and then coming to our own conclusions.

Honestly, we're all guilty of it in a lot of areas. The problem is that an ever increasing percentage of us are becoming guilty of it in ALL areas. They're just completely averse to critical thinking and want people to give them the ideas that they can then select and incorporate in whatever conversations they have later. It's why reasonable disagreement is dead - because you have to actually have your OWN thoughts to hear someone else's, recognize the merit in them and still be able to say, dispassionately I will add, that they are wrong and that's fine.

If you have nothing but soundbite tripe to offer and someone disagrees with you, you have no foundation that you drew that soundbite tripe from. So do you retreat to that foundation, reformulate and engage on different lines? Nope - can't do that. Instead you just yell the soundbite LOUDER. And the other side's in the same boat so they yell back...louder. And around and around we go.

Pretty much.

[Beef Supreme]

It doesn't help ESPN that the reason a lot of people are cutting the cord is because getting ESPN in your cable package makes it cost a small fortune. Fuck them.

[WhawhaWhat]

It doesn't help ESPN that the reason a lot of people are cutting the cord is because getting ESPN in your cable package makes it cost a small fortune. **** them.

Per cable subscriber (http://www.whatyoupayforsports.com/numbers/):

$7.21 for ESPN
$0.90 for ESPN2
$0.23 for ESPNU

$8.34 per month.

[Beef Supreme]

Per cable subscriber (http://www.whatyoupayforsports.com/numbers/):

$7.21 for ESPN
$0.90 for ESPN2
$0.23 for ESPNU

$8.34 per month.

They always bundle it with a bunch of worthless channels. So it added more like $30 bucks to your bill even if all you wanted was ESPN. And even it it was only $8 bucks a month, would you rather have just ESPN or just Netflix?

[WhawhaWhat]

They always bundle it with a bunch of worthless channels. So it added more like $30 bucks to your bill even if all you wanted was ESPN. And even it it was only $8 bucks a month, would you rather have just ESPN or just Netflix?

Netflix.

[vailpass]

Yeah...I kind feel like he's missing my point here.

Eh, whatever. I'm sure somebody gets it.

I"m pretty sure everyone here but him gets your point.

[Marcellus]

Jason Stark got canned. I have to say that is surprising to me.

[Gravedigger]

ESPN's problems have very little to do with having a "political agenda"... it has almost everything to do with cord cutting and the changing ways due to technology that people consume sports programming.

Yeah I think ESPN just went too big and couldn't keep it up. Expansion and hiring with gaudy budgets and salaries, then when the ratings aren't there you don't pump more money into an overinflated mess, you cut from it back to a level where it can sustain itself.

[siberian khatru]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">&quot;Welcome to SportsCenter... I&#39;m your host, Lavar Ball... &quot; ESPN</p>&mdash; Lance Emerson (@AengusDad) <a href="https://twitter.com/AengusDad/status/857288183276503043">April 26, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[FloridaMan88]

http://deadspin.com/espns-latest-layoffs-are-just-a-way-to-buy-time-1794678629

ESPN's Latest Layoffs Are Just A Way To Buy Time

The big ESPN layoffs that everyone knew were coming finally arrived today, and the culling has been as brutal as anyone could have expected. Though the final number isn’t in yet, various reports have around 100 people losing their jobs, and many of the people who have been fired so far aren’t just long-time, front-facing employees, but those who, like Jayson Stark and Jane McManus, represent what ESPN is at its best: wired, experienced, deeply knowledgable, enthusiastic.

The impetus behind these layoffs is not mysterious (and has nothing to do with the network’s purportedly liberal politics). ESPN has been hemorrhaging subscribers for some time now as a result of cord-cutting, which hurts them much more than other networks given that they charge vastly higher carriage fees. With ESPN having to pay billions of dollars to sports leagues for the right to broadcast the must-see live events that allow it to charge those fees, the network is uniquely ill-equipped to deal with the sudden decline in revenue that comes with the loss of 10 million subscribers over the course of three years.

And so today’s layoffs seem to follow a kind of logic: If ESPN is bleeding money from subscriber losses, they need to offset the damage by making cuts elsewhere in the company. That doesn’t, though, really follow, mathematically. Look at the people who have been laid off today. Sure, it’s possible that veterans like McManus and Stark and Ed Werder were carrying hefty salaries, but no amount of fired reporters and columnists is going to put even the tiniest dent in ESPN’s rights fees. Add up all the salaries of the people who lost their jobs today, and how much of a single Monday Night Football broadcast does it buy? Ten minutes? Fifteen?

So, then, what was the point? The memo released this morning by ESPN president John Skipper is instructive. It was hollow and buzzword-laden in the precise way that is meant to speak to Disney investors who want to be assured that ESPN is still capable of “navigating changes in technology and fan behavior in order to continue to deliver quality, breakthrough content.” That’s what today appears to have been really about—assuring Disney stakeholders that ESPN is taking things very seriously and is prepared to keep itself lean and competitive. Don’t think too much about how we’re going to continue to pay rights fees with sustained subscriber loss! We’re making cuts! We have a handle on things!

In the end, the real solution to ESPN’s problems will involve much more severe changes than were made today. Perhaps the network will work in closer partnership with leagues and even competitors; perhaps it will find a way to offload deals it can no longer afford; perhaps it will seek some way to simply outgrow its present structural issues, with aid and backing from Disney and even cable carriers who are quite aware of just how much their industry looks right now the way newspapering did 15 years ago. Whatever it is, it won’t have much to do with cuts that amount to rounding errors in the books.

And that’s the truly tragic thing about today’s layoffs, that those who lost their jobs were essentially symbolic sacrifices. ESPN may have bought itself a little more slack from investors today, but its future remains just as uncertain as it was yesterday. Meanwhile, good writers and reporters like Doug Padilla, Mike Goodman, Ethan Sherwood Strauss, and many others—people who were not on million-dollar contracts but nevertheless did quality work on important beats, providing the depth and texture that make the network something more than just a lot of branded content and screaming dullards—are jobless. A lot of good people lost their jobs today, and ESPN got a lot worse, and all of it was probably for no good reason.

[FloridaMan88]

I"m pretty sure everyone here but him gets your point.

Not so much...

http://deadspin.com/espns-latest-lay...ime-1794678629

[Rooster]

It just occurred to me, this is the most interest I've had regarding anything ESPN-related in years. LMAO

ROFL No shit me too.

[vailpass]

Not so much...

http://deadspin.com/espns-latest-lay...ime-1794678629

Why stop at posting the same thing twice in a row? Maybe go for three.

Deadspin is deadspin.

[FloridaMan88]

Why stop at posting the same thing twice in a row? Maybe go for three.

To ensure people with limited mental capacity such as yourself can comprehend it.

[vailpass]

To ensure people with limited mental capacity such as yourself can comprehend it.

You hurt me and I may never recover.

[Mr. Laz]

Why do people keep saying "ESPN and their leftwing politics"?

I guess i don't watch it enough because i haven't seen anything.


Is leftwing code for Too-Many-Black-People?

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Ratings are down for networks across the board. I don't know of any study that has demonstrated that ESPN has a significantly larger decline in viewership than the average cable network.

If ESPN were dropping off because of their political agenda, FS1 would be seeing a significant increase in viewership. As is, they can't beat ESPN2. I was curious, so I looked up FS1's programming on Friday, compared against ESPN, who wasn't broadcasting any NBA or MLB games.

FS1's highest-rated program was Undisputed, with 118,000 viewers. That is 16,000 fewer viewers than a Gruden's QB Camp re-run with Deshone Kizer, which ran on ESPN2...at 2:30 in the morning.

[FloridaMan88]

You hurt me and I may never recover.

You agree with a premise put forth by one Jason Whitlock... no need to insult you further.

[FloridaMan88]

Why do people keep saying "ESPN and their leftwing politics"?

I guess i don't watch it enough because i haven't seen anything.


Is leftwing code for Too-Many-Black-People?

Supposedly because they gave an award to Caitlyn Jenner (never mind that he/she is a Republican) and because they suspended and then fired Curt Schilling supposedly because of his conservative views.

That makes them the equivalent of North Korea State TV and MSNBC in the minds of some of the Alex Jones-fake conservatives looking for any slightest thing to be offended over.

[mikeyis4dcats.]

I read elsewhere they laid off the entire NHL staff today?

[notorious]

Russillo is going to get put with Greenberg on a morning show on ESPN I bet with Stephen A Smith show taking their radio spot.

Sounds like I will be listening early to Russillo, Dan Patrick, then Cowherd. There will be a huge void after 2pm central

[Rooster]

I read elsewhere they laid off the entire NHL staff today?

There goes Canada. Has anyone seen an angry Canadian? Honest question because I haven't.

[Frazod]

There goes Canada. Has anyone seen an angry Canadian? Honest question because I haven't.

This is pretty much it, although they still apologized a lot. :D

http://jimcarreyonline.com/images/albums/movies/anchorman/stills2/anchorman-still020.jpg

[MTG#10]

None of the 100 layoffs will be white people because white privilege.

[kcpasco]

I haven't heard if Barry Melrose is still there. They will probably keep him around as the lone NHL guy.

[TLO]

None of the 100 layoffs will be white people because white privilege.

:rolleyes:

[mdchiefsfan]

The MTVisation of America continues.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IXxHwOkYEYs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[MTG#10]

:rolleyes:

See you at the conference this weekend!

[Mr. Laz]

Supposedly because they gave an award to Caitlyn Jenner (never mind that he/she is a Republican) and because they suspended and then fired Curt Schilling supposedly because of his conservative views.

That makes them the equivalent of North Korea State TV and MSNBC in the minds of some of the Alex Jones-fake conservatives looking for any slightest thing to be offended over.figures

They gave Shilling several chances to just shut up about political stuff and he refused to do so.

[Mr. Laz]

Sounds like I will be listening early to Russillo, Dan Patrick, then Cowherd. There will be a huge void after 2pm central
you actually listen to Cowherd?

Even though he refuses to cover any team not connected to a coast?

[OnTheWarpath15]

A friend of mine has a parent that's high up in network programming and will occasionally give us some pretty great behind the scenes stuff on media personalities.

Hannah Storm literally fucked her way to the top. She's actually halfway decent now, but she evidently banged the entire chain of command to get there.

Before or after she married Dan Hicks?

[DaKCMan AP]

you actually listen to Cowherd?

Even though he refuses to cover any team not connected to a coast?

Huh? Cowherd has sucked off the Chiefs since they hired Andy. He also rips Russell Westbrook (OKC) every chance he gets.

[WhawhaWhat]

30 years and he gets the axe.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">So blessed! 30yrs as host,pxp,reporter in NASCAR,indycar, CFB,&amp; CBB. Many drivers,owners,crew,coaches &amp; fans, lifetime friends. Thank u ESPN</p>&mdash; Dr Jerry Lee Punch (@DocPunchESPN) <a href="https://twitter.com/DocPunchESPN/status/857344937075122181">April 26, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[Mr. Laz]

Huh? Cowherd has sucked off the Chiefs since they hired Andy. He also rips Russell Westbrook (OKC) every chance he gets.
Alright, I stopped watching him after he stated on air that "he didn't care if the Royals were going to the world series. He wouldn't cover them because flyover states don't matter"

Something like that, maybe he's changed

He is still a huge douchebag who won't stop talking because he is so in love with the sound of his own voice.

I hope he gets hit by a truck.

[kstater]

Bristol in my rear view mirror

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

[Baby Lee]

Why do people keep saying "ESPN and their leftwing politics"?

I guess i don't watch it enough because i haven't seen anything.


Is leftwing code for Too-Many-Black-People?

ROFL - the encapsulation of leftwing inability to discuss issues rationally.

'Hey, I don't know anything people are talking about and don't understand what's being said. Meh, must be someone else being racist.'

Pro Tip - If you find yourself in a situation you don't understand, better to start with inquiries than aspersions.

[mcaj22]

its actually been the opposite, its been mostly white people fired. and surprisingly a lot of white females that were easy on the eyes, guess they are already re-pivoting on the lets get as many young females to talk about sports as we can strategy.

[notorious]

you actually listen to Cowherd?

Even though he refuses to cover any team not connected to a coast?

Sometimes he is a tough listen because he deliberately says stuff to whip his audience into a frenzy, but he makes me think more than any other sports host. When he has Whitlock on it is very interesting to me.

His Garrapalo and Cowboys takes are full on retarded

[RealSNR]

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lyNm_7zaLcE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[KChiefs1]

Jayson Stark out

wow



Crazy



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[KChiefs1]

WOW. Assume he'll still be on Petro's show regularly on 810


Hopefully




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Frazod]

Here's a preview shot of tomorrow night's draft coverage:

http://d2kpgnqn8amirq.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/ESPN-SC2.jpg?x43056

Should be considerably less annoying than previous years.

[KCTitus]

There's a running thread about who's getting laid off here:

http://awfulannouncing.com/espn/confirmed-espn-layoffs-constantly-updated.html

sorry if Q

[ping2000]

Will there be any white guys left?

[ping2000]

Please fire Chiefs "expert" Adam Teicher. Please.

[Buehler445]

Sucks about Len Elmore. I liked him. He was always a reasonable human on the air.

[Hammock Parties]

LOST MY JOB AND MY DOG DONE DIED

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">These back to back tweets from Ed Werder are absolutely brutal<a href="https://t.co/EMTC5GR3eX">https://t.co/EMTC5GR3eX</a> <a href="https://t.co/CLajDZxN9v">pic.twitter.com/CLajDZxN9v</a></p>&mdash; Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) <a href="https://twitter.com/barstoolsports/status/857240375747944449">April 26, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[Baby Lee]

LOST MY JOB AND MY DOG DONE DIED

I smell a country album.

[Buehler445]

Yeah I think ESPN just went too big and couldn't keep it up. Expansion and hiring with gaudy budgets and salaries, then when the ratings aren't there you don't pump more money into an overinflated mess, you cut from it back to a level where it can sustain itself.

I'd be interested to see how they made their calls. We will never know, but there are some oddball names out there. You can say they're looking keeping guys that relate to milenials, but Squirmin Herman Motherfucking Sack of Cunt Edwards doesn't - surely. (Fuck that fucking guy. Seriously).

It can't be a salary thing. Gruden would be out the door. He doesn't relate to milenials. What about LeBatard? He's a nuance focused guy. What about Golic. WTF is he ?

Please fire Chiefs "expert" Adam Teicher. Please.
Does he even do anything?

[PunkinDrublic]

George Soros attempts at cultural Marxism via ESPN have failed! MAGA!

[tk13]

Yeah I think ESPN just went too big and couldn't keep it up. Expansion and hiring with gaudy budgets and salaries, then when the ratings aren't there you don't pump more money into an overinflated mess, you cut from it back to a level where it can sustain itself.

The thing that also isn't getting much play today is rights fees. They pay a ton of money to air all of the sports they air. They pay almost $2 billion per year just to air Monday Night Football. That's one game a week, and there isn't even MNF in week 17. Then you have the NBA, MLB, NCAA Football playoffs and all the individual college conferences.

That may be the most interesting aspect of this for people like us who are sports fans. Have we reached the peak? Most all of these leagues make big money off these rights fees. Will ESPN continue to pay to air all these sports or become more of a CNN or Fox News type channel where people just argue about sports all day? I imagine this is where groups like Amazon Prime and Netflix might step up during the next TV negotiations... one day one of these leagues is going to move to a streaming service. But will it be as much money?

[Bearcat]

The thing that also isn't getting much play today is rights fees. They pay a ton of money to air all of the sports they air. They pay almost $2 billion per year just to air Monday Night Football. That's one game a week, and there isn't even MNF in week 17. Then you have the NBA, MLB, NCAA Football playoffs and all the individual college conferences.

That may be the most interesting aspect of this for people like us who are sports fans. Have we reached the peak? Most all of these leagues make big money off these rights fees. Will ESPN continue to pay to air all these sports or become more of a CNN or Fox News type channel where people just argue about sports all day? I imagine this is where groups like Amazon Prime and Netflix might step up during the next TV negotiations... one day one of these leagues is going to move to a streaming service. But will it be as much money?

I'm sure the bubble is slowly bursting... and it's not like laying off 100 people really puts a dent into those rights contracts, much less broadcasting expenses, etc.

[ping2000]

Too bad Mike and Mike, and Stephen A. Annoying Smith are still employed. Horrible.

[Buehler445]

Too bad Mike and Mike, and Stephen A. Annoying Smith are still employed. Horrible.

Dick Vitale
Squirmin Herman Motherfucking Sack of Cunt Edwards
Will Kain
Sarah Spain
Stugotz
Bomani Jones
Sports Center
Around the Horn
A bunch of other motherfuckers I'll never see because fuck that shit
Et al

[ILChief]

George Soros attempts at cultural Marxism via ESPN have failed! MAGA!

Good Lord

[TribalElder]

Damn, too bad he used ESPN as part of his twitter handle

[GloucesterChief]

I wonder if they could save some money by dumping on air talent and buying stuff like Aussie Rules Football, Cricket, and other sports for cheap to fill the air time.

[dirk digler]

I'm afraid we're just speaking past each other here. You're arguing that the politics aren't relevant. I'm arguing that they're relevant in the 'who' comprises their viewer base and if they aren't rebounding to the extend they would like, it's absolutely because of those politics.

Let's say ESPN has a focus group of 100 people and of those 100 people, 30 are just going to fade away - full stop. This is pretty likely. So now ESPN is down to 70 and their choices are to try to keep all 70 at their current viewing patters or to appeal to some segment of that 70 more strongly.

In my estimation, ESPN chose the latter. They chose to make politics part of the platform and in so doing, they just flat out alienated another 20. Of the remaining 50, maybe 20 of them actually give a shit about the politics and the 30 in the middle are just people that are still watching based on nothing more than intertia.

I don't believe these choices happened in the last year - I believe they happened really about 4-5 years ago. And the 20 that care about the politics aren't doing enough to make up for the 20 that left because of the politics. And if they had, THIS round of layoffs may not have been necessary. Or at least not to this extent.

I believe you're of the mind that those same 50 viewers would've left either way and I just don't think that's correct. I think perhaps they'd have lost 50 viewers of some stripe no matter what direction they chose, but had they chose that direction better, they could've increased saturation over 1/2 those remaining viewers enough to cover some of the losses and they could've stemmed the tide by now.

I don't watch ESPN except for live games but I have to agree with KCChiefsFan88, I think this due to almost all to cord cutters and as tk pointed out how much they pay to broadcast live games.

I don't think it has much to do with their perceived politics because the stats bear out that people that would be offended by ESPN's perceived move to the left are probably not cord cutters. The vast majority of cord cutters are Millennials while older Americans aren't.

[Baby Lee]

I guess this churn explains Katie Nolan going after Hannity on twitter the other day.

[notorious]

I wonder if they could save some money by dumping on air talent and buying stuff like Aussie Rules Football, Cricket, and other sports for cheap to fill the air time.

Aussie Rules Football kicks ass.

Would watch.

[PunkinDrublic]

Aussie Rules Football kicks ass.

Would watch.

More worlds strongest man competitions!
Roided up men pulling trucks = ratings gold!

[ping2000]

They can only be saved by "The Ocho."

[Bugeater]

Aussie Rules Football kicks ass.

Would watch.
Same here. I watched it for a short time years ago when I had an introductory package to DTV. It's pretty much just raw violence, not sure why it's not broadcasted here more.

[KChiefs1]

Dick Vitale
Squirmin Herman Motherfucking Sack of Cunt Edwards
Stugotz
Bomani Jones



Yeah these guys suck ass.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Simply Red]

A friend of mine has a parent that's high up in network programming and will occasionally give us some pretty great behind the scenes stuff on media personalities.

Hannah Storm literally ****ed her way to the top. She's actually halfway decent now, but she evidently banged the entire chain of command to get there.

she's not even hot. At all.

[Frazod]

she's not even hot. At all.

She was hot enough back then. And I assume skilled and highly motivated.

[Buehler445]

Raul Ibanez didn't make it :(

[ping2000]

Mike and Mike still on this morning. Damn.

[notorious]

Mike and Mike still on this morning. Damn.

LMAO

I imagine I will say this when their late afternoon shows come on.

[Buehler445]

LMAO

I imagine I will say this when their late afternoon shows come on.

Except Russillo and Kanell. Maybe they'll have Adnan Virk talking about his podcast again.

[notorious]

Except Russillo and Kanell. Maybe they'll have Adnan Virk talking about his podcast again.

Somebody said that show has already changed. :(

Their show was the highlight to my afternoon of work.

[siberian khatru]

Dallas Braden, Doug Glanville ... ANDY KATZ!

[Pennywise]

Mike and Mike still on this morning. Damn.

Yep. And I heard on their show that superdouche MLB trivia question guy, Jason Stark got the axe as well. Awesome.

[Al Bundy]

Yep. And I heard on their show that superdouche MLB trivia question guy, Jason Stark got the axe as well. Awesome.

Stark is great. Andy Katz was a big surprise.

[WhawhaWhat]

Stark is great. Andy Katz was a big surprise.

Jayson Stark wrote the best columns on ESPN.com.

[Pennywise]

Jayson Stark wrote the best columns on ESPN.com.

Never read a one of them. But I'm not a big baseball fan either. I just hated the Mike and Mike drama with his trivia question every Tuesday.

[alanm]

I feel bad for Danny Kanell.

[FloridaMan88]

It will be interesting to see what happens when the next major round of TV sports contracts is up for negotiations.

Unless something dramatic happens, there is no way that ESPN can be the financial player they were in the past for these TV sports contracts and sports leagues/organizations won't be able to rely on ESPN to help drive up the cost of negotiations as they did in the past.

[PutQuinnIn]

Does that shitstain Adam Teicher still work for the 4-letter?

[ping2000]

Does that shitstain Adam Teicher still work for the 4-letter?
Must give awesome blowjobs.

[Rooster]

Yep. And I heard on their show that superdouche MLB trivia question guy, Jason Stark got the axe as well. Awesome.

How can you hate Jayson Stark? He's a great baseball guy.

[mcaj22]

Britt McHenry gone, awful person.

[Dayze]

Must give awesome blowjobs.

if he's as good at that as he is stuttering like an idiot on the radio....Im sure they're amazing.

[Skyy God]

I feel bad for Danny Kanell.

That guy is worse that Ebola AIDS.

[FloridaMan88]

Britt McHenry gone, awful person.

Karma is a bitch.

[ShiftyEyedWaterboy]

Britt McHenry gone, awful person.

Yeah, good riddance. Never liked her. Never found her that attractive either like a lot of dudes do.

[Skyy God]

Karma is a bitch.

She seems nice.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rG4Ru9sAULs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[mikeyis4dcats.]

Jeremy Crabtree also seemed solid when he was local

[KChiefs1]

Dallas Braden, Doug Glanville ... ANDY KATZ!


Andy Katz? Who is their basketball expert now?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[vailpass]

she's not even hot. At all.

Probably could suck the chrome off a trailer hitch.

[loochy]

she's not even hot. At all.

Wrong. She's kind of hot...not incredible, but she's more attractive than not.

http://www.aceshowbiz.com/images/wennpic/acm_arrivals_022_wenn5462729.jpg

[vailpass]

An ESPN site targeting female sports fans on Thursday removed a poem paying homage to a convicted cop killer after “an oversight in the editorial process” led to the poem being published several days ago, the embattled sports giant told Fox News.

DaMaris Hill’s poem “Revolution” had led the April 25 ESPNW.com feature “Five Poets on the New Feminism,” which was produced “in honor of National Poetry month…to reflect on resistance, redefining feminism and movement,” according to a site description. But Hill’s poem opened with the dedication “(for Assata Shakur),” honoring the one-time Black Liberation Army member who has been hiding out in Cuba to avoid finishing a prison term for her murder rap.

“There was an oversight in the editorial process for selecting the poems for the ‘Five Poets on the New Feminism’ feature on espnW,” a spokesperson told Fox News in an email. “Dr. DaMaris Hill is a respected professor and poet, who submitted this poem based upon her personal feelings toward Assata Shakur. While the editors welcomed a contribution from a notable writer and chose it as a reflection of this one poet’s experience, upon further review we have decided it is not an appropriate selection for our site and have removed the piece from the feature.”

Later Thursday, the title of the feature had been changed to “Four Poets on the New Feminism,” Hill’s poem was gone and an editor’s note at the bottom of the page informed readers of the changes.

Attempts to reach Hill for comment were not immediately successful.

Social media was abuzz with critics bashing ESPNW for publishing the poem in the first place, with The Federalist’s Sean Davis mocking the Connecticut-based power on Twitter as “The worldwide leader in praising cop killers.”

The poem debacle comes on the heels of ESPN’s massive Wednesday purge of about 100 television, radio and Internet personalities as part of the network’s attempt to emerge from a ratings plunge.

Shakur, aka Joanne Chesimard, the godmother of the late rapper Tupac Shakur, is suspected in a series of early 1970s incidents linked to black revolutionary groups in New York City, including a bank robbery, grenade attack and the ambushing of police officers in Queens and Brooklyn. She was convicted of fatally shooting a New Jersey trooper in the head in 1973, but escaped prison and, in the early 1980s, fled to Cuba, where she was granted political asylum. She is on the list of the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorists.

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2017/04/27/espn-yanks-poem-honoring-cop-killer-assata-shakur.html

[Dayze]

exactly what's wrong with ESPN.

getting involved and publishing stuff that is completely not sports related.

[Skyy God]

Probably could suck the chrome off a trailer hitch.

Maybe if you were a serious millionaire.

Otherwise she looks super high maintenance.

[Stewie]

Fuck ESPN. I'm glad they're going to die soon. It's a horrible network that was relevant 20 years ago. Hubris is a son-of-a-bitch. Crickets in Bristol by 2020.

[Al Bundy]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Hoped to make ESPN viewers smarter, take them behind curtain of sports biz/law, for 6 years. Chapter ends, more ahead. Grateful to so many. <a href="https://t.co/Jb6o1JqeTV">pic.twitter.com/Jb6o1JqeTV</a></p>&mdash; Andrew Brandt (@AndrewBrandt) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewBrandt/status/859030992690065408">May 1, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[ChiefsChick23]

Goddamit, I'm a female sports fan.

I do not need to be lectured to about feminism, I don't give two craps about poetry, and I swear to god, if those asshats slap flowers and pink on everything... I want to choke somebody.

JUST STOP ALREADY! I don't watch sports for feminism! I watch to see the world's best athletes in a variety of sports compete at the highest levels possible (football, hockey, and the martial arts/combat sports stuff like judo and TKD and MMA and whatnot are my primary sports interests).

ESPN sucks ass and I'm so glad I cut the cable six years ago. I catch it in the gym sometimes and I can't believe how awful it is now.

[RunKC]

Per SiriusXM radio, Ed Werder was asked to continue covering the draft even though he was laid off the day before it began.

I'm glad he said no. Fuck them

[Buehler445]

Per SiriusXM radio, Ed Werder was asked to continue covering the draft even though he was laid off the day before it began.

I'm glad he said no. Fuck them

ROFL They got some FUCKING STONES to even ask that shit.

Homeboy doesn't work for free.