There shows aren't even about the athletes performance in the game anymore. It's all about their personal lives, politics and Twitter arguments between athletes.
Everyone: “Hey, can you tell us the scores of the recent NFL games?” ESPN: “WHY? LEBRON JAMES JUST HAD A BURGER FOR LUNCH AND TOM BRADY BOUGHT A NEW CAR!!!”
@@NWSportscast the cowboys my favorite team hasn't been worth shit for a couple decades and yet we still in the top 3 greatest worldwide franchises Manchester United aint got shit on us
That is sad that u fall for the BS from Fox we just lie news & other right wing nut jobs!!! If the majority of the employees are black & who are under attack by the so called police they have a right to take a stand and speak out
You do know that outside of NFL Football, the lion's share, aka HUGE majority of sports (College Football and Basketball, NHL Hockey, NBA Basketball, and MLB Baseball) are on cable/satellite television. On over the air broadcast TV, sports have pretty much disappeared, again outside of NFL Football.
@@OdintheGermanShepherd I just hope you are not a sports fan. Most if not all of sports have drifted to cable/satellite. Of course, if you subscribe to 10 different streaming services, then you will be back to where you have started.
ESPN basically refuses to acknowledge hockey, one of the four major American Sports, exists. But they’ll talk basketball in the off season. They lost me a while ago.
You almost forget hockey is a sport. Max Kellerman on first take said nobody in the USA cares about hockey. I disagree with his comments. Hockey has a strong following but it doesn’t get the same ratings as football, baseball and basketball.
If you wanna keep going it’s a large reason probably why NASCAR has declined as well. If they really brought a good overall network on all sports they’d talk more golf, nascar, hockey and more!
Thank God! For a while, I thought I was the only one!!!! Hockey is the greatest sport ever played, IMO. Hockey players are the best athletes. You don't have to have specific attributes, like height or to be 300#... there are 5'9", 165# guys in or going into the Hall of Fame, there are 6'5" and taller guys going into the Hall of Fame. The key is you have to be a great athlete. A great athlete who is 5'9" is very unlikely to make the Hall of Fame in Basketball or Football, and in Baseball you only need to be good at ONE thing... so you don't need to be a great athlete, you just need to be good at ONE thing... A great athlete like Trout will make the Hall for sure... but you can't just be good at one thing in hockey and be a top player. In baseball, if you can hit home runs easily, you can be considered great, even if you can barely make it around the bases or hit over .200. If you can throw a 100 mph fastball, you don't need any other skills. It used to be, in baseball, that you needed to be a well rounded guy to be a professional. Today, half these guys can't field worth a damn, they are sluggish on the base paths, and they can only hit the ball very hard... most not even for a decent average. That's baseball, a one dimensional sport. Hockey is the only true sport left of the major sports in the world today.
@@Murph_. not true we are just at a time where pitchers are the best they've ever been and it's harder than ever to get a hit saying "if you can throw 100 mph, you don't need anything else" tell that to aroldis Chapman he was that and once the league caught up to it he started getting exposed pitchers now throw baseballs at 100 mph fastball with movement or a 90 mph even some curveballs are being thrown like blitzballs Chapman is still good now but he has two maybe even three pitches that batters have to worry about on top of the fastball. Plus baseball is probably the sport that requires the most hand eye coordination and patience that's why people who don't watch baseball find it exciting plus there are many great players in the league that can play both sides of the field shit ohtani is hitting pitching and fielding saying that you don't need to be an athlete in baseball is incredibly stupid btw just because they don't have as much movement as other sports doesn't make them any lesser of an athlete Jordan was the prolly the biggest atheletic freak in his time and he couldn't reach the majors
@@slanda2262 Throwing harder doesn't make a pitcher better. I'd put Greg Maddux up against any pitcher any day. Also, as we continue down this road, players will catch up to the high velocity fastballs, but if the pitchers are otherwise average or worse, which they are, then what? KNOWING how to pitch is more important than how hard you can throw. Finally, when guys are all taught that they should either walk or swing for the fences, it's much easier to strike someone out. MUCH, MUCH easier. In conclusion, one skill does not make a great player.
I wonder if everyone remembers when ESPN showed the O.J. Simpson bronco chase as well as his trial, they also showed other things unrelated to sports such as Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin‘s funeral, as well as the Kobe Bryant Helicopter crash press conference and the George Floyd protest. Perhaps networks such as ESPN, MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon, lifetime, and TBS need to rebrand themselves to something that relates to their actual content
Yeah, right? I loved those college basketball comercials with Rober Goulet singing about coaches! PRICELESS.... since we will never see stuff like this anymore...… binged.it/2ZPkdfM
This. ESPN shows way too much favoritism towards certain teams/athletes. I remember when A-Rod came back from his PED suspension and they covered his batting practice for nearly the whole show. Are you kidding me?
Sounds like MTV. Internet made music and sports scores and highlights too easy to access so they went in new directions. People are nostalgic of the good ole days of these channels but in actuality they would not work in today’s day and age. So now we have these “weird” emotion and opinion based content that you either get on board with or quit watching. Will be interesting to revisit in the next decade or two.
In two decades both ESPN and MTV will be either unrecognizable, renamed, or gone. Reminds me of The Nashville Network, which eventually morphed into Spike TV and is morphing again into The Paramount Network. That's ESPN and MTV's future.
Same for us. One of the reasons we started making our podcast in the first place is because we were sick of having to listen to just football and basketball all day. There's so many other good sports to cover that ESPN ignores.
The fact that they refuse to even discuss hockey - and actually flat out insult the sport and its fans any chance they get - simply because they lost the rights to it a decade ago... just shows how out of touch they are with the market segments that made them what they are. Well, what they were.
ESPN won't report about hockey because hockey is all white and ESPN is pushing the all black democratic billionaire media hidden agenda all black all the time
@Jon Jonas--ESPN used to cover the NHL back when I first had an interest in the sport. They had some very good people covering it. But now the NHL is on another network. Many are interested in football or other sports. The political commentary and/or extra cost to have ESPN (depending on the system/package) can be too much for some.
@@jamiehoward6505 he actually does have a point. They did the same with Baseball when the MLB took the playoffs away from them and went with the higher bidder in TBS. And Baseball does as much ratings as the NBA.
Krombopulos Michael it sickens me when politics get everywhere. I'm from Venezuela and here (since things are so fucked up) you literally can't do a single thing without involving politics somehow, and it's really, really tiring. Don't let that happen over there
I don’t think it’s just ESPN. As I got older I realized that a lot of these so called analysts, commentators, and hosts don’t know anything about the sports they are suppose to be covering. They just try to trigger people. Also barely any of them actually analyze a game. It’s always “So & so chocks again”
Degwin Sodo Zabi your right these analyst don't know shit. When I was kid I couldn't wait to watch pre game, post game. It's embarrassing to watch has been athletes act out plays
THIS. I bring him up a lot here, but UrinatingTree was right. ESPN is selling hot takes and personalities, but you can get those all over the internet for free.
Finally someone gets it here. Them trashing a player or team and then that team winning and saying "I told you so" despite what they said actually used to have some ground to it. Now, its nothing new. Everyone is catching on these guys are just fucking useless lol
Agreed, they need to entice you to keep watching and for the most part they like to get people outraged. That, and them trying to push things on you, remember Tebow mania. They are also so god dam pc it’s agitating. That’s what makes barstool so refreshing.
George Ryan Jr. oh god Max Kellerman knows nothing. He said the MLB is more popular than the NBA. I’m a baseball fan, and even I think that’s the dumbest comment ever, obviously the NBA is more popular than the MLB
Was there a specific event that caused you to cancel? Just curious...I stopped watching 10 years ago when I realized there was so much talk and conjecture and less actual sports.
@@mrjack8849 some time between stunning and brave Bruce Jenner coverage and BLM kneeling. I dont care what people do in their free time (be trans/protest whatever) but gtfo my sports
@Skippy the Alien Maybe. But if sports commentators at the time filled the sports news cycle with segments like "How awesome the patriot act is" and "Reasons to invade Iraq" I would have probably stopped watching sooner.
Skippy the Alien No. Politics shouldn’t be on ESPN because ESPN is showed around the world and how many people from other countries really give a fuck about American politics. And American politics is one of the most toxic things in the world they just need to stop talking about that shit.
This coming from an Australian. I watch sports after work to unwind. Therefore i dont want to hear anything about the US politics, racism, and other real world issues because sports is a escape and i dont care about US politics.
When a company decides to become political and woke, then what they choose to cover is only as important as what they choose to ignore. EPSN, Lebron and the NBA support the concentration camps in China by virtue of not speaking out against them now. They can't have it both ways.
@@FallicIdol LeBron is a black man so it makes sense to speak about black issues. He's well within his rights to do so, same as your well within your rights to get butthurt about it
@@hfr8343 Lebron is going to bed with slavers with China. He has no right to talk about injustice while aligning with the literal enemies of free society. I don't expect someone like you or Lebron, someone hell bent on being a victim and incapable of objectively looking at the plight of others, to understand this.
You should care.... Remembers the liars are gonna probably try it here 1st if it works here they're gonna do it to you.... Australia America and England will go up or down together
@@FallicIdol you have no say in what a person can and cannot talk about just because your way of thinking doesn't align with his. It's actually pretty hypocritical
"And on the next episode of 'Abandoned Shopping Malls of America' - The Demise of ESPN: What will Connecticut do with the dilapidated remains of this once-relevant network?"
I would say that they became too political and hypocrytical. They also act above the normal person. I agree with many comments in this post, most analysts on ESPN are garbage.
Piteus W Fox wasnt sold. PARTS of Fox were sold. The most profitable parts (like Fox News) which arent particularly subject to the changing media and streaming landscape remain staunchly Murdoch owned.
552mustang Murdoch sold their biggest asset at FOX. Their movie content. They also sold all their regional content. FOX also wanted to sell FOXSports but Disney balked due to possible monopoly issues. FOXSports is a disaster. FOX News will be under pressure as more conservative networks / streaming services are launched.Gasbags are a dime a dozen. Content is King. The Murdoch's know this. Look at CNN and MSNBC. They are competing for a liberal audience. It's only a matter of time FOX NEWs gets new competition for their conservative viewers. Please don't push this narrative about left vs. right. The media doesn't work that way. Content is King. FOX knows they are screwed in sports. They also know FOX News will have a lot more conservative platforms after their viewers. They will also sell FOX NEWS. With Trump as President, it will never get any better than to sell now.
@Keith - They were annoying and hypocritical if you were not in there preferred market long before they were getting political. Now there is not only faster ways to get the information, the popular games tend to leak to the internet somewhere and there is more alternate entertainment to TV as well.
The video: "Maybe it has something to do with the political controversy but I think that's such a small part of it..." The comments section: ESPN'S DYING CAUSE THEY WENT POLITICAL!!!
Politics has nothing to do with it... or the decline of Dick's Sporting Goods for that matter. They're both declining because they're obsolete. "Getting political" doesnt seem to hurt Target or Starbucks or Gillette or whoever else.
@Beau Lijah The comments section proves that SOME people's opinions are persuaded by how political they are. But, that's anecdotal at best, and doesn't give a clear picture of what portion of their subscribers have cancelled for that reason, or how many subscribers have JOINED because of their political leanings. Looking at other companies who "get political," it likely has less to do with that and more to do with what's mentioned in the video.
Christine Hill I think “going political” has certainly hurt ESPN because it alienated viewers of certain political beliefs. It has to do with demographic for instance, you mentioned how Starbucks has not been hurt too badly but it is not like Starbucks has a huge following of right wing individuals like Dicks sporting goods had but they sent the message that selling guns is somehow immoral and it rubbed a good amount of customers the wrong way. Starbucks started in Seattle which has now become a very liberal city where they still receive much of their business today so doing something that appeals to left won’t hurt them for now but could still hurt them in the long run like when Nike ran that Keapernick ad (Gillette is in Boston and I’m pretty sure Target started in Minnesota btw) overall it is still a very stupid decision to go political in either direction because no matter what you will lose fans and viewership and who knows, companies like Gillett and Starbucks may suffer in the long run even if they aren’t right now
@@CollegeSportsSuperfan The problem is that Starbucks (like Target) has a presence in more right-wing markets, which has been more or less unaffected by politically-motivated boycotts. ESPN, Nike and Dick's all have something in common: They were in decline BEFORE their political controversies. There's nothing to suggest that "going political" had any sort of impact. Right wing conservatives have this mindset that, any time a business makes decisions based on contemporary social mores (which tend to be liberal because that's how social progress works), those businesses must be "going political." That's how conservatives protect their inability to accept inevitable social progress. But, just because a business makes a moral business decision doesn't mean they're "going political." Look at Chick fil-A. They weren't hurt too badly when it was exposed that they give to right-wing hate groups. Boycotts typically do not work when it comes to issues where the public is polarized because, for every shopper who boycotts, another will be there to pick up the slack. Businesses have a social obligation to stand up for what is right in accordance to the morality of their market. ESPN is on the decline because they're becoming obsolete and are a part of cable packages that are also going obsolete. It has nothing to do with "going political."
Christine Hill the real reason why Starbucks has not suffered too badly is because there is a lack of competition but if they had a more stable competitor I’m sure they would see a decline if they were to delve into politics and how is not selling guns “social progress”? Also conservatives do not have an “inability to accept inevitable social progress” after all republicans were the ones that abolished slavery in the first place. Rather instead it is the argument of whether the things that Nike and others are pushing for is really progress at all especially since on the topic of slavery, Nike still owns all those sweatshops. It is also annoying that they promoted Keapernick because of this cause that he is promoting but he turned out to be a sell out and a fraud and I just feel sorry for the people that actually believed in his cause only to see him take millions of dollars from the NFL to stay quiet, could you ever see MLK jr doing that? Of course not! Because the King actually believed in what he was preaching (and his movement was clear and important) unlike the police brutality nonsense Colin was promoting, there is no national police force, if there is a specific department in certain cities not doing a good job then we can address that, it is so disrespectful to blanket all cops in the same category as if they are all part of the same force, you gotta know it is bad when the one player that actually served in the military walks out of the Steelers locker room and stands for the flag. Kneeling for the national anthem has to have been one of the most divisive and stupidest political movements I have ever seen because it is built around pure nonsense, people have a problem with it because doing it at the game makes it look like he is trying to send a message to the fans as if they need to something about it or they are somehow the problem when he should have taken it upon himself to have this be an off field issue
DemonGrenade274 Oh shit! After scrolling down a barrage of comments blaming “liberal propaganda”; I found one that actually points the blame to the true culprit of the decline. You, sir, deserve more likes.
May I point out: we are here on that Internet, not paying anything. Yeah .. could be politics, but if that was true, their decline would have been steeper. All those posting do not reflect the subscription chart. At the same time: all those posters, being here, ranting, won't come back paying $7, if ESPN was the only proper channel. If ESPN was the best way, I guess, they would watch Obama dancing at Half time. My hunch is, ESPN faces the same problem as most News outlets, having huge fixed expenses while shrinking revenue.
Let’s keep in mind all this is coming to a head due to the fact that the sports leagues player contracts have grown outrageously large directly because of how much money ESPN gave them. If ESPN goes under those leagues don’t get the large tv contracts and all the player contracts will have to be readjusted. It’s a bubble that’s due for popping
That's.....just not true. Take the NFL for example, most of their games are on Fox, CBS and NBC. ESPN only gets the monday night football games. So if they went under, the NFL would just give MNF to another network.
@@blackanimelover18 I feel like your proved my point. Those other networks you mentioned are all struggling already in their own right aside from ABC since it’s Disney owned. Getting an equal or larger tv contract if espn is out will be extremely difficult. Also with the CBA always squeezing more of the tv money for their players each negotiating session is an unsustainable business model
I cancelled ESPN as well as the rest of my satellite subscription a year ago because $135/month was way too much to pay for shitty programming. I haven't looked back since. Politics did play a factor, but mostly television sucks. Modern television wasn't made for anyone with an IQ of room temperature.
You’re 100% correct. I can easily stream Redzone for free, listen to most games on the radio, or watch the play by play. I can also watch shows and movies on the internet or pay for a much cheaper subscription like Hulu
I never heard of Gears TV. Is it an online service? 15 dollars a month is a steal. My cable bill was almost a 100 dollars a month at one time and I only used three or four channels.
For THE league? How about all leagues. I think, as Company Man pointed out, the leagues are already moving away from ESPN. 35 years ago, the leagues needed ESPN, but the NFL, NCAA, NBA, NHL, MLB and even 2nd tier sport leagues (UFC, MLS, etc) have already shown they could survive just fine without the old business model.
ESPN now has UFC...trying to win the people they have pissed off back. I watch more of the Fox networks for my sports now, they have most the people who left ESPN anyway.
ESPN filled the niche from back in the days without internet, social media, and TH-cam. Nowadays there's better content on the web that can be free to view and not have the stinky stench of SAS, what once was Skip Bayless, and also the political agenda on the background (and even more up front nowadays). I'm not on the bandwagon against liberals, but I tune in for sports entertainment and not CNN looking for political debates or the like.
I remember the last time I attempted to watch was several years ago. It was right in the middle of a very competitive NHL playoffs and figured sports center would have the highlights. Instead the spent almost the whole broadcast talking about an NBA player coming out as openly gay, no highlights or even mention of the Stanley cup playoffs.
@@gerhardschulzy Hockey is the only sport where people do not get ejected for merely fighting. Try doing that in the NBA, MLB, or NFL. It is an automatic ejection for merely throwing a punch. It does not matter if it connects or not.
This is a good perspective. I do think viewership has been more impacted than you think due to politics. People aren't cancelling their cable because of it, but they're cutting cable because screw cable, so unless people do ESPN plus, their viewership will keep going down, and the politics don't help.
Wrong. it's ESPN politics that caused me to stop watching. I never watch an NFL game on ESPN and only watch an occasional college football game. I never watch ESPN for anything else. They are a terrible network.
No doubt. I started watching ESPN less and less over the last few years. I always hated their obsession with Kaepernick but ultimately their non stop virtue signaling and glorifying gender politics did it for me. Herbstreit’s BETA performance was the nail in the coffin for me
People just want the scores and highlights, not politics and personal opinions and negativity! Turned into CNN Fox, etc .... To many non athletic opinionated people babbling!!!!! Just the facts please
Jason Morris Right! Some of those ESPN Anchors wouldn't dare say their garbage opinion face-to-face to the person they are criticizing. They're soft, such as CBS, CNN, MSNBC, etc
HR block has the same business plan. When I started there the average tax return fee was $35. Today it is pushing $300 with an annual decline in customers.
@@commonsense3921 False. He is saying (what most people are also saying) : "keep politics out of sports". The Kaeparnick kneeling situation.... Michael Sam draft day celebration.... Bruce/Caitlin Jenner nonsense... Dennis Rodman & North Korea ...
@@philhunt26 Funny. You don't know me, at all, do you? I served eight years in the US Navy (2002- 2010). Last duty station in Pearl Harbor (2007- 2010). CS3 onboard USS Russell (DDG- 59). Thanks for trying; but, you lost that bet.
I've stopped watching ESPN ever since they started getting political and they've always had something bad to say about my football team the New England Patriots. They were the first to report about a rift between Belichick, Kraft, and Brady, but as we know after them winning the divisional and the championship game and going to the Super Bowl, There is no Rift between the three of them. ESPN is going to continue to lose viewership and I wouldn't be surprised if it goes to a online only platform. As it is, Disney is already made Investments to bring ESPN resources online. I believe they made a multibillion-dollar steak in a web streaming company.
I've hated ESPN ever since "The Decision". Also I don't support LGBT, black lives matter, feminism or the me too moment. So there is nothing for me to ESPN.
I grew up in an era where television was free. Before the Internet was much of a thing, I got rid of cable soon after getting it because I simply could not get used to the idea of paying for TV. I basically watch only Patriots games that are on free TV, and listen to Red Sox games on MLB Gameday Audio, for which I grudgingly cough up $20 a year because I live 1000 miles from Boston. I think your video is correct as to the big picture of why ESPN is doomed. But I also think ESPN's political BS is driving away subscribers who otherwise would have stuck with them. To build on your Walmart analogy, it's like Walmart not only has raised its prices in response to declining customers, but also has put up a sign out front that says, "NO REDNECKS."
If they hadn't demonized those that disagreed with the protests. And they if they had allowed for actual debate without making it the center of the network's attention. ESPN would be doing better, as would the NFL. The issue wasn't bringing politics in, the issue was blindly accepting what the protesters said as truth and attacking anyone with valid arguments. While making it more important than the game itself.
@Lighter Fluid15 Your hypocritical bigotry is astounding. Like most progressives you lump people who don't vote like you as backward racists yet ironically criticize a group you see as racially bigoted when you yourself have demonstrated abject bigotry in your addressing comments. You automatically lose the argument with that rhetoric.
@Lighter Fluid15 really nascar fans are racist and bigoted because they wave a Confederate flag? Don't 2 states have that in their state flag? It's part of their heritage now whether I agree with what you claim it stands for or not is my opinion. That makes as much sense as saying anyone waving a Hawaiian flag is committing treason because it has a Union Jack on it.
Lighter Fluid15 bruh this might be the dumbest comment of seen those poc are rich and entitled and benefit from the country but always complain about how racist it is and demand white people have the same views as them or they are racist
@J P Snowflakes are the millennials who cry when they don't get what they want. Similar to ESPN millionaires who lie about people for profit. But they got booted or told to shut their mouths and they complied. They may act woke but they care more about their paychecks.
Sports have been in politics for a long time though? Ali didn’t go to Vietnam? Jesse Owens in Nazi Germany? Etc.? It’s probably because you weren’t liking what you were hearing.
@@MichaelJ44 - The "sports was always political" comment is so dishonest. ESPN has distinctly gotten into the political commentary business. To cite a handful of instances across past decades hardly compares. And if you read this comments section pretty much 90% of them are citing the exact same thing.
ESPN originally meant Entire Sports Programming Network. Not two 100% armchair quarterbacks bitch about sports for an entire hour network. The first sporting event they ever showed was actually Australian Rules Football. My dad and I sat and watched in amazement. Then to show football they showed us the CFL and we watched the Winnipeg Blue Bombers with Dieter Brock take on the Edmonton Eskimos with Warren Moon.. 3 down football on a GIANT field. ESPN did what MTV did. Start strong then abandon that successful formula for trash.
The only reason I stopped watching espn is because they stopped reporting sports and started discussing politics. It’s been 3 years now since I’ve watched espn.
It’s not the fact that you guys hate politics it’s the fact u hate minorities. You won’t us to shut up and dribble don’t u. Why you avoiding these topics: they make yt America uncomfortable
Because they forgot that sports fans (watching sports) do not want to be fed a political ideology. Sports is supposed to be an ESCAPE from that stuff. If I want politics, I can find it elsewhere. Now I find my sports elsewhere as well.
Not really. Plenty of places have it worse than ESPN because they have NOTHING that can't be put on Netflix or Hulu. The political stuff (and let's be honest, it's mostly Trump supporters who complain about it) is probably not going to move the needle either way because their entire model is obsolete.
I think you missed the point how terrible some of their talent is. They have gone way overboard on debate driven shows as well and the added politics I think is starting to make things even worse
I agree. They've made some bad choices over the years and I believe it stems from the success of First Take. The two worst sports shows on TV are First Take and its ripoff Undisputed. Sports aren't supposed to be taken that seriously and it turns a lot of people off. Also, too much NBA soap opera. I get that a lot of people like it, but a lot of people is not most people.
PickelJars ForHillary and they were all high and mighty about it. They even stopped filling co2 canisters foe paintball since it was at that same counter. Screw them, it took a long time for dicks and academy to get down here but it was the final nail in their coffin. Good riddance
ESPN has chosen to focus on drama, politics, and sensationalism rather than the love for sports, competition, and the game. People are tuning out of that trash and finding other ways to get their sports news.
Yep, if you are not a sports fan you get royally screwed with cable. ESPN is almost $10 of your bill. Fox news which is number 1 in ratings is only 99 cents.
For the most part and you covered it, I use to never watch ESPN for opinions. I would watch for the results and stay for some of the interesting talking points. Now you don't need ESPN for the results therefore ESPN is becoming useless. Nobody needs to hear Dan LeBatard or Stephen A's opinion when we already know the results and just form our own.
*Nobody needs to hear Dan LeBatard or Stephen A's opinion when we already know the results and just form our own.* And these guys aren't experts or anything. Honestly everything they say is no different then what any of us say in the TH-cam comments. They don't break down game film or anything. Its "Lebron isn't clutch, The NE pats have Brady they will win, KD better then Lebron, ect.." Does it really take an "expert" to say or have an opinion on all that shit?
@@Str8Maddeness well done proving his point for him. You didn't even try to argue against his comment. You just shifted into the "Yeah but you're more stupider" 3rd grade mentality. You lack even the smallest sense of self awareness.
Beau Lijah not only that, but they talk about the same topics multiple times a day in each of those leagues “LeBron vs MJ” “Will Michigan finally break their losing streak vs Ohio State?” “Is Duke basketball overpowered?”
Their anchors and ESPN personalities kinda sucks nowadays too. They talk too much about their personal opinions on things like politics (which we don't really give a f about) instead of just keeping it neutral and these personalities try to become a bigger than the sports themselves.
Not to mention they stopped covering NHL on a regular basis. 40 seconds with Barry Melrose isn’t covering hockey. The day ESPN jumped the shark was when they let Peter Gammons go!! Baseball Tonight was a great show. Now it’s a bunch of liberal sycophants yelling at each other about LeBron’s haircut.. Screw ESPN
I changed my cable package because of ESPN. The LAST thing I want from from a sports network is political opinions. There are many, many political channels for that. And I know I'm not the only one.
@@sportsfan8916 same here. One great sports channel i would recommend you watch is strong opinion sports if you haven’t heard about him yet. He’s my go to sports channel now.
@Harry Engel You are correct in my view. I just wish that people and several organizations that have no business in politics would stay out of politics.
@Harry EngelYou are right. If the leftest had any sense at all they would see the truth as we do. Then maybe when they lost so much money ESPN and others would realize that it is time to go back to doing what made them in the first place.
Too much political bullcrap in their broadcasts. I dont tune into sportscenter to hear about anything other than sports. I havent watched much recently. Too much commentary on politics. Sorry but i dont want to hear lebrons opinion on donald trump.
Every time I try to tune into ESPN, the show with Stephen A. Smith, Max Kellerman, and that chick, or Jemele Hill and the other guy is on. I couldn't stand those 2 shows. Plus they don't show hockey on ESPN and there's no way in hell I would watch NBA. Oh wait, I come to realize, I don't even have cable hahaha.
ESPN IS GOING TO FALL OFF A CLIFF....... wow does Max Kellerman annoy me. Personally, I don't like the politics, it irritates me. I don't care about your politics, I'm tired of hearing about politics. I come here to hear about sports. Also, I don't like the way they chose to cover things. For instance, the other day when Luck threw some balls publicly for the first time in ages, ESPN's takeaway was, Andrew Luck throws High School Footballs. First off, High School Footballs and College Footballs are the same. Second off, College Footballs and NFL footballs weigh the same, College balls are physically smaller. Rather than focusing on the idea that he's throwing again, ESPN chose to sensationalize the article. News organizations are not supposed to CREATE the news, they're supposed to report it. I know all the news channels are doing it right now, that's just my reason for not watching any of the mainstream news channels. I'd rather use sports apps on my ipad, and fill in my football addiction on youtube.
You can watch ESPN for hours and never actually see any sports.
lazy gamer
Like MTV and music videos
Also VH-1 and music videos. Ditto MTV2.
Sounds like what happened to MTV.
lazy gamer
Plus see the same thing over & over again or hear the same nerds yelling.
lazy gamer it’s called evolving
“You watch ads on here all the time” ad starts playing
Jordan Payne and when the ad ends "and that is how TH-cam makes money" lol
Duded that happened to me!!
He placed it there on purpose...
haha I scrolled through the comments to see if anyone else caught that
*cough* uBlock Origin *cough*
We just wanted highlights, not what LBJ's son ate for breakfast this morning or shouting talking heads spewing the same rhetoric over and over again.
Don't give 2 shits about anything lebron
Lyndon b Johnson’s son?
So true!
@@jacobstrine6332 Hahahahaha! That’s why I thought, too. 😉
@@Lonngridgeway Old man shouts at the sky.
There are a million reasons for their decline but they can be summarized as "The photographer who thought he was more important than the Picture"
Or "the comedian who thought everything he made was comedy gold and stopped trying as hard"
There shows aren't even about the athletes performance in the game anymore. It's all about their personal lives, politics and Twitter arguments between athletes.
its like how MTV phased out music and Comedy Central is phasing out comedy, ESPN is phasing out its sports
And they act like teenagers. You never see weathermen acting like that. They just give you what you need
Everyone: “Hey, can you tell us the scores of the recent NFL games?”
ESPN: “WHY? LEBRON JAMES JUST HAD A BURGER FOR LUNCH AND TOM BRADY BOUGHT A NEW CAR!!!”
Then after that we'll talk about the Cowboys
@@cerabrii398they never talk about small market teams, and baseball/soccer/hockey have been basically forgotten about
This sums it up nicely.
@@NWSportscast the cowboys my favorite team hasn't been worth shit for a couple decades and yet we still in the top 3 greatest worldwide franchises Manchester United aint got shit on us
ESPN became Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, Extra.
Don’t forget E!
#facts
Exactly. Sports journalism became more similar to the wider spectrum of American "journalism"...which is garbage.
And CNN. At least when Jemele Hill was there.
@@NeverMindMan yes, when they went political...I had to step away....
I remember I was at a barbershop & I was wondering why I was hearing CNN in the background. I turned around and it was ESPN.
HA!
That is sad that u fall for the BS from Fox we just lie news & other right wing nut jobs!!! If the majority of the employees are black & who are under attack by the so called police they have a right to take a stand and speak out
Nw that’s funny😂😂😂😂
😂😂
@@starwarsnaomi what did Jon Gruden say that was so bad? I don’t get it. Please explain.
cable in general is a waste of time. I cancelled cable long ago and only have one regret.. that I did not cancel it sooner.
You do know that outside of NFL Football, the lion's share, aka HUGE majority of sports (College Football and Basketball, NHL Hockey, NBA Basketball, and MLB Baseball) are on cable/satellite television. On over the air broadcast TV, sports have pretty much disappeared, again outside of NFL Football.
Cancelled cable in ‘06 and I’ll never have it again.
Im in hotel watching cable right now....i dont regret getting rid of it one bit. 50 percent of it is bullshit shows trying to shill old people.
@@OdintheGermanShepherd I just hope you are not a sports fan. Most if not all of sports have drifted to cable/satellite. Of course, if you subscribe to 10 different streaming services, then you will be back to where you have started.
There shoving the New England and Tom Brady down our damn throtes.
ESPN basically refuses to acknowledge hockey, one of the four major American Sports, exists. But they’ll talk basketball in the off season. They lost me a while ago.
You almost forget hockey is a sport. Max Kellerman on first take said nobody in the USA cares about hockey. I disagree with his comments. Hockey has a strong following but it doesn’t get the same ratings as football, baseball and basketball.
If you wanna keep going it’s a large reason probably why NASCAR has declined as well. If they really brought a good overall network on all sports they’d talk more golf, nascar, hockey and more!
Thank God! For a while, I thought I was the only one!!!! Hockey is the greatest sport ever played, IMO. Hockey players are the best athletes. You don't have to have specific attributes, like height or to be 300#... there are 5'9", 165# guys in or going into the Hall of Fame, there are 6'5" and taller guys going into the Hall of Fame. The key is you have to be a great athlete. A great athlete who is 5'9" is very unlikely to make the Hall of Fame in Basketball or Football, and in Baseball you only need to be good at ONE thing... so you don't need to be a great athlete, you just need to be good at ONE thing... A great athlete like Trout will make the Hall for sure... but you can't just be good at one thing in hockey and be a top player. In baseball, if you can hit home runs easily, you can be considered great, even if you can barely make it around the bases or hit over .200. If you can throw a 100 mph fastball, you don't need any other skills. It used to be, in baseball, that you needed to be a well rounded guy to be a professional. Today, half these guys can't field worth a damn, they are sluggish on the base paths, and they can only hit the ball very hard... most not even for a decent average. That's baseball, a one dimensional sport. Hockey is the only true sport left of the major sports in the world today.
@@Murph_. not true we are just at a time where pitchers are the best they've ever been and it's harder than ever to get a hit saying "if you can throw 100 mph, you don't need anything else" tell that to aroldis Chapman he was that and once the league caught up to it he started getting exposed pitchers now throw baseballs at 100 mph fastball with movement or a 90 mph even some curveballs are being thrown like blitzballs Chapman is still good now but he has two maybe even three pitches that batters have to worry about on top of the fastball. Plus baseball is probably the sport that requires the most hand eye coordination and patience that's why people who don't watch baseball find it exciting plus there are many great players in the league that can play both sides of the field shit ohtani is hitting pitching and fielding saying that you don't need to be an athlete in baseball is incredibly stupid btw just because they don't have as much movement as other sports doesn't make them any lesser of an athlete Jordan was the prolly the biggest atheletic freak in his time and he couldn't reach the majors
@@slanda2262 Throwing harder doesn't make a pitcher better. I'd put Greg Maddux up against any pitcher any day. Also, as we continue down this road, players will catch up to the high velocity fastballs, but if the pitchers are otherwise average or worse, which they are, then what? KNOWING how to pitch is more important than how hard you can throw. Finally, when guys are all taught that they should either walk or swing for the fences, it's much easier to strike someone out. MUCH, MUCH easier.
In conclusion, one skill does not make a great player.
"This should be call the Lebron James Network... all we do is talk about Lebron James" - Jalen Rose
And Tom Brady.
And Zion Williamson
And Mike Trout.
And Aaron Rodgers...and Dallas Cowboys
AntsnRoaches Not to mention Nick Saban and Alabama football.
I remember when ESPN showed sports, MTV showed music videos, CNN reported news, and Michael Jackson was black.
That's how old I am.
Excellent point- well said
Wow don’t worry then you’re almost on your way out
😂😂
I wonder if everyone remembers when ESPN showed the O.J. Simpson bronco chase as well as his trial, they also showed other things unrelated to sports such as Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin‘s funeral, as well as the Kobe Bryant Helicopter crash press conference and the George Floyd protest. Perhaps networks such as ESPN, MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon, lifetime, and TBS need to rebrand themselves to something that relates to their actual content
So you’re 50 years old?
Too political. Too expensive. Overated. Those are the issues.
I miss the days when ESPN was scores, highlights and funny commercials.
Yeah, right? I loved those college basketball comercials with Rober Goulet singing about coaches! PRICELESS.... since we will never see stuff like this anymore...… binged.it/2ZPkdfM
FACTS
I yearn for the days of “this is sportscenter” commercials.
"you watch ads all the time" right before the ad plays, well played
pillowsocket that’s what I thought ahhaha
Same here lol
They became hyper-political, preachy and self-righteous. Basically, they became a 24/7/365 episode of "Sports Night".
That’s why I watch espn deportes and I’m Italian lol
I stopped watching when they talked about Lebron/Tom Brady for 45 minutes. Leaving 15 minutes for commercials
NoFearIsHere but they need poster boys nba is star driven if not lebron than steph curry, nfl is a different story which is more franchise driven
Don't forget about the non-stop Yankees/Red Sox coverage
You must of missed the Tim Tebow coverage
This. ESPN shows way too much favoritism towards certain teams/athletes. I remember when A-Rod came back from his PED suspension and they covered his batting practice for nearly the whole show. Are you kidding me?
LeBron is a racist! boycott nba!
You forgot "ESPN 8: The Ocho!"
fuck you, take my upvote!!! haha
SHIT YOU BEAT ME TOO IT
The ocho is ESPN's savior..
raven lord Yeah I never miss the annual dodgeball tournament
If it almost looks like a sport, we cover it here! On ESPN 8 the Ocho
Sounds like MTV. Internet made music and sports scores and highlights too easy to access so they went in new directions. People are nostalgic of the good ole days of these channels but in actuality they would not work in today’s day and age. So now we have these “weird” emotion and opinion based content that you either get on board with or quit watching. Will be interesting to revisit in the next decade or two.
Mtv is dying the same death = SJW/Leftist political BULLSHIT!
Drunk Roku You conservatives wouldn't be crying if they went in your direction.
Neither would the channels.
Mtv back catalog of shows/series is pretty decent....goes to app only teen mom and last season real world wtf
In two decades both ESPN and MTV will be either unrecognizable, renamed, or gone. Reminds me of The Nashville Network, which eventually morphed into Spike TV and is morphing again into The Paramount Network. That's ESPN and MTV's future.
I stopped watching when they started to only cover two sports.... the NFL and, to a far lesser extent, the NBA
I cover college football to
Same for us. One of the reasons we started making our podcast in the first place is because we were sick of having to listen to just football and basketball all day. There's so many other good sports to cover that ESPN ignores.
They cover more nba than nfl nowadays
@@ftruers2544 No, the NFL is the most covered
To be fair, NFL and NBA are really popular among their viewers.
OMG at 3:46 a mid-roll ad came on. Perfect timing wow!
Ublock Origin does wonders.
David Frischknecht I have an ad block but I have TH-cam white listed unless I watch a channel that I dislike
Collin Smith jags super bowl 2018, DUVAAAAALLLLLL
I've seen you around, are you on Twitter?
Company Man is notorious (at least to me) for having very well placed adds if you pay attention to it in his videos.
The fact that they refuse to even discuss hockey - and actually flat out insult the sport and its fans any chance they get - simply because they lost the rights to it a decade ago... just shows how out of touch they are with the market segments that made them what they are. Well, what they were.
ESPN won't report about hockey because hockey is all white and ESPN is pushing the all black democratic billionaire media hidden agenda all black all the time
@@jonjonas2528 yes that is definitely the reason. Fucking idiot. They don't report on hockey because it doesn't bring in ratings. NFL and NBA do
@@jonjonas2528 get away troll please
@Jon Jonas--ESPN used to cover the NHL back when I first had an interest in the sport. They had some very good people covering it. But now the NHL is on another network.
Many are interested in football or other sports. The political commentary and/or extra cost to have ESPN (depending on the system/package) can be too much for some.
@@jamiehoward6505 he actually does have a point. They did the same with Baseball when the MLB took the playoffs away from them and went with the higher bidder in TBS. And Baseball does as much ratings as the NBA.
ESPN covering political content is like Hershey's selling mirrors. Like, what?
Daniel Gonzalez is Hershey selling mirrors for reals?
Marilyn Marks nope :P
At first I was like “What? Mirrors?” But then I realized that was the point…
Not really though, because in 2017 a lot of teams and athletes used the games to try and highlight political issues, and they had to cover that.
Krombopulos Michael it sickens me when politics get everywhere. I'm from Venezuela and here (since things are so fucked up) you literally can't do a single thing without involving politics somehow, and it's really, really tiring. Don't let that happen over there
Its 2021 now and they still talk about race and gender more than sports. They arent even a sports network anymore.
It’s a shame that the network has come down to this
Ok what’s the problem with that
Just give it a while, eventually you’ll see an athlete with race and/or gender. It’ll happen.
@@lanealbirth141 The people who complain about politics are soft as shit.
I don’t think it’s just ESPN. As I got older I realized that a lot of these so called analysts, commentators, and hosts don’t know anything about the sports they are suppose to be covering. They just try to trigger people.
Also barely any of them actually analyze a game. It’s always “So & so chocks again”
Degwin Sodo Zabi this is so right!
Degwin Sodo Zabi your right these analyst don't know shit. When I was kid I couldn't wait to watch pre game, post game. It's embarrassing to watch has been athletes act out plays
THIS. I bring him up a lot here, but UrinatingTree was right. ESPN is selling hot takes and personalities, but you can get those all over the internet for free.
Finally someone gets it here. Them trashing a player or team and then that team winning and saying "I told you so" despite what they said actually used to have some ground to it. Now, its nothing new. Everyone is catching on these guys are just fucking useless lol
Agreed, they need to entice you to keep watching and for the most part they like to get people outraged. That, and them trying to push things on you, remember Tebow mania. They are also so god dam pc it’s agitating. That’s what makes barstool so refreshing.
They hired a bunch of people that know little to nothing about the sports they cover 😂
It’s infuriating
Sippin Water like Skip Bayless
Rob Parker and Max Kellerman are the worst
George Ryan Jr. oh god Max Kellerman knows nothing. He said the MLB is more popular than the NBA. I’m a baseball fan, and even I think that’s the dumbest comment ever, obviously the NBA is more popular than the MLB
@Luke Skywalker Skip is on Fox, not ESPN.
I'm a cable, internet installer.... And ESPN's politics are the reason I always hear why people don't like them anymore
Yes, and that's how you learn, firsthand. The media is nothing but lies and obfuscation.
Fact plus all the other shit they are basically TMZ east
Amen brother
Yep, if I want to see, hear or smell pig shit, I'll switch to pmsnbc.
Really
I miss old espn watching with my dad in morning was so fun I miss those times
ESPN is like MTV in 2018.
I'm just waiting to see them to go bankrupt.
Continue waiting it wont happen
@@gmonono2847 yes it will, when there other means to watch sports
Disney could end up selling them. The MCU has been more valuable than a network that airs every sport in the US, that's actually sad for ESPN lol
Fox sports will take their place.
@@michaelcap9550 Fox Sports will NEVER replace ESPN, the Worldwide Leader in Sports.
I used to watch ESPN and sports to get away from politics and real life. The day politics and sports mixed was the day I cancelled ESPN.
This is also what's killing foot ball and the Superbowl
Was there a specific event that caused you to cancel? Just curious...I stopped watching 10 years ago when I realized there was so much talk and conjecture and less actual sports.
@@mrjack8849 some time between stunning and brave Bruce Jenner coverage and BLM kneeling. I dont care what people do in their free time (be trans/protest whatever) but gtfo my sports
@Skippy the Alien Maybe. But if sports commentators at the time filled the sports news cycle with segments like "How awesome the patriot act is" and "Reasons to invade Iraq" I would have probably stopped watching sooner.
Skippy the Alien No. Politics shouldn’t be on ESPN because ESPN is showed around the world and how many people from other countries really give a fuck about American politics. And American politics is one of the most toxic things in the world they just need to stop talking about that shit.
This coming from an Australian. I watch sports after work to unwind. Therefore i dont want to hear anything about the US politics, racism, and other real world issues because sports is a escape and i dont care about US politics.
When a company decides to become political and woke, then what they choose to cover is only as important as what they choose to ignore. EPSN, Lebron and the NBA support the concentration camps in China by virtue of not speaking out against them now. They can't have it both ways.
@@FallicIdol LeBron is a black man so it makes sense to speak about black issues. He's well within his rights to do so, same as your well within your rights to get butthurt about it
@@hfr8343 Lebron is going to bed with slavers with China. He has no right to talk about injustice while aligning with the literal enemies of free society. I don't expect someone like you or Lebron, someone hell bent on being a victim and incapable of objectively looking at the plight of others, to understand this.
You should care.... Remembers the liars are gonna probably try it here 1st if it works here they're gonna do it to you.... Australia America and England will go up or down together
@@FallicIdol you have no say in what a person can and cannot talk about just because your way of thinking doesn't align with his. It's actually pretty hypocritical
"And on the next episode of 'Abandoned Shopping Malls of America' - The Demise of ESPN: What will Connecticut do with the dilapidated remains of this once-relevant network?"
People don't want to hear someone's political beliefs when they're tuning in for sports as an escape from politics.
For Sure
100% mate! I just want to hear sports news when I watch ESPN.
Like a lot these espn or fox reporters that have been retired are now coming out talking about politics like give me a break it’s old news
So you want a safe space?
@@kevaughnramsay9846 Sports are supposed to be a safe space from outside bulls*t, so yeah.
I would say that they became too political and hypocrytical. They also act above the normal person. I agree with many comments in this post, most analysts on ESPN are garbage.
Keith Then what's FOX's problems? They are selling all their US media assets EXCEPT Fox News for now. It appears FOX News might be on the block too.
Piteus W Fox wasnt sold. PARTS of Fox were sold. The most profitable parts (like Fox News) which arent particularly subject to the changing media and streaming landscape remain staunchly Murdoch owned.
552mustang Murdoch sold their biggest asset at FOX. Their movie content. They also sold all their regional content. FOX also wanted to sell FOXSports but Disney balked due to possible monopoly issues. FOXSports is a disaster. FOX News will be under pressure as more conservative networks / streaming services are launched.Gasbags are a dime a dozen. Content is King. The Murdoch's know this. Look at CNN and MSNBC. They are competing for a liberal audience. It's only a matter of time FOX NEWs gets new competition for their conservative viewers.
Please don't push this narrative about left vs. right. The media doesn't work that way. Content is King. FOX knows they are screwed in sports. They also know FOX News will have a lot more conservative platforms after their viewers. They will also sell FOX NEWS. With Trump as President, it will never get any better than to sell now.
@Keith - They were annoying and hypocritical if you were not in there preferred market long before they were getting political. Now there is not only faster ways to get the information, the popular games tend to leak to the internet somewhere and there is more alternate entertainment to TV as well.
Keith ESPN is like the modern woman no one needs you any more hah
The video: "Maybe it has something to do with the political controversy but I think that's such a small part of it..."
The comments section: ESPN'S DYING CAUSE THEY WENT POLITICAL!!!
Politics has nothing to do with it... or the decline of Dick's Sporting Goods for that matter. They're both declining because they're obsolete. "Getting political" doesnt seem to hurt Target or Starbucks or Gillette or whoever else.
@Beau Lijah The comments section proves that SOME people's opinions are persuaded by how political they are. But, that's anecdotal at best, and doesn't give a clear picture of what portion of their subscribers have cancelled for that reason, or how many subscribers have JOINED because of their political leanings. Looking at other companies who "get political," it likely has less to do with that and more to do with what's mentioned in the video.
Christine Hill I think “going political” has certainly hurt ESPN because it alienated viewers of certain political beliefs. It has to do with demographic for instance, you mentioned how Starbucks has not been hurt too badly but it is not like Starbucks has a huge following of right wing individuals like Dicks sporting goods had but they sent the message that selling guns is somehow immoral and it rubbed a good amount of customers the wrong way. Starbucks started in Seattle which has now become a very liberal city where they still receive much of their business today so doing something that appeals to left won’t hurt them for now but could still hurt them in the long run like when Nike ran that Keapernick ad (Gillette is in Boston and I’m pretty sure Target started in Minnesota btw) overall it is still a very stupid decision to go political in either direction because no matter what you will lose fans and viewership and who knows, companies like Gillett and Starbucks may suffer in the long run even if they aren’t right now
@@CollegeSportsSuperfan The problem is that Starbucks (like Target) has a presence in more right-wing markets, which has been more or less unaffected by politically-motivated boycotts. ESPN, Nike and Dick's all have something in common: They were in decline BEFORE their political controversies. There's nothing to suggest that "going political" had any sort of impact. Right wing conservatives have this mindset that, any time a business makes decisions based on contemporary social mores (which tend to be liberal because that's how social progress works), those businesses must be "going political." That's how conservatives protect their inability to accept inevitable social progress. But, just because a business makes a moral business decision doesn't mean they're "going political." Look at Chick fil-A. They weren't hurt too badly when it was exposed that they give to right-wing hate groups. Boycotts typically do not work when it comes to issues where the public is polarized because, for every shopper who boycotts, another will be there to pick up the slack. Businesses have a social obligation to stand up for what is right in accordance to the morality of their market. ESPN is on the decline because they're becoming obsolete and are a part of cable packages that are also going obsolete. It has nothing to do with "going political."
Christine Hill the real reason why Starbucks has not suffered too badly is because there is a lack of competition but if they had a more stable competitor I’m sure they would see a decline if they were to delve into politics and how is not selling guns “social progress”? Also conservatives do not have an “inability to accept inevitable social progress” after all republicans were the ones that abolished slavery in the first place. Rather instead it is the argument of whether the things that Nike and others are pushing for is really progress at all especially since on the topic of slavery, Nike still owns all those sweatshops. It is also annoying that they promoted Keapernick because of this cause that he is promoting but he turned out to be a sell out and a fraud and I just feel sorry for the people that actually believed in his cause only to see him take millions of dollars from the NFL to stay quiet, could you ever see MLK jr doing that? Of course not! Because the King actually believed in what he was preaching (and his movement was clear and important) unlike the police brutality nonsense Colin was promoting, there is no national police force, if there is a specific department in certain cities not doing a good job then we can address that, it is so disrespectful to blanket all cops in the same category as if they are all part of the same force, you gotta know it is bad when the one player that actually served in the military walks out of the Steelers locker room and stands for the flag. Kneeling for the national anthem has to have been one of the most divisive and stupidest political movements I have ever seen because it is built around pure nonsense, people have a problem with it because doing it at the game makes it look like he is trying to send a message to the fans as if they need to something about it or they are somehow the problem when he should have taken it upon himself to have this be an off field issue
I saw ESPN playing the movie "The Mighty Ducks" during primetime the other night. That network has got issues, especially with covid going on
It’s awesome!!!
THERE is no COVID-19
We have all seen it. Before ESPN. So basically they were not smart enough to put vintage footage.
They have lost their way. It is dead.
Which one? D3 is my favorite
Short answer: The internet happened
DemonGrenade274 Oh shit! After scrolling down a barrage of comments blaming “liberal propaganda”; I found one that actually points the blame to the true culprit of the decline.
You, sir, deserve more likes.
That's why ESPN will have a streaming service in the near future.
May I point out: we are here on that Internet, not paying anything. Yeah .. could be politics, but if that was true, their decline would have been steeper. All those posting do not reflect the subscription chart. At the same time: all those posters, being here, ranting, won't come back paying $7, if ESPN was the only proper channel. If ESPN was the best way, I guess, they would watch Obama dancing at Half time.
My hunch is, ESPN faces the same problem as most News outlets, having huge fixed expenses while shrinking revenue.
@J P Don't respond to the wrong person again.
J P he’s a conservative don’t attack him
Let’s keep in mind all this is coming to a head due to the fact that the sports leagues player contracts have grown outrageously large directly because of how much money ESPN gave them.
If ESPN goes under those leagues don’t get the large tv contracts and all the player contracts will have to be readjusted.
It’s a bubble that’s due for popping
Good
That's.....just not true. Take the NFL for example, most of their games are on Fox, CBS and NBC. ESPN only gets the monday night football games. So if they went under, the NFL would just give MNF to another network.
@@blackanimelover18 I feel like your proved my point. Those other networks you mentioned are all struggling already in their own right aside from ABC since it’s Disney owned. Getting an equal or larger tv contract if espn is out will be extremely difficult.
Also with the CBA always squeezing more of the tv money for their players each negotiating session is an unsustainable business model
@@brian12357 Wasn't ESPN affiliated with Disney? I know they had that ESPN Zone thing.
@@blackanimelover18you literally just proved his point 😂. Wow
I cancelled ESPN as well as the rest of my satellite subscription a year ago because $135/month was way too much to pay for shitty programming. I haven't looked back since. Politics did play a factor, but mostly television sucks. Modern television wasn't made for anyone with an IQ of room temperature.
You’re 100% correct. I can easily stream Redzone for free, listen to most games on the radio, or watch the play by play. I can also watch shows and movies on the internet or pay for a much cheaper subscription like Hulu
It has been 3 years since I have activity watched TV, and switched over to 100% digital media. Instant, mostly free and better...
I never heard of Gears TV. Is it an online service? 15 dollars a month is a steal. My cable bill was almost a 100 dollars a month at one time and I only used three or four channels.
Politics plays the smallest role, don't act like it was never there, even when ESPN was at there best... politics was there!
The young Republican lmfao
"Think of TH-cam. You watch ads here all the time -" **Mid-Roll ad plays.**
Hey Company Man, did you do that on purpose?!
I'd love to see you do a video on failed mergers like AOL Time Warner.
Allie-RX yesss
Allie-RX Or that Viacom-CBS merger.
he already did AOL
Tony Donaldson No he didn't.
Does the failed AT&T-T-Mobile merger of 2011 count?
I don't think we need ESPN any more
Damon Abets Chris Smoove
For you maybe but for the league it's still necessary don't you think ?
For THE league? How about all leagues. I think, as Company Man pointed out, the leagues are already moving away from ESPN. 35 years ago, the leagues needed ESPN, but the NFL, NCAA, NBA, NHL, MLB and even 2nd tier sport leagues (UFC, MLS, etc) have already shown they could survive just fine without the old business model.
Actually ESPN has a app & streaming service......
ESPN now has UFC...trying to win the people they have pissed off back. I watch more of the Fox networks for my sports now, they have most the people who left ESPN anyway.
ESPN started to decline when they got rid of ESPN 8: THE OCHO
WTF is ESPN 8?
@@pedalesmexicali It's a joke based on the movie "Dodgeball."
I was going to comment the OCHO lol 😂
Most under-rated comment ever lmfao I listed the OCHO in my head when he was listing the ones ESPN has lol
That was a bold move on their part Cotton.
ESPN filled the niche from back in the days without internet, social media, and TH-cam. Nowadays there's better content on the web that can be free to view and not have the stinky stench of SAS, what once was Skip Bayless, and also the political agenda on the background (and even more up front nowadays). I'm not on the bandwagon against liberals, but I tune in for sports entertainment and not CNN looking for political debates or the like.
"Think of youtube, you watch ads..." Ad immediately starts playing.
Adblock
Same
It is possible to do as I do and not pay the slightest attention to TH-cam ads. I ignore them and do not recollect a single one!
I remember the last time I attempted to watch was several years ago. It was right in the middle of a very competitive NHL playoffs and figured sports center would have the highlights. Instead the spent almost the whole broadcast talking about an NBA player coming out as openly gay, no highlights or even mention of the Stanley cup playoffs.
I still remember where I was when Lance Stephenson started blowing Le'bron, glad dude finally admitted it.
Yes.
The real answer is it was hockey. No one actually watches it so why would ESPN care about it
@@gerhardschulzy Hockey is the only sport where people do not get ejected for merely fighting. Try doing that in the NBA, MLB, or NFL. It is an automatic ejection for merely throwing a punch. It does not matter if it connects or not.
If anyone wants to see hockey, there is always NBC and NBCSN (NBC Sports Network).
If ESPN wants to get big they gotta make ESPN 8: The Ocho a real thing 24/7
noideac 😂😂😂 that's from Dodgeball no?
This is a good perspective. I do think viewership has been more impacted than you think due to politics. People aren't cancelling their cable because of it, but they're cutting cable because screw cable, so unless people do ESPN plus, their viewership will keep going down, and the politics don't help.
People who complain about politics are just snowflakes.
Wrong. it's ESPN politics that caused me to stop watching. I never watch an NFL game on ESPN and only watch an occasional college football game. I never watch ESPN for anything else. They are a terrible network.
They have their stories written before the game even starts, and they try and force their opinions down your throats.
@Skippy the Alien people watch sports to escape politics regardless of viewpoints
No doubt. I started watching ESPN less and less over the last few years. I always hated their obsession with Kaepernick but ultimately their non stop virtue signaling and glorifying gender politics did it for me. Herbstreit’s BETA performance was the nail in the coffin for me
I don't watch ESPN because of lame graphics and poor presentation of all of their sports properties.
I didn't even realize I had fallen away from ESPN... mlb.com made it so much faster to get what I needed.
Sure, why not
Chuck Keough I'm going to sub to you just because Jajajaja.
NHL.com too
mlb.com and nhl.com are powered by BAMTech streaming tech which is owned by The Walt Disney Company
Yoshi Bryant Your channel looks like a bunch of clickbait garbage. Why should I subscribe?
People just want the scores and highlights,
not politics and personal opinions and negativity!
Turned into CNN
Fox, etc ....
To many non athletic opinionated people babbling!!!!!
Just the facts please
Agreed, except Fox has absolutely zero presence in ESPN and the like. They aren't in the equation.
Jason Morris
Right!
Some of those ESPN Anchors wouldn't dare say their garbage opinion face-to-face to the person they are criticizing. They're soft, such as CBS, CNN, MSNBC, etc
Theroux
Rlght! Good point!
Fox News will not allow liberals to take over their air time! 👍
Now Disney bought FOX, not Fox news but Fox Sport, expect Disney to do to Fox what they did to ESPN and Star Wars.
*Too
HR block has the same business plan. When I started there the average tax return fee was $35. Today it is pushing $300 with an annual decline in customers.
Next video, PepsiCo - Bigger than you know!
Yes!
Ye!!
ECDT1089 Yeah!
Hecc yeah lemme see that
GainedSalmon 3 Sprite is my favorite coke
I mean I’ve stopped watching espn because of how political it’s become
You really mean you stop watching when their views didn’t match yours.
@@commonsense3921
False.
He is saying (what most people are also saying) : "keep politics out of sports".
The Kaeparnick kneeling situation....
Michael Sam draft day celebration....
Bruce/Caitlin Jenner nonsense...
Dennis Rodman & North Korea ...
Sola Scriptura lol bet you have zero problems with “military tributes” though, do you?
@@philhunt26
Funny.
You don't know me, at all, do you?
I served eight years in the US Navy (2002- 2010).
Last duty station in Pearl Harbor (2007- 2010).
CS3 onboard USS Russell (DDG- 59).
Thanks for trying;
but, you lost that bet.
@@philhunt26 those are stupid also.
I've stopped watching ESPN ever since they started getting political and they've always had something bad to say about my football team the New England Patriots. They were the first to report about a rift between Belichick, Kraft, and Brady, but as we know after them winning the divisional and the championship game and going to the Super Bowl, There is no Rift between the three of them. ESPN is going to continue to lose viewership and I wouldn't be surprised if it goes to a online only platform. As it is, Disney is already made Investments to bring ESPN resources online. I believe they made a multibillion-dollar steak in a web streaming company.
They reported facts ?
I've hated ESPN ever since "The Decision". Also I don't support LGBT, black lives matter, feminism or the me too moment. So there is nothing for me to ESPN.
One of the greatest comments ever typed on TH-cam
ESPN is not espn anymore. It’s jokes and bs stories just give me the sports .
Politics in general on cable made me cancel my cable.
Can you do the decline of MySpace? Keep up the great work!
th-cam.com/video/XcpgmzHVc1E/w-d-xo.html
Watch this video, it is about mySpace, and should answer some of your questions.
I grew up in an era where television was free. Before the Internet was much of a thing, I got rid of cable soon after getting it because I simply could not get used to the idea of paying for TV. I basically watch only Patriots games that are on free TV, and listen to Red Sox games on MLB Gameday Audio, for which I grudgingly cough up $20 a year because I live 1000 miles from Boston.
I think your video is correct as to the big picture of why ESPN is doomed. But I also think ESPN's political BS is driving away subscribers who otherwise would have stuck with them. To build on your Walmart analogy, it's like Walmart not only has raised its prices in response to declining customers, but also has put up a sign out front that says, "NO REDNECKS."
If they hadn't demonized those that disagreed with the protests. And they if they had allowed for actual debate without making it the center of the network's attention. ESPN would be doing better, as would the NFL. The issue wasn't bringing politics in, the issue was blindly accepting what the protesters said as truth and attacking anyone with valid arguments. While making it more important than the game itself.
@@codyblea3638 they did that because you're stupid.
I wish Walmart would do that.
@@codyblea3638 Nah you all are just soft.
The people who left because of politics are VERY SOFT.
When my wife and I cut our DirecTV subscription she dropped ESPN and when I asked why she told me that price...Yeah. We dont need that.
The political issues are just the straw that broke the camel's back.
@Lighter Fluid15 You are an ignorant moron.
@Lighter Fluid15 Your hypocritical bigotry is astounding. Like most progressives you lump people who don't vote like you as backward racists yet ironically criticize a group you see as racially bigoted when you yourself have demonstrated abject bigotry in your addressing comments. You automatically lose the argument with that rhetoric.
@Lighter Fluid15 really nascar fans are racist and bigoted because they wave a Confederate flag? Don't 2 states have that in their state flag? It's part of their heritage now whether I agree with what you claim it stands for or not is my opinion. That makes as much sense as saying anyone waving a Hawaiian flag is committing treason because it has a Union Jack on it.
Lighter Fluid15 bruh this might be the dumbest comment of seen those poc are rich and entitled and benefit from the country but always complain about how racist it is and demand white people have the same views as them or they are racist
Lighter Fluid15 nascar is literally a white sport most black people not even interested in that shit
The political nature of ESPN was a turn-off for me.
Snowflake
@@clipobserver They got woke and were heading broke. They got smart and started booting their ignorant SJWs.
@J P Snowflakes are the millennials who cry when they don't get what they want. Similar to ESPN millionaires who lie about people for profit. But they got booted or told to shut their mouths and they complied. They may act woke but they care more about their paychecks.
Yup
When they took off sportsnation it was over. They are not even about sports anymore, it’s politics
Right after you said how youtube makes money from ads, an ad popped up
he did that on purpose
TH-cam would make more money if they didn't demonetize every channel that didn't align with their political views!
Does anybody watch them? I sure DON'T.
I quit watching their programs when they started talking politics.
Sports have been in politics for a long time though? Ali didn’t go to Vietnam? Jesse Owens in Nazi Germany? Etc.? It’s probably because you weren’t liking what you were hearing.
Myles Geoghegan
I don’t really think Jesse Owens was political. He was just black in the 1930s. After all, “human rights isn’t political” is it?
Myles Geoghegan
Etc just because you have no examples
@@MichaelJ44 - The "sports was always political" comment is so dishonest. ESPN has distinctly gotten into the political commentary business. To cite a handful of instances across past decades hardly compares. And if you read this comments section pretty much 90% of them are citing the exact same thing.
@@mylesgeoghegan7811 and ESPN wasn't around back then. That shit was on the news, stupid
Too political and I hate it. Should be 100% no politics.
ESPN originally meant
Entire Sports Programming Network.
Not two 100% armchair quarterbacks bitch about sports for an entire hour network.
The first sporting event they ever showed was actually
Australian Rules Football.
My dad and I sat and watched in amazement.
Then to show football they showed us the CFL and we watched the Winnipeg Blue Bombers with Dieter Brock take on the Edmonton Eskimos with Warren Moon..
3 down football on a GIANT field.
ESPN did what MTV did. Start strong then abandon that successful formula for trash.
The only reason I stopped watching espn is because they stopped reporting sports and started discussing politics. It’s been 3 years now since I’ve watched espn.
You don't think sports and politics intersect? Jackie Robinson's widow would like to have a word with you?
It’s not the fact that you guys hate politics it’s the fact u hate minorities. You won’t us to shut up and dribble don’t u. Why you avoiding these topics: they make yt America uncomfortable
Espn turned into CNN, I turn on ESPN to watch sports not hear about political shit
CNN= Communist News Network. Great comment Nick Guardiola!
I never watch ESPN anymore. I honestly don't know anyone who does.
I want the OLD ESPN back. 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
Yes I wanna see the roller derby and the timbersports again.
Only time I ever watch is when live sports are on and it’s the only channel That has a specific game
@@jimmyjamedwards5967 At least that is way better than the garbage ESPN has now.
@@jimmyjamedwards5967 ESPN used to have Professional Wrestling. AWA wrestling. (1986 to 1990).
This video is 100% right on the money. Why don't we have guys who walk around and light all the gas lamps? They were replaced.
Because they forgot that sports fans (watching sports) do not want to be fed a political ideology. Sports is supposed to be an ESCAPE from that stuff. If I want politics, I can find it elsewhere. Now I find my sports elsewhere as well.
I think the politics supercharged their decline.
Not really. Plenty of places have it worse than ESPN because they have NOTHING that can't be put on Netflix or Hulu. The political stuff (and let's be honest, it's mostly Trump supporters who complain about it) is probably not going to move the needle either way because their entire model is obsolete.
I think you missed the point how terrible some of their talent is. They have gone way overboard on debate driven shows as well and the added politics I think is starting to make things even worse
I agree. They've made some bad choices over the years and I believe it stems from the success of First Take. The two worst sports shows on TV are First Take and its ripoff Undisputed. Sports aren't supposed to be taken that seriously and it turns a lot of people off.
Also, too much NBA soap opera. I get that a lot of people like it, but a lot of people is not most people.
Nick Wilson aren't you supposed to be at work when those shows come on? Would you rather them air vintage bowling and billiards like they used to?
I agree! Every show they have someone always debating or arguing. It got so old so quick.
Hell yeah! I'd love some vintage bowling, or world's strongest man, or anything like that. Also, I don't start work till the afternoon.
Nick Wilson nah it’s funny asf
I'd love for you to do a remake of this video with the recent firings from ESPN
Can you do a video on what happened to Sports Authority
RandomStuffYT and Sports Chalet!
RandomStuffYT yes
They stopped selling firearms and ammo. That was a cut to their market and costumer draw.
I second this motion. I'd be interested in seeing that.
PickelJars ForHillary and they were all high and mighty about it. They even stopped filling co2 canisters foe paintball since it was at that same counter. Screw them, it took a long time for dicks and academy to get down here but it was the final nail in their coffin. Good riddance
ESPN has chosen to focus on drama, politics, and sensationalism rather than the love for sports, competition, and the game. People are tuning out of that trash and finding other ways to get their sports news.
ESPN: the LeBron and tom Brady reality show. Unccessarily hosted by Stephen A. Smith and Max Keller.
Nick Ruiz ya don’t say.
Nick Ruiz well done
They literally talk about Lebron every single day...
ESPN isn't necessary anymore. There are too many ways to get the same information and commentary at no cost.
Are you are it's not politics? 99% of these comments is woke politics is why.
Because people don’t want to pay for something they don’t use. That’s what cord cutting is all about
White people can no longer afford it,not getting it for free as do some.
Tom Dockery why are you being racist
Yep, if you are not a sports fan you get royally screwed with cable. ESPN is almost $10 of your bill. Fox news which is number 1 in ratings is only 99 cents.
Illegal stream on fire stick FTW.
For the most part and you covered it, I use to never watch ESPN for opinions. I would watch for the results and stay for some of the interesting talking points. Now you don't need ESPN for the results therefore ESPN is becoming useless. Nobody needs to hear Dan LeBatard or Stephen A's opinion when we already know the results and just form our own.
The only reason why I watch was for Skip Bayless and Steven A Smith argue at eachother while I got ready for school.
*Nobody needs to hear Dan LeBatard or Stephen A's opinion when we already know the results and just form our own.*
And these guys aren't experts or anything. Honestly everything they say is no different then what any of us say in the TH-cam comments. They don't break down game film or anything. Its "Lebron isn't clutch, The NE pats have Brady they will win, KD better then Lebron, ect.."
Does it really take an "expert" to say or have an opinion on all that shit?
MikeBNumba6 Exactly, I agree
I agree I just watch the sports like college football and NBA
Have both of them even played a professional sport? I know Stephen A smith's bum ass hasn't played.
I stopped watching when I couldn't tell the difference between them (ESPN) and MSNBC.
@@Str8Maddeness yo lowkey you should stop talking
@@Str8Maddeness Maybe sit the next few plays out, Champ, you're looking kinda shaky over there.
@@Str8Maddeness well done proving his point for him. You didn't even try to argue against his comment. You just shifted into the "Yeah but you're more stupider" 3rd grade mentality. You lack even the smallest sense of self awareness.
When he said that you watch ads on TH-cam all the time, I got an ad and I thought it was a joke that he put in.
Same 😂
ESPN it's like watching CNN
Ed Cook Max Kellerman is like watching any CNN reporter
Beau Lijah not only that, but they talk about the same topics multiple times a day in each of those leagues
“LeBron vs MJ”
“Will Michigan finally break their losing streak vs Ohio State?”
“Is Duke basketball overpowered?”
Their anchors and ESPN personalities kinda sucks nowadays too. They talk too much about their personal opinions on things like politics (which we don't really give a f about) instead of just keeping it neutral and these personalities try to become a bigger than the sports themselves.
Not to mention they stopped covering NHL on a regular basis. 40 seconds with Barry Melrose isn’t covering hockey. The day ESPN jumped the shark was when they let Peter Gammons go!!
Baseball Tonight was a great show. Now it’s a bunch of liberal sycophants yelling at each other about LeBron’s haircut.. Screw ESPN
Unfortunately that’s not the audience they want. They want the trash talking, windmill slam dunking Deion Sanders type. It’s bullcrap.
This comment got me laughing dying & rolling on the floor because it's too true
Gammons is on MLB Network now great channel I love it
Preach
What happened to ESPN? They became woke.
ESPN then: He could go all the wayyyyy!
ESPN now: You're a racist, and here's why....
I changed my cable package because of ESPN. The LAST thing I want from from a sports network is political opinions. There are many, many political channels for that. And I know I'm not the only one.
I used to love ESPN.....UNTIL they got into politics. And do more TALKING about sports than actually SHOWING sports.
Exactly, it's like they're catering to women having all these talk shows. Really boring and a total turn off for me and most long time sports fans.
You think ESPN’s bad, you should see Canada’s version: TSN... Y’all like 7 straight hours of the completely unlikable Tim & Sid?
That was back when espn was a sports channel. Now they are more political than sports. I never watch it.
Exactly. Its now 80% politics and 20% sports.
@@kirklazarus1426 yeah I stopped watching too. now I just watch youtube sports, like That's Good Sports, NW Sportscast, Pat McAfee, ect..
@@sportsfan8916 same here. One great sports channel i would recommend you watch is strong opinion sports if you haven’t heard about him yet. He’s my go to sports channel now.
@Harry Engel You are correct in my view. I just wish that people and several organizations that have no business in politics would stay out of politics.
@Harry EngelYou are right. If the leftest had any sense at all they would see the truth as we do. Then maybe when they lost so much money ESPN and others would realize that it is time to go back to doing what made them in the first place.
Too much political bullcrap in their broadcasts. I dont tune into sportscenter to hear about anything other than sports. I havent watched much recently. Too much commentary on politics. Sorry but i dont want to hear lebrons opinion on donald trump.
b t s n Get Woke Go Broke.
but but but bron git a for grade edication. He know he shit.
Nazi
Every time I try to tune into ESPN, the show with Stephen A. Smith, Max Kellerman, and that chick, or Jemele Hill and the other guy is on. I couldn't stand those 2 shows. Plus they don't show hockey on ESPN and there's no way in hell I would watch NBA. Oh wait, I come to realize, I don't even have cable hahaha.
They brought too many activists and racists on board.
Racists? Ok Trumper
ESPN IS GOING TO FALL OFF A CLIFF....... wow does Max Kellerman annoy me. Personally, I don't like the politics, it irritates me. I don't care about your politics, I'm tired of hearing about politics. I come here to hear about sports.
Also, I don't like the way they chose to cover things. For instance, the other day when Luck threw some balls publicly for the first time in ages, ESPN's takeaway was, Andrew Luck throws High School Footballs. First off, High School Footballs and College Footballs are the same. Second off, College Footballs and NFL footballs weigh the same, College balls are physically smaller. Rather than focusing on the idea that he's throwing again, ESPN chose to sensationalize the article. News organizations are not supposed to CREATE the news, they're supposed to report it. I know all the news channels are doing it right now, that's just my reason for not watching any of the mainstream news channels.
I'd rather use sports apps on my ipad, and fill in my football addiction on youtube.
People don't want to hear about politics and race on a sports show.
@@davidhuff1850 YOU are racist.
David Huff sports aren’t inherently controversial, no need for politics or racism
People are tired of hearing the blacks crying . It's ran its course .
@@justinpennington7682 Most ignorant comment of all time
Sports networks need to have a sports feel to them...espn doesn’t
That’s why all the major sports started their own channels.
It's more like MSNBC today.
I think ESPN's politics had a lot to do with their decline.