Trump kicks ESPN where it hurts

Politico ^ | Jason Schwartz

[simpson96]

President Donald Trump’s Twitter attack on ESPN on Friday morning hit the sports network in a particularly sensitive area — its declining subscriber numbers, which Trump claimed was because of its too-liberal politics.

Over the past several years, ESPN has faced a steady decline in subscribers, dropping from more than 100 million in 2011 to around 87 million today. The company has also undergone very public job reductions, cutting dozens of well-known faces in April. But does politics have anything to do with it?

According to analysts, no. But getting dragged into a political fight does present a challenge for the network.

“It’s a red herring. The drop in subscribers is an economic issue, not a political one,” said Joseph Bonner, a senior analyst for Communications and Technology at Argus Media. Bonner actually laughed at the notion that political bias has played a role, pointing out that ESPN has been steadily losing subscribers since well before the narrative developed —fairly or not — that the network is too liberal.

Stephen Beck, founder and managing partner of the consulting agency cg42, which has extensively studied cord-cutting in the cable industry, agrees. “If you go way, way, way down the list, you might have a segment of the population that is changing behavior based on their political stances,” Beck said. “But I would be shocked if that was a significant contributor to ESPN’s decline. It has a lot more to do with macro trends.”

[Alberta's Child]

He has a valid point. Here on FreeRepublic I had plenty of conversations years ago with people who were dropping their cable. Their single biggest issue was the exorbitant cable fees, and poor customer service was a distant second.

[Fiji Hill]

ESPN recently fired one staffer for using the expression "chink in the armor" and another for a reference to "guerrilla warfare." Incredibly, ESPN finds these expressions to be racist.

The one fired for the "guerrilla warfare" comment is now suing. I hope he insists on a trial and doesn't settle out of court, and I hope the jury awards him a bonanza.

[allendale]

Sorry but there is a huge market of Americans that are enthralled by sports. They are willing to spend their money directly on tickets or their time gazing intently at TV’s, computers or phones watching these spectacles and hence allow themselves to be exploited by advertisers. The majority of the athletes are African-Americans who have a perspective and often values that are radically different than prior generations of athletes. Commercial media outlets must conform and patronize the new reality that sports have become. Political posturing and commentators like this racist Hill are now part of the package. Otherwise they will distance themselves from the product made by those athletes that draws their audience and makes them money. Nothing substantial will change.

[TomGuy]

When anyone cuts their cable, Sling is a reasonable alternative.

There are several streaming services now. However, they are following the old cable/satellite models of offering bulks of channels in tiers or groups. Eventually, they will be just like the cable/satellites -- a bunch of junk channels to get just the few one wants to watch.

If/when a service comes out with true ala-carte channel selection -- even if the prices of channels vary -- they would take over the future of streaming.

[Snickering Hound]

Look at some of the NFL stadiums that are suffering massive drops in attendance. Much of that is because of the political protests from the players. People tune into to or pay for a stadium ticket for FOOTBALL, NOT POLITICS.

Partially. The other part being that it now typically costs several hundred dollars for a family to attend just 1 game and hit the concession stand.

For the same price, you can buy a large screen tv at Walmart and watch the same game at home without being surrounded by a bunch of loud obnoxious drunks.

[OrangeHoof]

ESPN was the All Michael Jordan Channel long after he retired. Then they became the All Tiger Woods Channel. Then they became the All Kobe Bryant Channel. Now they’re the All LeBron Channel. I just can’t stand to watch anything besides their live sports broadcasts for more than 10 minutes before I find myself switching channels.

[tired&retired]

ESPN reportedly pays $1.9 billion per year for the rights to “Monday Night Football,” a 73 percent increase over the previous contract.

Ouch, that one is going to leave a mark...

Boycott Monday Night Football

[upsdriver]

Over the past several years, ESPN has faced a steady decline in subscribers, dropping from more than 100 million in 2011 to around 87 million today.

That number is pretty deceiving. Nearly every cable/satellite package includes ESPN's channels. I cancelled cable altogether. At some point, IF they ever come up with affordable ala carte purchases, I'll do so. The only one want is the Golf channel, which is only available on the highest tier packages.

[simpson96]

“Boycott Monday Night Football”

I’m there.

So are a large percentage of my friends and family. They’ve had it with ESPN.

[Seruzawa]

“Macro trends” is part of consultantspeak. This class of people invent words that sound impressive but mean nothing. The purpose is to bamboozle those who write the paychecks. This is a favorite ploy by charlatan proressions like law, PR, psychiatry, education, etc.

[Kozy]

Don’t think you can singularly drop just ESPN. They are part of a bundle. However I am going to call and ask to drop just ESPN this weekend

[jeannineinsd]

How many of you, and this is assuming you have cable or satellite, can drop only ESPN? I don't like the direction of ESPN either, and their Sunday Night Baseball totally sucks. But this is talking about "subscribers" not viewers. It's not the same thing when you're talking about cable and satellite.

A couple of years ago I dropped my cable subscription down to "economy" tier. It took $100 off of my monthly bill. It was a "political" or "cultural" decision for me, that had an economic benefit.

I was not pleased with my money going to support programming that I hated, that I did not want coming into my house at all. There had been several high-profile incidents that seemed broadcasters enjoyed slapping the face of traditional minded families:

• ESPN gave a high profile award to Bruce Jenner.
• A&E took disciplinary action against the Duck Dynasty family for supporting traditional sexuality.
• HGTV cancelled a program because the hosts were Christians and supported traditional families
• The disasterous MTV music awards featuring Miley Cyrus

By dropping down a few tiers of the cable provider, I was able to cancel A&E, HGTV, MTV and all music channels, ESPN and all sports channels, and the Disney channels. I couldn't be happier with my decision, that my money is no longer going to support entertainment corporations that hate my guts.

[Grampa Dave]

I agree.

There will some new providers with no sporting channels coming our way.

This choice is here today, and I made the choice yesterday.
Now via this Sling Option, I’m not paying for 3 ESPN or Disney Channels, we don’t use!

As you noted, a real cafeteria approach is what we need. We only pay for the channels we want to watch. That may never be here.

However, we cut the cable in June and now with this Sling change we are saving another $20 per month and eliminating the ABC channel which cost us another extra $5.

[N. Theknow]

Meanwhile.. Behind closed doors they are throwing ash trays,cursing idiot white uneducated xenophobic homophobic transphobic sexist racist males and saying,”Why aren’t our ratings up by 50 points.”

[Morpheus2009]

Well, losing subscriptions is a reality right? ESPN is denying their own business facts? How stupid are they?

[pallmallman]

Yes, boycott the bastards!!

[Billthedrill]

Viewership and subscriptions aren't the same thing, especially since cable packages make it difficult not to subscribe. Viewership does not lie. It also works differently: subscription is a decision made relatively rarely in comparison, viewership is a decision made on an hourly basis. If viewership is down, the product stinks.

They know what the problems are. This industry is heavily monitored by market researchers with no other job. Anyone who thinks that the color of presenters' shirts is important but that their injection of personal politics into a non-political role is not, is lying to themselves and to their audience. They know.

[nhwingut]

The majority of the athletes are African-Americans who have a perspective and often values that are radically different than prior generations of athletes. Commercial media outlets must conform and patronize the new reality that sports have become. Political posturing and commentators like this racist Hill are now part of the package. Otherwise they will distance themselves from the product made by those athletes that draws their audience and makes them money. Nothing substantial will change.

Sounds good. But the majority of fans aren't black activists. Nor are the owners. And they pay the bills. Try running a sports league or network that appeals only to the black lives matter demo. You will go bankrupt real quick.

[ravenwolf]

I don`t care what the reason for the decline is, Just so they decline until they disapear.

[trisham]

Trump is right. Good for him!