The liberal agenda was the icing on the cake. ESPN also played to the lowest common denominator and became unwatchable with their promotion of in-house events. Other than maybe a live sports event, there is little reason to follow ESPN in the day of the internet where one can pick and chose what to follow.
Some of us got turned off to the first-name identities that ESPN promoted with certain athletes. Are there staff meetings that certain players get called by their first names? Fans do that, not supposed professional unbiased journalists. Then again, unbiased and ESPN are infrequently equated.
The hosts were oftentimes unbearable and that includes radio. Even though I rarely listen to sports radio, there were times when I was in settings in which radio was played. I recall one phone call to ESPN radio maybe 12 years ago in which someone wanted to talk about a Stanley Cup Finals between Edmonton and Carolina and the host said “No offense, but when I think of hockey I think of some guy named Sven living in Minnesota in his parent’s basement.” Um, really?! And would the host have said something similarly derogatory about other sports’ fans and the obvious ethnic connection?
That of course is one small indicator but in a sense, it is ESPN. Promote what ESPN wants to dictate to you, and ridicule or avoid all else.
When I canceled my cable TV package, the cable rep said to me “But you won’t get channels such as ESPN.” My answer was “Exactly!”
Watched the Canes win, then went out drinking beer with as many Oilers as Canes fans. The folks from Edmonton were nice people, lots of fun. It was a great series, and the sportsmanship on both sides was great.
No one there named "Sven", though. Dunno if any of them lived in their parents' basements. ESPN hosts can KMA.
My cable company raised their rates several times a year the last few years, mainly due to ESPN, they even admitted to it. The final straw was when they didn’t raise it but added a sports fee. I don’t watch sports, but had to pay for it.
Made sure they knew this when i dropped them.