Posted on 04/25/2017 12:17:10 PM PDT by Hojczyk
UPDATE:
The layoffs at ESPN might turn out worse than predicted, sources tell Sporting News.
The Worldwide Leader in Sports could cut around 70 TV/radio anchors, reporters, analysts and online writers over coming days and weeks, sources said.
That would be worse than the 40 to 50 on-air talents predicted by ESPN book author James Andrew Miller during a podcast with Richard Deitsch of Sports Illustrated.
The higher numbers may reflect the inclusion of online writers like respected Titans beat reporter Paul Kuharsky who tweeted Monday his contract is not being renewed.
"This could be a bloodbath," warned one source.
ESPN's corporate campus was "eerily silent" Tuesday, said another source, as staffers anxiously waited to see who'll survive what management is euphemistically describing as a "right-sizing."
"It's like the dead calm before a horrible storm," said the source.
ESPN management would argue that salaries for on-air talent have gotten out of control.
Some ESPN stars are earning from $1.5 million to $3 million, according to Miller. They're not going to make that kind of scratch at other networks. To save their jobs, some of these talents are renegotiating their deals for lesser pay, said sources.
It's no coincidence the layoffs are taking place before ESPN parent Disney's release of its 2nd quarter financial results on May 9.
With ESPN losing 12 million subscribers over the past five years, the brass in Bristol have to show Disney management and Wall Street its willing to bite the bullet on costs.
"They’re not growing. So the only way to show fiscal responsibility is to lay people off," said a TV insider. "This is all Wall Street-driven. This is all about Disney ordering a Code Red."
ESPN declined to comment.
(Excerpt) Read more at sportingnews.com ...
ESPN invented an absolutely genius gold mine when they were providing 24/7 sports coverage, basic commentary, and except for that SHUT UP. In the middle of the night, you could turn on ESPN and often find an obscure sport from some place you never heard of. Remember those days? Then they developed an elite who had to improve their offerings. Now, I don't know how anyone who enjoys sports can even watch the mess they've created.
Same thing happened to MTV. Used to be all music. Then the videos got all out-of-control sensationalist drama. Does that station still exist?
Back in those days, the weather station was 24/7 weather, a weather geek's dream.
Whatever happened to "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"?
I may be accused of sexism, but, I really dislike how they have girl sideline reporters nowadays. What exactly do they add to the broadcast?? To me they are a distraction. They don’t seem to know football. Who decided we need them? Why have all the networks joined in with this?
I don’t think the idiots there realize that most sports fans are conservative. They will put up with some stuff for a while, but then it just gets unbearable, and they are gone.
Does MTV even have music videos anymore? I thought they have mostly reality shows about people acting like idiots and girls getting pregnant???
Talk to a customer at a Subaru dealership?
I believe it was ESPN that experimented with broadcasting a pro football game with only play-by-play and no commentators or analysts. Refeshing, it was but it just didn’t catch on.
“the 40 to 50 on-air talents”
“Talents.” I guess that is one way to put it.
Keep Mike & Mike and the 30 for 30 films and I’m cool.
Yeah I remember those days and they are long gone. I tuned out of ESPN in about 2006.
As for MTV... I tuned them out in early 1985.
Mike and Mike are about finished. Greenberg is getting his own morning Sportscenter and not sure what’s happening with Golic.
I just hope they keep the super-talented Mike Golic Jr. after all the hard work he put in at obscure radio stations working off-hours and holidays honing his craft.
Or your close ups of homos trading spit?
Golic should go to NBC and broadcast Notre Dame football. Maybe he can give liberal NBC some “everyman” balance.
Normally, I hate to see people lose their jobs. Normally.
Unless I read about it, or hear it on the news, I won’t even know what happens until the next college football season starts.
My sentiments, exactly. Didn’t the “S” in ESPN used to stand for something related to sports? They blew it when they decided to become SJWs.
But, but, but Michael Sam and Colin Kaepernick are courageous and not the least bit offensive to the VAST Majority of your viewers - Yeah, BS!!!
Knock that F’n $hit off and we might come back if you decide to make ESPN about sports and man’s quest to dominate and become Champions — It about blood, sweat, hits, and domination. Quit gaying up sports!!! If Michael Sam and Colin Kaepernick were such hero’s, you wouldn’t have to spend hundreds of broadcasting hours trying to convince us. ESPN if you want us to feel something, do stories about Pat Tillman and Glen Coffee, real American Hero’s.
We don’t watch ESPN for social justice warrior BS — Knock it off!!!
I want to watch NCAA Football, NFL, and sometimes boxing and UFC if you ever show it.
I agree with you 100%, and I am a female, so I don’t see it as sexist at all.
WINNING!
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