Yet more layoffs coming to ESPN.

[Yespage]

Yes, but the sports are the point of ESPN.

$100 million for one game a week for MNF.

If you had to describe ESPN to some time traveler from 1970, you would say "well its a TV channel that shows just sports." You wouldn't add "oh, and they fill the day with people arguing." Because the point of ESPN is the sports, they show the sports and between what you and the advertisers pay, the goal is to make a profit.

Here are the total viewers the BEST of the daytime arguers got in one report a few years ago (it is lower today):
PTI — 424,000
First Take — 316,000
Around the Horn — 269,000
NFL Live – 244,000
Highly Questionable — 214,000 (since cancelled)
The Jump — 198,000
Get Up — 178,000
Jalen & Jacoby —158,000 (since cancelled)
Undisputed — 153,000 (Fox)
The Herd — 100,000 (Fox)

They are paying these people MILLIONS of dollars. Millions.

And still.. a fraction of that MNF price tag... for just one MNF game. I'm not going to defend the garbage short attention span talk shows that seem to pepper the programming these days on ESPN. It is trash. But ESPN doling out $1.8 billion to the NFL for one year of MNF. That is impacting the bottom line a lot more than fees for whatever "talents" they have arguing about whatever.

Yes, they pay a lot for the rights to the sports. They are worth it. These people just aren't.

I disagree that MNF is worth $100 million a night. It is one reason why I don't sub to them any more. Sports cost money, but consolidated broadcasting companies went through the roof with these deals that the subscribers need to pay for.

 

[Yespage]

Now do cable news ratings and how much their hosts make.

Except that is the product for Cable News... it is just talk. I doubt sponsors try to put most of their ads on when the news is actually being read.

 

[Don in CT]

Except that is the product for Cable News... it is just talk. I doubt sponsors try to put most of their ads on when the news is actually being read.

Why not, every show every segment on ESPN is sponsored.

 

[Jimbo]

True.

ESPN simply spends too much on "talent".

Reality is that 99% of the value in ESPN is what goes on from 7 to midnight (ET) weeknights and noon to midnight weekends (except for Sundays during the NFL season). During the day, most of the target demographic is at work. They used to fill the time with reruns of the previous night's games (which was free programming) or of SportsCenter (also free). Then somebody got the bright idea of all these argument shows, which, as you say, are mostly really uninformed people for the most part. And they pay these people millions. Why? The ratings do not justify it. If you are into that kind of programming, YouTube is full of people doing the same thing, often focusing on one sport which they know well, who give their opinions away for free. If you are not, well, you are in the vast majority of sports fans.

Reality also is that, while its important to have competent announcers doing games, there are 1000s of competent announcers out there. Nobody is making a decision to watch or not watch a particular game because of who the announcers are.

YouTube is full of people doing the same thing, often focusing on one sport which they know well, who give their opinions away for free.

Youtube IS filled with them, WHY ????
So they can be seen and SOMEONE may see them and decide that THEY can be on the next yelling competition show.

However, there are WAY too many ME ME people on any of those streaming platforms ....

Like I've always said, Who the hell cares about what So and So did today or what they are doing at they moment ....

 

[Jimbo]

Yes, but the sports are the point of ESPN. If you had to describe ESPN to some time traveler from 1970, you would say "well its a TV channel that shows just sports." You wouldn't add "oh, and they fill the day with people arguing." Because the point of ESPN is the sports, they show the sports and between what you and the advertisers pay, the goal is to make a profit.

Here are the total viewers the BEST of the daytime arguers got in one report a few years ago (it is lower today):
PTI — 424,000
First Take — 316,000
Around the Horn — 269,000
NFL Live – 244,000
Highly Questionable — 214,000 (since cancelled)
The Jump — 198,000
Get Up — 178,000
Jalen & Jacoby —158,000 (since cancelled)
Undisputed — 153,000 (Fox)
The Herd — 100,000 (Fox)

They are paying these people MILLIONS of dollars. Millions. To entertain 200K people. Mostly shift workers, retirees, kids and people that don't work. (Not exactly your key demographic)

Yes, they pay a lot for the rights to the sports. They are worth it. These people just aren't.

I USE to watch a few of them, they were people that discussed what was going on, not those screaming at one another.

I liked Mike and Mike really well.
I use to watch PTI as well.

The only other times I ever had / have ESPN on the TV is when My Team(s) is playing.