2502 replies to this topic

[BSLChrisStoner]

The Rise and Fall of ESPN’s Leverage

https://stratechery....espns-leverage/

[BSLMikeLowe]

I'm old enough to remember when one of the highlights of my week was when the latest Sports Illustrated arrived in the mailbox. Sad to see how far they have sunk, but this is a whole other level of pathetic.

 

Futurism: Sports Illustrated Published Articles by Fake, AI Generated Writers

[CantonJester]

Points for the first journalist on this website who writes an article about the plight of the employees of the O's store who want to retain their hourly wage and healthcare. 

[BSLChrisStoner]

Points for the first journalist on this website who writes an article about the plight of the employees of the O's store who want to retain their hourly wage and healthcare.

That's not a focus of the site.

Hadn't even heard about it until I saw your mention.

Seems like you were waiting for us to cover.

Next time just start a thread or link to a discussion elsewhere if you want to discuss.

[Nigel Tufnel]

Al Michaels won't be working the NFL playoffs for NBC.

[mdrunning]

I'm old enough to remember when one of the highlights of my week was when the latest Sports Illustrated arrived in the mailbox. Sad to see how far they have sunk, but this is a whole other level of pathetic.

 

Futurism: Sports Illustrated Published Articles by Fake, AI Generated Writers

Particularly when the swimsuit issue was due to arrive.  I had to try and get to the mailbox before my mother so she wouldn't throw it away. She thought they were sending me porn.

 

Haven't subscribed in a long time. I used to love the longer articles on some long-ago sports figure or sports event, but that type of writing today is about as fashionable as Nehru jackets. If not for SI, I wouldn't have learned who Hobey Baker was.

[BSLMikeLowe]

Big news....in my world at least. After 17 years at Sports Business Journal, noted Terps and O's fan John Ourand is leaving to go to Puck News, a newsletter-based startup.

 

https://puck.news/jo...tm_campaign=TW1

[BSLChrisStoner]

@FOS

Pat McAfee — while on ESPN — accuses certain ESPN executives of sabotaging his show and leaking info to the media. McAfee specifically names Norby Williamson, Executive VP of Production.

[BSLMikeLowe]

That was inevitable. ESPN learned nothing from their Bill Simmons experience.

[mweb08]

That was inevitable. ESPN learned nothing from their Bill Simmons experience.

I don't know anything about Pat's complaint other than what Chris posted, so maybe I'm missing something, but I'm curious about the link you're making if you care to expand.

[BSLMikeLowe]

I don't know anything about Pat's complaint other than what Chris posted, so maybe I'm missing something, but I'm curious about the link you're making if you care to expand.

 

I feel like there's a parallel between the two. They're both popular, very outspoken personalities that appeal to a demographic that ESPN desperately wants....so they open the vault to hire them on, and then everyone is seemingly shocked when those personalities go after ESPN's most valued partners (or in McAfee's case Disney), and eventually turn on ESPN itself (and not unjustified IMO).

 

I'm not sure how long McAfee's contract is for, or what the termination clauses might be, but I would not be at all shocked if they part ways before his contract is up. IIRC Simmons just didn't have his contract renewed. But in both cases it seems like ESPN hired someone who they knew would eventually bite them in the ass just to make money off them while they could.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Just saw something the other day that said McAfee has never finished a contract anywhere. Like 4 or 5 different places/ventures. He wears out his welcome quickly and decides to bail or in this case tries to get himself removed. I suspect hes losing more and more of his target demographic too. Hes just got an act that wears on anyone over time.

[mweb08]

I feel like there's a parallel between the two. They're both popular, very outspoken personalities that appeal to a demographic that ESPN desperately wants....so they open the vault to hire them on, and then everyone is seemingly shocked when those personalities go after ESPN's most valued partners (or in McAfee's case Disney), and eventually turn on ESPN itself (and not unjustified IMO).

I'm not sure how long McAfee's contract is for, or what the termination clauses might be, but I would not be at all shocked if they part ways before his contract is up. IIRC Simmons just didn't have his contract renewed. But in both cases it seems like ESPN hired someone who they knew would eventually bite them in the ass just to make money off them while they could.

Alright.

I think some differences are that Simmons' worked for ESPN for a decade or so before having issues and I don't think he's an especially outspoken sports media personality in general, he just had some issues (commonly held) with the commissioner of ESPN's biggest partner.

[BSLMikeLowe]

Alright.

I think some differences are that Simmons' worked for ESPN for a decade or so before having issues and I don't think he's an especially outspoken sports media personality in general, he just had some issues (commonly held) with the commissioner of ESPN's biggest partner.

 

If you want another parallel, there’s ESPN’s ill-fated experiment with Rush Limbaugh on NFL Countdown. Limbaugh never went after ESPN directly, but who didn’t know the moment the pairing was announced that it was doomed to failure.

[You Play to Win the Game]

McAffee is unbearable.

[Mike in STL]

That was inevitable. ESPN learned nothing from their Bill Simmons experience.

Are you sure you don’t mean Barstool instead of Simmons? They gave the Barstool guys a show and pulled the plug in 2 days. McAfee is a Barstool descendant. Which equals giant douche. and as you said, inevitable, something controversial would happen.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Apparently the guy McAfee called out is a huge dickhead 

[mweb08]

If you want another parallel, there’s ESPN’s ill-fated experiment with Rush Limbaugh on NFL Countdown. Limbaugh never went after ESPN directly, but who didn’t know the moment the pairing was announced that it was doomed to failure.

Yeah, this and the barstool parallel are more palatable to me.

[mweb08]

McAffee is unbearable.

I don't watch anything he's on so I just see what makes it to my social media feed. With that said, he's had a couple great viral moments of late: when he picked Bama over Georgia and let a naysayer know.

[BSLMikeLowe]

Are you sure you don’t mean Barstool instead of Simmons? They gave the Barstool guys a show and pulled the plug in 2 days. McAfee is a Barstool descendant. Which equals giant douche. and as you said, inevitable, something controversial would happen.

 

Oh yeah, forgot about Barstool. ESPN sure does make themselves look clueless sometimes. It'd be one thing if they were going all-in on the douchey content and the audience it brings, but they clearly aren't....so why keep bringing these guys in?