ESPN plans another big round of layoffs
 

ESPN reportedly plans another big round of layoffs in the coming weeks
BY PETE GRATHOFF

NOVEMBER 10, 2017 9:10 AM


Once upon a time, “SportsCenter” was must-see television for fans. But ESPN’s one-time signature program apparently will be at the center of another round of layoffs that reportedly will happen in the coming weeks.

Sports Illustrated reported that more than 100 people will lose their jobs after Thanksgiving. This is from the SI story:

The layoffs, which were described by a person briefed on the plans, will hit positions across ESPN including front-facing talent on the television side, producers, executives, and digital and technology staffers. The SportsCenter franchise is expected to be hit hard—including on-air people—given the frequency of the show has lessened considerably on main network ESPN.

As more people drop cable in favor of streaming, ESPN has felt the financial pinch. In April, ESPN cut a number of long-time journalists as part of a round of layoffs that included 100 people.

According to the Los Angeles Times, ESPN weighed down the earnings of its parent company, Walt Disney, in a report on Thursday. The Times said that Disney’s “revenue declined 3 percent and the company failed to meet analysts’ expectations.”

The holiday season may seem like a harsh time to shed jobs. But Sports Illustrated said one reason why ESPN is planning the layoffs between Thanksgiving and Christmas is so employees can received another year in the stock vesting program.

Pete Grathoff: 816-234-4330, @pgrathoff

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt...183856526.html

**** that SJW nutjob channel

Perhaps if they stuck to sports and got out of the politics they may not be hurting so bad.....

I know that TV is decreasing and nobody needs to sit and watch sportscenter anymore, the whole model is a bit outmoded, but they should try a "back to sports" push. Scores, stats, highlights, nuts and bolts, X's and O's. Make it about sports again. Appeal to die-hards again.

Obviously doing their current brand of a sports-themed TMZ mixed with left wing politics is not working and isn't going to work.

If you compared ESPN to the online music (Metal) community, it would be very similar to "What does Corey Taylor think about _______?"

Nobody wants to sit around and listen to the opinion of some jack ass (they have Chiefs Planet forums for that).

Give the product, let people form their own opinions.

As you bring up politics on a football message board.

And? There are 100 lame ass "Sports Center"s a night any way and they are all dumb as ****.

People still watch the four letter network?

I have a top list of folks to recommend:

1 - Stephen A Smith
2 - Jemele Hill
3 - Linda Cohn
4 - Michelle Beadle
5 - Tony Kornheiser
6 - Erin Andrews

I'm sure I can find some more but it's a good start...

I thought Erin was with Fox. Or NBC?

If they focused on things like 30 for 30, doing sports reporting with men for men's sports and women for women sports, find a new Chris Berman type, get more GUEST announcers from the sports world to analyze other games, maybe start a trivia show of sports that Dick Enberg used to host and of course the last thin: STOP WITH THE ****ING POLITICS!

I never watch anything unless I'm forced to like a golf event or baseball game

This.

I never was interested in their TMZ style talk show segments even before the political climate got hot. I was only interested in scores and highlights, maybe some in depth talk on pro or college football, I have to think sports fans want that depending on the sport they follow.

That being said, when they did the last big round of layoff it seemed like they got rid of more of their actual sports reporters like Ed Werder, John CLayton, etc and tried to keep the TMZ style talk show crap intact. WTF?

Pls get rid of Jemele Hill.

I remember when they first got started, Chris Berman had hair (too much), and they covered the Big 8 handball championships among other minor things. Now they are mega, hosting MNF and whatnot, but they changed their mission.

Haven't watched SC in years. Only watch MNF when the Chiefs are on. May rethink that, Lol!

ESPN like Kodak did not plan for the future and they are becoming very obsolete very quickly !!:D

Don't watch will have a bigger effect and further their demise. But I agree. Their progressive PC stances on every issue is very disturbing and definitely very nauseating for sure. And they too like the standard majority media news outlets are like the "king without any clothes on that struts down the streets" "thinking" they are all "duds out in fine linens" when in reality they are "politically naked" being laughed and scoffed at by the majority of Americans.:shrug:

The NFL is starting to recognize who their base "really" IS !! And it ain't progressive PC wussies !!! :D

What comes around goes around !!:clap:

ABC/ESPN acquires Formula 1 next season - Smart of Formula 1 to retain the rights to stream the races via a subscription service worldwide.

Fans have let it be known to FAA that they are pissed because ESPN did not retain the beloved British broadcast crew that fans have followed forever. They think that an American ESPN crew that have never raced in F1, designed an F1 car, and knows nothing about the industry, which includes F1 lore, will destroy the experience for viewers.

ESPN will find that the best F1 broadcast crew is irreplaceable in the booth particularly Hobbs, Leigh, Matchett and Buxton whose careers span decades in F1 racing.

NBCSN broadcasting team provides excellent commentary, banter, keen insight, unique colloquialism and humor during the races. Fans cannot imagine watching F1 without listening to the expertise of all four broadcasters together.

J.F.C. ESPN ruins everything it touches!

I’m gonna miss the shows that have 5 people all arguing at the same time on their hot take of the day.

I would just like to point out that no one in the US gives a fat frog's ass about formula 1 or Indy car at this point...

Well, why the hell did ESPN buy the rights to broadcast F1?

It might have to do with the 450 million viewership worldwide that tunes in to F1 races...:D

Affirmative Action Sports Center was the end for many

LMAO

No idea.

Have fun selling advertising for that.

Much like the Chinese audience for films.

Might pull dog-shit here but as long as the Chinese market buys it - it sells...

Great, fans are going to have a couple of ESPN ex-NFL players and broadcasters with a combined IQ of 20 trying to call an Formula 1 race, along with some over-bloated woman on the side of the paddock talking about one of the racer's family members.

Formula 1 controls the money made on commercials. Each team has a $500 million limit to design and develop a car each season.

You will be driving their developed designed cars in the future. :D

Get rid of Adam Teicher, ESPN

There isn't enough diversity in formula 1...

Formula 1 features twenty of the best racecar drivers in the world. The drivers represent the most culturally diverse countries in the world - and the least.

Meet Lewis Hamilton - He makes over $140 million a year. In fact, Hamilton wins fourth Formula 1 championship in Mexico last week ahead of the last race of the season in Abu Dhabi.

Hamilton diverse enough for you? :D


Formula 1 is the pinnacle of motor racing.

I love Jalen and Jacoby.

1) Start broadcasting Aussie Rules Football again.
2) No one wants to watch fantasy sport x stuff on tv. Drop that crap completely.
3) Have College Gameday focus on more than: Bama, Michigan, Ohio State, SEC in general and USC. Show has become unwatchable for the vast majority of college football fans.
4) Book weekly shows with smart talent for the major sports: Football: College and Pro, Baseball, Basketball: College and Pro, Hockey, soccer, and auto racing.
5) Stop the TMZ stuff. No one cares about x player's struggle with whatever.
6) Find interesting obscure sports from around the world and broadcast that. Much more interesting than mouth breathers shouting at each other and saying crap for controversy. Give me Rugby, Cricket, Handball, the Afghan sport that the throw a dead goat around in, whatever.

ESPN peaked in the early to mid 90s. It's gone downhill ever since and is now scraping the bottom of the barrel. Dan Patrick and Keith Olbermann ain't walking through that door.

Suzy can come work for me if she gets laid off.

Nice analogy and reference to Kodak! :clap:

ESPN will be gone completely within 5 years. They have completely overcommitted on their financial agreements with various sports leagues.

If this leads to more Sergio Dipp on Monday Night Football, I'm totally for these layoffs.

Now if he is let go, we're gonna have some problems.

You mean their hail mary to make the NBA a year-round sport didn't save the day? SHOCKER

if they would can all the faux debate shows, and stop with all the human interest pieces that plague every pre-game show, that would be a step in the right direction. I love watching college gameday, but it seems like the last two years it's turned into a near endless stream of human interest stories - largely of people that no one has ever heard of.

stop trying to tug at the audiences heart strings, and just stick to sports.

and speaking of sports, show more obscure sports. Those are more entertaining to watch than the other stuff they currently broadcast.

Wow Golic was one of the best things left at ESPN. They are starting to reach desperation status quickly

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">ESPN radio moving on from Mike Golic is end of an era <a href="https://t.co/9XskXvW52d">https://t.co/9XskXvW52d</a> <a href="https://t.co/p1hbFtgA6x">pic.twitter.com/p1hbFtgA6x</a></p>&mdash; New York Post (@nypost) <a href="https://twitter.com/nypost/status/1280672021664456704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Is his woke dumbass son still on?

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He's going to afternoon drive.

Wow.

I wasn’t a big golic fan. But sucks for him. I can’t imagine what shitheel they’re going to put in his place.

Replace them with black people and more black people.

When I flip the stations I won't know the difference between BET or ESPN

I wanna see your face painted black. Black as night, black as coal.

ESPN=Titanic ?

This ain't ****ing stormfront.

Can't believe Golic Jr still has a job. He is horrible.

Eh, tbh wingo and golic sucked. Mike and Mike was good. But I won't be listening to the new show either

Just my opinion, but ESPN without sports highlights has seemed a lot like MTV without music videos...they get in over their skis with people pushing their stuff on issues that I just don't care to watch ESPN for.

ditto

I have not watched more than 10 minutes of ESPN since the draft in April. And those 10 were this week when Mahomes signed his deal.

If MTV still showed videos they would be a channel that's dead in the water.

I haven't watched 10 minutes of MTV since the 90's.

That's probably good since their demo is females 15-35. I mean really their channel is based on things like teen mom, 16 and pregnant with some mix in of The Challenge and 87 shows with Rob Dyrdek.

The few times I've turned it on I've seen a show called Ridiculousness that's made some stoned out of head girl famous for having a terrible laugh. And like Mecca said, shows promoting teenaged girls popping out kids.

have never figured out how Ridiculousness has as much staying power as it does when it's just a more obnoxious version of Tosh.0, itself a show that was never all that good. At least Tosh has more personality I guess.

Kinda of crazy that back in the 80's, my college days, our TV was pretty much on 24 hours a day. Ether ESPN or MTV. Even if no one was home. Lol!

So what's the motivation behind a post like this? Are you always thinking about shit like this? Why man?

Man I miss the SportsCenter and ESPN of old. I used to be able to watch it for hours back in the 90s. They had so many great people on there. Now it is all about opinions and who has the most ridiculous take to rile up the people

Louis Riddick is the only thing worth watching on ESPN.

Scott Van Pelt is watchable on the late addition of Sports Center.

Sounds like America in 2020.

Oh, he's flat out racists. Check out his other posts.

Yeah, Viacom is making an absolute killing on their reality shows and have for years on end. I have music on all of those shows and a good friend of mine wrote the Theme Song for the Teen Mom shows, so he's been making a killing for more than a decade.

Look for the same type of shows on TNT and TBS in the coming years because they're switching to Reality TV while all of their scripted shows and repeats move to HBO Max.

From my understanding, ESPN is trying to skew younger with their talk shows and plan to add more content for that demographic.

I subscribe to ESPN, ESPN 2 and ESPN+ and I really couldn't care less about the majority of their programming outside of sports and haven't watched Sportscenter in ages.

I did like NFL Primetime with Berman and Jackson last year on ESPN+, although I don't care for the re-records of the classic music from the 80's because they just didn't capture that sound, IMO.

Sample libraries and scooped guitars just sound weird to my ears, probably because I've heard the original versions for decades but regardless, I didn't care for their production choices with the new versions.

My apologies for going off the thread topic: VH-1 airs all of the MTV videos from the 80's these days in one or two hour blocks, although it's not broadcast in High Def, let alone, 4K, so it's a bit of an adjustment.

That said, watching all of those videos is super fun because the music, clothes and artists were super fun. It's definitely a trip back in time.

It would be good to take a trip back in time to the 80's right about now.

Is it ok with you if the athletes are black?

Haven't had ESPN in about several years now. I do have ESPN+, but that's about it. Not surprised that they jumped the shark.

I run a bar game that is basically Bingo with 45 second song clips. Had a 90s category last night and had forgotten how many butchered covers there were.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RVQQxpoC50w" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HZz8jWzIVlc" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Not a layoff, but ESPN losing a high profile reporter to Fox...

Link: https://nypost.com/2020/12/16/espn-s...or-fox-sports/

ESPN guys banned from McAfee's show.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9nxvBObD4Wc" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

So what I take from this is ESPN still sucks, yes?

Is there anyone with talent left at this shit hole?

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I am leaving ESPN.<br>Salary cap casualty.<br>Thanks for the opportunity Vince Doria &amp; Al Jaffe &amp; for taking my solicitations<br>Herman/Stinton/Lynch.<br><br>I will miss the people.<br>I will miss the vending machine set up over by the old Van Pelt joint.<br>We had everything.<br><br>IntoTheGreatWideOpen#</p>&mdash; Kenny Mayne (@Kenny_Mayne) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kenny_Mayne/status/1391846208809877508?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Yup

That's too bad!

https://www.out.com/sites/out.com/fi...-kiss-wide.png

ESPN no different than so many other media oil test, just like the KC Star. Have constantly force-fed their paying customers non-stop liberal politics and their customer based plummeted. Stupid is, as stupid does.

i bet thats a very very small part of it, the real big part of it, is people are cutting cable. I know i did last year and i dont even miss it. There is no reason to watch espn or fox sports outside of live sports. Most people spend hours upon hours looking at their stupid phones and can get what they need from there. Hell, i fi want to check the score to say the Dodgers game now days, i just head on over to r/dodgers and open up the game thread. They have the highlights already imbedded in the thread in real time.