ESPN must be beaten--not joined
A "Power Point Presentation" detailing problems with ESPN has been circulating for about 6 months. It was put together by non-ESPN personnel in various related businesses. I don't use the word 'rivals' because they don't really have any at present. Sports Business Journal has an analysis of the report. Neil Best's Watchdog posted a link to SBJ's article. These were 2 comments on Watchdog that made sense:
- "Posted by cgar | March 17, 2008 14:58
posted by susan at
3/17/2008 10:47:00 PM
ESPN needs competition. I wish a network, TNT ideally, would go head to head against Sports Center with their own daily sports news program.
Everyone I know hates Sports Center and just wants old school basic highlights and stats. TNT plays enough sports to justify the program.
Some company needs to step up and try to crush ESPN. Competing with their flagship show would be a great first step.
Biggest problem for ESPN are their anchors. They are fans, not reporters. They are schtick and no substance. They are such showhorses who are given everything ie columns, radio shows, other show-hosting gigs, and what not. It's like Weekend Update on SNL except it's about 60 minutes long with repeats throughout the day. I even heard from somebody on Awful Announcing that when he worked at ESPN it was a common game between the anchors on who could drop more pop culture references in their highlights. I think one of the trademarks of ESPNU is "Never Graduate". Well you can say the same thing about their misogynist, yuppy, immature, arrogant anchors."
- From Neil Best's Watchdog blog, 3/17/08
(P.S. ESPN analysis can be interesting but is just conversation. The place needs to be closed down. It is a political institution. Politics is the business of buying and selling favors and influence. As a distraction, they use pyrotechnic graphics that blind the average person but attract the 12-24 year old male. Those are the ratings they're after. They'll admit to the 18-34 male.)sm