More staff cuts at ESPN today.

MichiganHerd

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Aug 17, 2011
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So far, they've been cutting non-big names. Only person of note thus far is Danny Kanell, and I never cared for his commentary, although I do hate to see people lose their jobs.
 

NCNEER

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May 29, 2001
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Layoffs are bad, I don't like to see families impacted but it's something you deal with and move on.
Content is really becoming a commodity so the bucks ESPN counted on are no where near as stable as they once were.
 

GetYaNumbersUp

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Mar 15, 2013
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Jemelle Hill should have been the first one gone. They keep dead weight like her and get rid of the good ones like Jayson Stark and Trent Dilfer.
 

MichiganHerd

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Aug 17, 2011
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Jemelle Hill should have been the first one gone. They keep dead weight like her and get rid of the good ones like Jayson Stark and Trent Dilfer.
She's a woman of color. Hard politically correct decision for a politically correct organization to let her go.
 

Rootmaster

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Apr 16, 2011
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My point isn't who they let go...but the fact that this is another indication of the blood letting surrounding sports delivery platforms. Losing subscribers plus bad, expensive contracts for content equals a losing proposition. Money from cable outlets is going to be hard to get soon. Look for a retrenchment in broadcast fees and payouts...and then another round of "regional" reorganization to cut costs from the universities.
 

GetYaNumbersUp

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Mar 15, 2013
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My point isn't who they let go...but the fact that this is another indication of the blood letting surrounding sports delivery platforms. Losing subscribers plus bad, expensive contracts for content equals a losing proposition. Money from cable outlets is going to be hard to get soon. Look for a retrenchment in broadcast fees and payouts...and then another round of "regional" reorganization to cut costs from the universities.


Good...I hope the whole thing bursts. My interest in professional sports is basically zero at this point and college football and basketball are (albeit slowly) heading in that direction for me.

Maybe I am just getting older.
 

bEER_Nation13

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Mar 1, 2012
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They gutted the NHL department. Not like they cover hockey anyways but the ones that did are out. LeBrun, Burnside, Buccigross, etc.

They can keep pimping out the NBA, I still ain't watching that predictable, boring as hell trash product. When you know the 2 teams playing in the championship before the season even starts, what's the fun in that? NBA Playoffs is ******* trash!
 

Rootmaster

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Apr 16, 2011
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However, WVU, like most P5 schools is now addicted to the money line connected to cable sports. When the model implodes lookout.
 

xgunnx

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Oct 10, 2011
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Layoffs are rough, "I've been there done that." It can be a very stressful time in life of the individual who gets the dreaded layoff notice.

Unfortunately it's what companies and corporations do to balance the financial shortfalls. I liked Trent Dilfer and Ed Werder hopefully they both can continue in their chosen profession somewhere else.

Change is inevitable and the majority of the time it's messy. Often times displaced workers have to completely change careers/lifestyles to survive.

Could this be the first visible sign that the sport entertainment bubble is about to burst? Will we see the large revenues that colleges and universities receive shrink? Will mid-majors and G5 athletic departments lose more ground in the sports media revenue arms-race? Those IMO are a few questions I'm interested in seeing answered.
 

Darth_VadEER

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Dec 14, 2010
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I see msESPN protected their political bomb throwers and rabble rousers. I don't watch msESPN so most of those names aren't familiar to me, other than Danny Kannell, who was a terrible dresser and seemed like a typical msESPN all around douche (surprised he was fired).
 

Darth_VadEER

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Dec 14, 2010
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Layoffs are rough, "I've been there done that." It can be a very stressful time in life of the individual who gets the dreaded layoff notice.

Unfortunately it's what companies and corporations do to balance the financial shortfalls. I liked Trent Dilfer and Ed Werder hopefully they both can continue in their chosen profession somewhere else.

Change is inevitable and the majority of the time it's messy. Often times displaced workers have to completely change careers/lifestyles to survive.

Could this be the first visible sign that the sport entertainment bubble is about to burst? Will we see the large revenues that colleges and universities receive shrink? Will mid-majors and G5 athletic departments lose more ground in the sports media revenue arms-race? Those IMO are a few questions I'm interested in seeing answered.

I'm not sure if Sports Arguing is a profession.

Most of these guys are former athletes with no brains who burn through their paychecks as a player, then feeling broke, they get a Twitter account, purchase a few poor fitted suits and call themselves Analysts.

Too bad they cancelled The Sports Reporters. I guess having a show where the hosts acted professionally and spoke English was a political liability for ESPN.
 

xgunnx

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Oct 10, 2011
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I'm not sure if Sports Arguing is a profession.

Most of these guys are former athletes with no brains who burn through their paychecks as a player, then feeling broke, they get a Twitter account, purchase a few poor fitted suits and call themselves Analysts.

Too bad they cancelled The Sports Reporters. I guess having a show where the hosts acted professionally and spoke English was a political liability for ESPN.

You have made a excellent point. It's one of the reasons/examples that should convince student-athletes too complete their education/degrees. But every year we see student-athletes leave early and declare for the draft. The odds are not in their favor and success on the next level is rare. IMO

But to the point you have made. How many successful pro sports players end up bankrupt and broke. Also how many attempt to become sport analysis only to end up as "punch lines to jokes" because they are completely inept.
 
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Add Mark May to the list.
 

muraca777

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Feb 2, 2005
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Most definitely the racist hour, umm I mean black and black, I mean Mike and jemele at 6 should have been the 3rd and 4th people fired, behind Britt mchenry, and the most racist person in sports journalism Stephen A. Smith. Only one of them 4 got let go, and what's the one difference between that person and the other 3??
 

muraca777

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Feb 2, 2005
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She's a woman of color. Hard politically correct decision for a politically correct organization to let her go.
Which right there is the problem with this country and this network. 3 completely racist trouble makers run their mouths about being black more then they talk about sports, but you CAN'T fire them because they're black and a woman. But if they miss out on a job they aren't qualified for, THAT is major news and what is wrong with America. I hope something happens that Disney as a company takes a shart, and ESPN ends up folding as a network, please
 

tOSUGrad90

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Oct 19, 2015
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The rumors were that Herbstreit became so tired of Ohio State fans criticizing him that he moved from Columbus to Nashville. He played QB (not well) at tOSU, so he's going to be biased toward Ohio State, but he's not some blind homer.
 

old buzzard

Senior
Dec 30, 2005
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Layoffs are bad, I don't like to see families impacted

The last I heard Mark May's salary at ESPN was $600 thousand per year and his net worth was reported at over $3 million. All for flapping his jaws on TV. I think he and his family will be just fine. It's not like we are talking about someone working 9 to 5 and living from paycheck to paycheck........
 

Rootmaster

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Apr 16, 2011
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again folks...the point of the post was not to debate which guy stayed and which guy went...but instead what lies in store for bloated tv contracts, ridiculous coach salaries, football stadiums that have been exchanged for multi media experiences, and cut throat competition to enroll some 19 year old high school student struggling in his sixth year in high school...and so forth. Cable tv is in trouble and the sports networks in particular and the fallout within the next few years will affect schools like WVU in a big way.
 

TexasforevEER

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Nov 10, 2006
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Good...I hope the whole thing bursts. My interest in professional sports is basically zero at this point and college football and basketball are (albeit slowly) heading in that direction for me.

Maybe I am just getting older.

GotYaNumberBoy.............we are on the same page with this one. I haven't watched a single professional sporting game in over 5 years. Well, I do watch the Yankees any time they are on but....................you get my drift. My interest in college (semi-pro) sports rests on the Mountaineers. If WVU didn't field a football and basketball team.......I would cut the cord on college sports. I am fed up with the big salaries and bigger egos. Fed up! Warez
 

xgunnx

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Oct 10, 2011
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GotYaNumberBoy.............we are on the same page with this one. I haven't watched a single professional sporting game in over 5 years. Well, I do watch the Yankees any time they are on but....................you get my drift. My interest in college (semi-pro) sports rests on the Mountaineers. If WVU didn't field a football and basketball team.......I would cut the cord on college sports. I am fed up with the big salaries and bigger egos. Fed up! Warez

You are not alone in that opinion. I don't really watch pro sports anymore unless it's a Pirates game. I just watch and enjoy Mountaineer sports, especially football, basketball, baseball and the Rifle team.

It's crazy how much coaches salaries have increased the past 10 years. Also the athletic department budgets and media rights financial boom. The bottom has to eventually fall out.
 

spartanEER

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Sep 19, 2011
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Most of the good talent had left ESPN before this staff cutback. They left because ESPN is extremely politically correct and controlling. CBS Sports Network, NBC Sports Channel and Fox Sports 1 all feature former ESPN talent. And that includes off camera staffers as well. I work in TV production as a camera operator and have worked on a freelance basis for all of them at one time or another. And without question ESPN was the worst.
 
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