ESPN woes continue

[Jdbsfw]

ESPN is terrible, the anchors are (or were) all unathletic, jock sniffing geeks that based where they went to college on how good the college basketball team was, and most are east coast hacks....Would rather ESPN show dodgeball during the day than one of their terrible talk shows....

 

[jkh36619]

I guess I am part of the problem. About 3 years ago, I looked at my Dish Network bill and then thought about how much time I spent in front of the TV(not much at all), and the quality of TV I was watching(mostly garbage). I shut it off. What I did discover was a world of OTA HD channels. I picked up a Netflix subscription of 7.99/mo and I already have Amazon Prime for the free 2 day shipping so I get all of the Amazon Video as well. I kick myself for paying that much for TV. I miss ESPN sometimes, but not the amount I was paying for it. And I'll never go back!

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I guess I am part of the problem. About 3 years ago, I looked at my Dish Network bill and then thought about how much time I spent in front of the TV(not much at all), and the quality of TV I was watching(mostly garbage). I shut it off. What I did discover was a world of OTA HD channels. I picked up a Netflix subscription of 7.99/mo and I already have Amazon Prime for the free 2 day shipping so I get all of the Amazon Video as well. I kick myself for paying that much for TV. I miss ESPN sometimes, but not the amount I was paying for it. And I'll never go back!

It's not just you...they have lost 13% of their subscribers from their 2010 peak...and we are just entering the "cord cutting era"...

Based on their rights fees and the declining advertising revenue associated with loss...i'm guessing they will cease to generate profit after another 10-15% loss and could become a complete loss should it go much higher.

There is no viable solution for this as it stands other than subtraction from
The portfolio...

And my take is that's why iger is in a somewhat desperate scramble at the parks...and he's only around until he feels he can bail with the highest walk away...

He will sell his Disney stock about 10 minutes after he leaves is my bet.

They got caught completely flat footed with this...hence the main reason for the egregious and long term dangerous price assaults on the parks customers....

 

[dlavender]

It's not just you...they have lost 13% of their subscribers from their 2010 peak...and we are just entering the "cord cutting era"...

If I read it correctly, they are losing about 5 million subscribers per year. That's $35 mill per year dropping from the top line. And as you point out, that can become even more accelerated this year or the next.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

The only hope for ESPN is to market a streaming service for their various league packages, and do it cheap. SportsCenter is a relic of the 90's. Who needs cable for highlights now? All the other gabfests should never have started in the first place.

Basically ESPN is dead on its feet already. Just waiting for the collapse

 

[lockedoutlogic]

If I read it correctly, they are losing about 5 million subscribers per year. That's $35 mill per year dropping from the top line. And as you point out, that can become even more accelerated this year or the next.

Well...doing some mathematical theorizing...

The peak subscriber number was 100.6 million in 2010...it was 88 million at the end of 2015...

Let's assume that it started low and has gotten bigger every year...so it is escalating and not 2-2.5 mil every year...

By that logic (or my excuse for it)...by January 2017 they are at 85 or so million.

15% in 6 years is not a "minor" problem. Every loss also reduces their near "name your price" ad pricing they enjoyed from 1995 on...

Now it's a weakness...

 

[lockedoutlogic]

The only hope for ESPN is to market a streaming service for their various league packages, and do it cheap. SportsCenter is a relic of the 90's. Who needs cable for highlights now? All the other gabfests should never have started in the first place.

Basically ESPN is dead on its feet already. Just waiting for the collapse

The problem is most major players already have a "direct to consumer" system in place already...

 

[dreiwhit]

Hasn't downloadable TV/movies on demand been a great thing for both showbiz people and consumers? I'm not a heavy viewer of any kind of channel/genre but it seems to me that we're in a new golden age when you consider the number of films, series, etc. and their quality and accessibility.

We're in a time of transition. Many people are cutting cords and using streaming and OTA TV as a replacement. FWIW, I consider streaming right now like cable TV was back in the late 70s/early 80s, namely, growing and trying to figure out what to offer and what people will want in the future. IMHO, look for streaming to grow and pick up more channels & features. But, I hope that the streaming companies don't follow the same path of raising prices into the stratosphere, or eventually people will be cutting the streaming cord!

The improvement at Walt Disney World Resort was due to lower costs and guest spending growth, partially offset by lower volumes. Guest spending growth was driven by higher average ticket prices and room rates and increased food and beverage spending.

Translation: We (Disney) made money at WDW by cutting back staff, services and offerings, while raising ticket prices, raising room rates and raising food & beverage costs. Definitely not a good future trend, because at some point the law of diminishing returns will kick in.

I guess I am part of the problem. About 3 years ago, I looked at my Dish Network bill and then thought about how much time I spent in front of the TV(not much at all), and the quality of TV I was watching(mostly garbage). I shut it off. What I did discover was a world of OTA HD channels. I picked up a Netflix subscription of 7.99/mo and I already have Amazon Prime for the free 2 day shipping so I get all of the Amazon Video as well. I kick myself for paying that much for TV. I miss ESPN sometimes, but not the amount I was paying for it. And I'll never go back!

We cut the cord last month. For the first time since 1980, I have not had cable TV or satellite. We even kept the satellite back in 2001 when I was out of work. What did it for us is that we were paying $109.95 a month just for satellite. In late 2008 - only a little over 8 years ago - we were paying $54.95 a month. So in 8 years, the cost doubled, while the programming content went (IMHO) downhill. Honestly, the big reason was cost. After almost 10 years of stagnant raises and two salary cuts, we just couldn't afford it anymore. Now, we rely on OTA TV, Netflix and Hulu, YouTube, plus the streaming part of Amazon Prime, which we use for shipping.

And to tie this back in to the original post, i've grown to really dislike ESPN over the past few years. Way too much commentary. When I tune into ESPN, I want sports, not commentary. Just like the news channels. I want news, not talking heads giving their opinion. IMHO, ESPN needs to combine their channels and eliminate much of their commentary.

 

[HuskieJohn]

I guess I am part of the problem. About 3 years ago, I looked at my Dish Network bill and then thought about how much time I spent in front of the TV(not much at all), and the quality of TV I was watching(mostly garbage). I shut it off. What I did discover was a world of OTA HD channels. I picked up a Netflix subscription of 7.99/mo and I already have Amazon Prime for the free 2 day shipping so I get all of the Amazon Video as well. I kick myself for paying that much for TV. I miss ESPN sometimes, but not the amount I was paying for it. And I'll never go back!

If you really miss sports and have an XBOX (live subscription) or Roku you likely have free access to ESPN3.com/WatchESPN thru your ISP. You can also replay any ESPN sports broadcast...so if there is a game you really want to watch you can just watch it on the app within 1hr of the game finishing.

 

[rteetz]

If you really miss sports and have an XBOX (live subscription) or Roku you likely have free access to ESPN3.com/WatchESPN thru your ISP. You can also replay any ESPN sports broadcast...so if there is a game you really want to watch you can just watch it on the app within 1hr of the game finishing.

That's my biggest problem though. I can't watch replays of events I have to watch them live because with social media and everything these days I know the outcome already and what fun is that then?

 

[HuskieJohn]

That's my biggest problem though. I can't watch replays of events I have to watch them live because with social media and everything these days I know the outcome already and what fun is that then?

Agreed...I have only managed to watch a whole game once and that was 7 seasons ago.

 

[rteetz]

Agreed...I have only managed to watch a whole game once and that was 7 seasons ago.

I can watch a whole game just not a whole game replayed. It is what it is though. I don't see my family getting rid of cable just yet.

 

[ChipnDale79]

I guess I am part of the problem. About 3 years ago, I looked at my Dish Network bill and then thought about how much time I spent in front of the TV(not much at all), and the quality of TV I was watching(mostly garbage). I shut it off. What I did discover was a world of OTA HD channels. I picked up a Netflix subscription of 7.99/mo and I already have Amazon Prime for the free 2 day shipping so I get all of the Amazon Video as well. I kick myself for paying that much for TV. I miss ESPN sometimes, but not the amount I was paying for it. And I'll never go back!

My Directv bill increased by $50 last month, i scaled all the way back down to the cheapest plan which does not include ESPN. Haven't missed it for a second.

 

[Maineiak]

My Directv bill increased by $50 last month, i scaled all the way back down to the cheapest plan which does not include ESPN. Haven't missed it for a second.

My TimeWarner (now Spectrum) just went up $20....

 

[dlavender]

Perhaps ESPN should get back in the video game business.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Translation: We (Disney) made money at WDW by cutting back staff, services and offerings, while raising ticket prices, raising room rates and raising food & beverage costs. Definitely not a good future trend, because at some point the law of diminishing returns will kick in.

...but what about the nighttime parade in magic kingdom?

 

[ThurlFan]

..I go back to Australian rules football and roller derby on espn.

Right there with ya! Those were the days. And Chris Berman and all his player nicknames like Barry "Bananas" Foster and Eric "Sleeping With" Bienemy...

 

[Jim Shuler]

Half of this nation does not agree with the liberalism of ESPN. That is why their numbers will continue to drop. Just can't dump on half the country and think there will be no price to pay.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Half of this nation does not agree with the liberalism of ESPN. That is why their numbers will continue to drop. Just can't dump on half the country and think there will be no price to pay.

That really has little to do with anything...though it gets a lot of play.

It's not about politics...when they go hayseed every Saturday On college football and run NFL shows 24/7 for half the year...does that show a political leaning?

A lot of their product just sucks and people are moving away from packaged cable to streaming choices...that's like 90% of their problem and they haven't adjusted...the rest is ancillary.

And it's not half...FYI...

 

[umichigan10]

That really has little to do with anything...though it gets a lot of play.

It's not about politics...when they go hayseed every Saturday On college football and run NFL shows 24/7 for half the year...does that show a political leaning?

A lot of their product just sucks and people are moving away from packaged cable to streaming choices...that's like 90% of their problem and they haven't adjusted...the rest is ancillary.

And it's not half...FYI...

You handled this for me, I was about to ask what politics has remotely anything to do with it