ESPN $5.6b Debacle: Football Semifinal Ratings down 32% from 2014

[Coach is Back!]

Remember one of the Fox Sports radio personalities (Cowherd I think) talking about this earlier this year...

ESPN $5.6b Debacle: Football Semifinal Ratings down 32% from 2014

http://trib.al/7nDLuPZ

[Rambone]

Aren't NFL ratings down pretty big as well? Personally, I'm sick of watching the refs controlling the fate of a lot of these games with their subjective calls. Goodell sucks and ESPN sucks, so I hope the ratings keep nosediving

[Powerlift66]

Goodell sucks and ESPN sucks, so I hope the ratings keep nosediving

This ^^

[Yamcha]

I'd rather watch a Madden football game played between friends than an actual game nowadays.

Sad!

[Coach is Back!]

Aren't NFL ratings down pretty big as well? Personally, I'm sick of watching the refs controlling the fate of a lot of these games with their subjective calls. Goodell sucks and ESPN sucks, so I hope the ratings keep nosediving

NFL numbers are declining mostly because of the political statements and the excessive rules and penalties thanks to Goodell (just my opinion) ESPN is taking a hit because they can't help injecting their left leaning politics from sports. No one (no, not even me) wants to hear political BS when trying to keep up with the sporting world.

[T-REX007]

Coach pretty much summed it up

 

[Ron]

Basically, the NFL disrespected Americans by condoning disrespecting the flag and our anthem with letting these renegades do what they want.  The forgot that they have a product to give the audience, and they quickly found out that some of the audience left them.

Myself, I won't watch the San Francisco 49ers play anymore because of their disrespect.

Like any business, they have a require that their players, coaches and staff honor.  Swear, dance in the endzone, you get a fine. Disrespect the flag --- that is ok.

It has nothing to do with free speech, these players can do that on their off and private time, but when you represent a team, you have to think of the team, not yourself.

[oldschoolfan]

Aren't NFL ratings down pretty big as well? Personally, I'm sick of watching the refs controlling the fate of a lot of these games with their subjective calls. Goodell sucks and ESPN sucks, so I hope the ratings keep nosediving

football sucks,  also i think espns biased liberal approach has caught up to them,  i find it funny they fogot 70%of america is white.

also collin"i suck big black cock" cappernick has hurt the nfl , and also those other sorry assholes that kneel before each game.

espn will become a money loser in the next few years, more and more peopel are declining to pay for that shitty channel

[El Diablo Blanco]

Putting games on NYE is kind of stupid.  Most people are getting ready to have parties and go out, who the fuck wants to watch college football games?

[Slik]

Basically, the NFL disrespected Americans by condoning disrespecting the flag and our anthem with letting these renegades do what they want.  The forgot that they have a product to give the audience, and they quickly found out that some of the audience left them.

Myself, I won't watch the San Francisco 49ers play anymore because of their disrespect.

Like any business, they have a require that their players, coaches and staff honor.  Swear, dance in the endzone, you get a fine. Disrespect the flag --- that is ok.

It has nothing to do with free speech, these players can do that on their off and private time, but when you represent a team, you have to think of the team, not yourself.

and yet the idiot wins the team award

[Neptune100]

Basically, the NFL disrespected Americans by condoning disrespecting the flag and our anthem with letting these renegades do what they want.  The forgot that they have a product to give the audience, and they quickly found out that some of the audience left them.

Myself, I won't watch the San Francisco 49ers play anymore because of their disrespect.

Like any business, they have a require that their players, coaches and staff honor.  Swear, dance in the endzone, you get a fine. Disrespect the flag --- that is ok.

It has nothing to do with free speech, these players can do that on their off and private time, but when you represent a team, you have to think of the team, not yourself.

I don't feel like the NFL disrespected me, a fan, because they "allowed" the players to sit or take a knee during the national anthem.  I separate the league from the personal action and beliefs of certain players who are trying to maximize their potential audience for their political agenda.  Really the NFL has no control over that and I'm sure if they tried to regulate it, it would quickly go to court where the NFL would lose.  I do agree it seems contradictory that players are penalized for expressing themselves during the game like end zone dances, but at the end of the day the NFL only has certain areas where they can control players.  Im sure Roger Goodell was ripping his hair out over not being able to do something about these players who abstained from standing during the national anthem.  He knows its bad look for the league.  

Personally, I think the over regulation of the game via referees or stupid penalties like end zone celebrations, Goodell over exerting his own powers into the game, games being taken overseas and most importantly lack of good QB play are much bigger concerns for the NFL.  The game of football is not the same game it was in the early 90s when I started watching.  I thought this was the worst NFL season I've seen in terms of a product that I can remember.  I probably cut back my NFL viewing this season by 75-80% because of the aforementioned issues.  

[Yamcha]

Also, I think a lot of individuals are moving away from cable/satellite. I know I have.

Television is a huge waste of money.

[El Diablo Blanco]

People want to blame Karpernicki but I think the horrible reffing has a lot to do with it. Just tired of watching a game, seeing big plays and refs who are obviously biased making bullshit calls that had nothing to do with the play turn back.  The same refs will allow a receiver to get grabbed and and pulled down with no call but then the opposing team receiver barely gets touched with an overthrown ball and they call a 50 yard pass interference penalty.  Lame shit.

[ProudVirgin69]

and yet the idiot wins the team award

So much for the narrative that his teammates consider him a "distraction" and don't support him 

Also, I think a lot of individuals are moving away from cable/satellite. I know I have.

Television is a huge waste of money.

This is the real reason.  ESPN has been losing about 300,000 subscribers/month for a few years now.  People are just tired of paying for cable packages that provide hundreds of channels they dont watch

The real embarrassment is ESPN's contract to air 1 Wildcard game each year .. they pay $100 million for ONE game that the NFL chooses, and it's not even exclusive rights!  That game this year?  The Raiders-Texans wildcard game, which is on the worst timeslot and featuring the worst playoff quarterback matchup we've seen in a long time

TV is an outdated medium and if cable companies don't smarten up real quick, they're going to be left in the dust

[oldschoolfan]

Also, I think a lot of individuals are moving away from cable/satellite. I know I have.

Television is a huge waste of money.

yamcha i am one of those, with internet, and a roku box, netflix, hulu, im set

also ,  for years cable companies forced people go pay for espn even if they didnt want to and espn gets more money than any basic cable station, times are changing.

many business people are predicting, with the large sums espn is tied into for the next several years paying for nfl, nba, mlb, they will end up losing money

[Yamcha]

yamcha i am one of those, with internet, and a roku box, netflix, hulu, im set

also ,  for years cable companies forced people go pay for espn even if they didnt want to and espn gets more money than any basic cable station, times are changing.

many business people are predicting, with the large sums espn is tied into for the next several years paying for nfl, nba, mlb, they will end up losing money

Yes, I've read rumors of Disney wanting to dump them already.

Not a good outlook for ESPN 

[El Diablo Blanco]

So much for the narrative that his teammates consider him a "distraction" and don't support him 

This is the real reason.  ESPN has been losing about 300,000 subscribers/month for a few years now.  People are just tired of paying for cable packages that provide hundreds of channels they dont watch

The real embarrassment is ESPN's contract to air 1 Wildcard game each year .. they pay $100 million for ONE game that the NFL chooses, and it's not even exclusive rights!  That game this year?  The Raiders-Texans wildcard game, which is on the worst timeslot and featuring the worst playoff quarterback matchup we've seen in a long time

TV is an outdated medium and if cable companies don't smarten up real quick, they're going to be left in the dust

I believe ESPN paid more than NBC yet NBC gets a couple superbowls and gets to pick and choose their schedule for the last 6 weeks of the season where ESPN can get stuck with two shitty teams, NBC can cherry pick the top games of the week.

[oldschoolfan]

Yes, I've read rumors of Disney wanting to dump them already.

Not a good outlook for ESPN 

yeah rumor has it, disney wants to dump abc and espn, from what ive read, they are costing disney alot of money now

[mazrim]

Also, I think a lot of individuals are moving away from cable/satellite. I know I have.

Television is a huge waste of money.

Yes, I have not watched the college playoffs since it is on ESPN. Not worth it to pay for it.

[mass243]

Can't wait the same happen to ice hockey here 

Humans are past the sports phase in evolution. We got rid of gladiators, we will get rid of sports.

[oldschoolfan]

plus there are just way more entertainment options as well

me i am a fan of fights,  boxing was the first sport i took to as a kid, but it has gotten worst over the years, i do watch alot of mma, used to love the nba in the 90's

but now it is full of self righteous hood rats, dont really watch it anymore. 

[El Diablo Blanco]

I also think the ghettofication of the NFL hurts.  Just too many negroes that do stupid shit daily.  As more whites walk away from the game due to worries about concussions and health it'll just be inner city kids playing football.

[oldschoolfan]

I also think the ghettofication of the NFL hurts.  Just too many negroes that do stupid shit daily.  As more whites walk away from the game due to worries about concussions and health it'll just be inner city kids playing football.

exactly , i sometimes wonder, if they do not realize a majority of the population in america is white , my brother was a huge nba fan, played highschool basketball, he refuses to watch it now. i remember me and him watching the nba playoffs every year together in the 80's and 90's   times were different then, the players didnt act like ghetto thug hood rats. 

[El Diablo Blanco]

exactly , i sometimes wonder, if they do not realize a majority of the population in america is white , my brother was a huge nba fan, played highschool basketball, he refuses to watch it now. i remember me and him watching the nba playoffs every year together in the 80's and 90's   times were different then, the players didnt act like ghetto thug hood rats. 

When I see most NFL guys doing interviews I want nothing more than to reach through the screen and slap the shit out them.  Odell Beckham, Michael Bennett, Richard Sherman, Cam Newton etc...  All fucking annoy the shit out me.  Can't watch the game since I hate most of the players these days.  Growing up the blacks in the NFL used to be cool dudes.  Warren Moon, Randall Cunningham, Reggie White etc.... Now they're just annoying attention whores.

[oldschoolfan]

When I see most NFL guys doing interviews I want nothing more than to reach through the screen and slap the shit out them.  Odell Beckham, Michael Bennett, Richard Sherman, Cam Newton etc...  All fucking annoy the shit out me.  Can't watch the game since I hate most of the players these days.  Growing up the blacks in the NFL used to be cool dudes.  Warren Moon, Randall Cunningham, Reggie White etc.... Now they're just annoying attention whores.

el what is really funny , is even the commentators try to be politcally correct, that old washed up has been boomer esiason was on the radio last week saying how the nfl is changing and raving about how great black quarter backs are, im sitting there thinking no one gives a fuck about what you have to say.  hes saying this shit just so the nfl will pay him for his opinion.    and yes they do act like assholes these days, you didnt see barry sanders doing ghetto dances when he made a touch down.  he spoke proper english as well.