Source: https://x.com/rBillSimmonsPod/status/1839609819168121326
They lose Doc, they lose JJ, they fire Van Gundy, Woj is gone, now Zach Lowe is gone.
“It feels like they’re moving towards ‘it’s a Knicks playoff game, here’s Stephen A’s entrance’ and that’s what they think people want – and I don’t think they’re right”
by LonzoBBBall
34 Comments
I’m not a Bill Simmons fan in any way, but he’s always seen the industry with clear eyes. He’s dead on here imo.
I would imagine that ESPN’s calculus is something like “as long as we have the games, we’ll have the audience. It’s a waste of time to spend money on daytime programming, studio shows or even the broadcast team”
The only thing I’d disagree with is that this is something new. They gave up on serious coverage long ago and everything around the games has been a circus for morons. Unfortunately I think their basketball coverage is the worst of all sports they cover.
We don’t claim his bitch ass.
It’s pretty obvious.
It used to be clickbait headlines, but now they want recognizable names/faces (retired players), for quick shorts and faux yelling matches for clicks on social media.
Honestly, I don’t think losing Woj is that big of a blow for ESPN. He has zero personality, the only reason he had the notoriety is bc he would break news as soon as it happened, which happens more than enough nowadays.
I am curious how many people are watching those Stephen A alternate broadcasts
Well, I hope Bill Simmons hires Zach Lowe and pays him to write long-form analysis columns like in his Grantland days. That would be a dream scenario for me, but I don’t expect it to happen because Ringer doesn’t do that content either. I assume Zach Lowe will still have a good podcast at least, wherever he ends up.
ESPN is not about the actual sports. It’s about the stories.
Simmons is also in his 50s so he still cares about pre and post game.
Freeing up money for Shams
Just look at the videos they were posting last year of Stephen A entering the building. Like he was the fucking attraction.
It’s testament to the lack of a spine Adam Silver has that he allows them to shit all over the product that he is in charge of.
It will always work. The only way to watch the game is via the channel it is playing on. People that want to watch the game are going to tune in and ignore all the weird, forced pageantry. ESPN will pat themselves on the back, but the sports sell themselves. No innovation needed.
I think the corporate culture, especially in the entertainment sector, requires folks to constantly justify their employment, so they come up with weird shit. And they have to justify paying their talents’ growing salaries.
Folks tune in for the game and they think their red carpet entry is what caused an uptick in ratings.
I used to watch at least an hour of ESPN everyday. Often I would rewatch Sportscenter multiple times. It’s been years now since I watch any of the non-sports shows on ESPN because it’s all such garbage now. We want highlights and expert analysis. I don’t care about Stephen A or Kendrick Perkins or Shannon Sharpe saying stupid things.
Do you not see ESPN MNF pregame? All of their coverage is absolute dog caca. ESPN just likes to put whoever they feel like they can in the studio and hope you just tune in.
Less commentary more advertising
There are times I often wonder this: if gyms stopped playing ESPN on half of their TVs, and if young boys never got sick and had to miss a day of school, how long ago would ESPN have stopped non-game day programming? Probably like 2015 I reckon
ESPN is leaning towards the hot take bs shows. It just shows that many more ppl love dumb clickbait crap than actual basketball discussions.
Why even bother showing the game? They should just have Stephen A. talking about how Zach LaVine orders a burger for three hours and air that.
What gets clicks is the outrageousness people say they want balanced hard hitting interesting reporting but that’s not necessarily true. This doesn’t bring in numbers. There’s a vastly different angle for what people say they want and what they actually show they want
Hasn’t this been espn for the last 15 years?
Just people yelling at each other with hot takes?
If I was espn, I’d get rid of everyone. All I’d air is sports. Live sports whenever possible. Classic replays the rest of the time.
Tell me you wouldn’t at least check in to see what’s on? Oh look, it’s the handball playoffs in Germany! What’s next? Mongolian wrestling?! WTF is that? I’m in!
The internet has them beat when it comes to commentary. No commercials, anytime you want to watch, the sport you care about, gambling centric or not, and pundits you care about. ESPN can’t compete. But no one else can compete with espn’s ridiculous licensing rights. They own a huge percentage of the best games played over the last 40 years in all major sports. Use em!
I think this a good problem statement to solve a need from – assuming the need exists? Pretty simple experiment actually.
I don’t appreciate that they have moved out the seasoned analysts and we get unknown replacements that are 20 years old that are supposed to be experts? To bill’s point, if you are willing to go guns blazing on every topic, you are in! Orlafsky, with his absolute conviction on everything and his face mugging in The split screen. It is pretty unwatchable to me now
There doesn’t even need to be a halftime show. Just have the two people calling the game recap. OR two people recap the game at halftime. You don’t need 4 people putting out their best zingers as means to audition for spots on other segments.
And. There’s entirely too much SAS. Jesus. I’m glad they rejected him from the NFL shows.
This is for NBA oldheads, but can someone figure out who Mensrea was so they can get that guy on ESPN? I want good Xs and Os coverage and it’s completely devoid from basketball analysis. Like 100% non-existent.
I watched espn for the first time in years this morning because i was just hungover on the couch. It is absolute dogshit and reminded why i stopped watching it. The Jump was pretty good when it was on but everything else is a dumpster fire.
I get the money aspect but outside of that I don’t get why the NBA would want ESPN having rights to their product. NBA on ESPN is unbearable. It’s hard to even watch Pacers games on ESPN. Like I shouldn’t struggle to enjoy watching my own team play because the coverage is so trash. And the one bright spot just got laid off. lol
Espn too stupid to realize they made sas and not the other way around. Give any other moron that platform and they’ll have some success.
>‘it’s a Knicks playoff game, here’s Stephen A’s entrance’
I like it becuz it’s unintentionally funny.
A real joke show clown show.
The Knicks ain’t gonna do nothing yet ESPN and their carnival barker Stephen A. pump them up.
The part about them not knowing what people want, is absolutely, positively true. Look at any aspect of their NBA coverage. It’s mediocre at best, unwatchable at worst.
Countdown? They’ve replaced that cast over and over and keep missing.
NBA Today? Unwatchable 90% of the time.
They’ve even got Doris Burke doing commentary. I’ve never met anyone who listened to her call a game and thought “Man she’s phenomenal.” She got championed by other people in sports media who liked her, and now we’re all stuck with her.
We’re going to end up with Greenberg hosting ANOTHER show, where Perkins, Stephen A and some former WNBA player argue about Lebron’s legacy and the Lakers in perpetuity.
ESPN is the MTV of sports
ESPN coverage has been terrible, don’t think change is bad in that context. People on here hate Stephen A, but at least Stephen A has a certain level of showmanship that draws people in, the other ESPN talent is so bland
Bro, they fired Zack Lowe. He was one of the two people there that actually did basketball analysis.
They couldn’t care less about what people want.
We’re left with Doris, Perk and Stephen A 💀