Survey shows fans view ESPN as left leaning, dislike ESPN's current direction
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Add me to that list. Sports & music are great because they're an escape from politics. When you combine them, you lose me.
I gave up on ESPN a long time ago. About the time they diluted their brand with the magazine.
If it weren't for college games and important high school and AAU games, I'd rarely watch.
Exactly, I don't turn on ESPN for their political views just as I wouldn't turn on C-SPAN for sports insight.
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Would a right-leaning sports network only cover golf, tennis, baseball, soccer and Wisconsin men's basketball?
(It's a joke for guys who take politics too seriously)
I only watch ESPN for games. Sports commentary has always grated on my nerves. Most of these "experts" don't know much more - if any - than the common fan.
(It's a joke for guys who take politics too seriously)
I only watch ESPN for games. Sports commentary has always grated on my nerves. Most of these "experts" don't know much more - if any - than the common fan.
ESPN has sucked dong for several years now.
SportsCenter is unwatchable.
Bruce Jenner getting some BS award for wanting to mutilate his genitals? Ridiculous.
Constant NFL nonsense year round? Shove it up your collective bottoms.
SportsCenter is unwatchable.
Bruce Jenner getting some BS award for wanting to mutilate his genitals? Ridiculous.
Constant NFL nonsense year round? Shove it up your collective bottoms.
Got caught up in the hip-hop/millennial generation and became more about music and politics than sports.
ESPN made several fatal flaws. In the 90's with its rising status on Sportcenter and anchors quickly becoming one liner comedians, ESPN went too far with it. They tried to make every anchor a comedian instead of just harnessing the few who were actually funny.
They then took 30 minutes shows and expanded them into hour sometimes longer and diluted the product bringing in more and more analysts. Cold Pizza introduced Hot Takes and so ESPN keeps going further by having takes that are hot button and it's become a 3 ring circus.
ESPN made a typical error of not keeping things in moderation. Leaving your audience wanting more not less. Now, ESPN is struggling and instead of backing down they are going further. Give me highlights, interviews and some occasional analyst with a couple opinion shows.
They then took 30 minutes shows and expanded them into hour sometimes longer and diluted the product bringing in more and more analysts. Cold Pizza introduced Hot Takes and so ESPN keeps going further by having takes that are hot button and it's become a 3 ring circus.
ESPN made a typical error of not keeping things in moderation. Leaving your audience wanting more not less. Now, ESPN is struggling and instead of backing down they are going further. Give me highlights, interviews and some occasional analyst with a couple opinion shows.
Other things stupid people are always complaining about being liberal:
All Music
All Movies
News
Science
School
Every other country on earth
Reality
All Music
All Movies
News
Science
School
Every other country on earth
Reality
I only watch it when UK plays. Otherwise I do not watch it.
I agree, politics should not mix with sports just like this thread should not be on a basketball board. Paddock p,ease.
You are right but politics runs everything right down to a county Queen contest, you start out with great intentions. Then everyone wants their kid to win and before you know it someone has inside connections and bam there she gos. It doesn't matter what it is, used to be everyone was happy for anybody that succeeded at anything but now it is everybody for theirself in most cases.
Spoken like a true, intelligent liberal.:weary: ESPN like most other media outlets have become too unbearable to watch.
I agree! When both First Take dudes are criticizing athletes for voting for Trump....thats taking it too far. It's none of their damn business who one votes for! Shut up & talk sports....period!
The new 6PM Sportscenter is unwatchable.
It's not that they lean left politically....it's that they are political at all. I really get tired of being nudged politically by corporations period. If you sell coffee...then sell coffee, if you're a sports program, stick to sports.
Well...you have to remember, the very liberal left (which is most of world) that screams for tolerance is very intolerant of any opposing view or world view that doesn't see the world through their lens.
ESPN used to just report sports news then they started pushing and creating their own sports news. They undoubtedly promoted favorites. SportsCenter in the 80's and early 90's used to be "must see TV". It's unwatchable now. I won't watch ESPN until football starts at the end of August.
Precisely. Not sure why it has to be labeled "liberal" or "conservative" to annoy people. Either = political, and both should stay the hell out of sports. Just give us the facts, stats, basic news and shut the hell up with opinions.
Where ESPN and literally every sports and news outlet has gone wrong is spending 1 hour on facts and news, and 23 on absurd opinions and over analyzing everything (with opinions). I don't care about Steven Smith or Jay Bilas's opinions - whether they're liberal or conservative - I couldn't care less. I just don't want to hear them, period.
It doesn't make one stupid for seeing the world differently. Maybe your just too gullible & easily swept down the stream of foolishness. Maybe it's your lack of intelligence & critical thinking skills that leads you too question anyone that questions the status quo.
I quit watching them several years ago. Too much PC and forced diversity. Just hire the best folks. Don't have to have a woman on every show with no background or experience on subject to just tell everyone you're diverse.
People tune to ESPN to watch sports and highlights.
People tune to ESPN to watch sports and highlights.
This is a classic liberal way of thinking. If someone does not agree they are stupid. No room for an opposing view. I imagine SaguaroCat attended public schools.
Wait, what? They actually HAD something that stupid?
ESPN is a dying animal, they just don't know it, yet.
Pretty sure both "sides" believe the other side is "stupid" if they don't see things their way. At least that's all I see in today's political arguments.
Note I don't subscribe to politics, and thus take no sides in this debate, other than both "sides" are equally guilty and hypocritical (as you will see in this thread as it unfolds). I want the days of the 80s back when two things no one ever discussed at any time were politics and religion.
I wasn't even aware they had a new SC at 6pm until my 12 year old turned it on ESPN @ month ago.
I was like WTF? He then told me about the new show. I told him to either turn the channel, turn off the TV, or watch that crap in his room.
Not interested, and honestly, I can't imagine even the newer generation is into that format if they're interested in sports. Time, and ratings, will tell.
No disagreement or argument about that. I would love to have an all sports channel that concentrated solely on athletics. The problem is ESPN has long abandoned that and that is one reason I will not watch it until college football begins in the fall. Then I will only watch UK games with the sound muted most of the time.
Agree with both of you and I also watch on mute. Only possible exception was Nessler but he's gone to CBS. Gee I wonder why he left?
ESPN gonna die. The youths don't watch sports. They watch other youths playing Zelda and Overwatch on youtube
There are some folks that would characterize a ham sandwich as "left leaning" or "right leaning" for that matter. BTW didn't ESPN try to bring Rush Limbaugh into their programming a few years ago?
I agree with those above that say keep politics out of sports. Sports is a place we go to as a sanctuary away from the divisiveness.
I agree with those above that say keep politics out of sports. Sports is a place we go to as a sanctuary away from the divisiveness.
I remember when they hired Rush Limbaugh to do the Sunday Morning Countdown. I am a staunch Republican and adore my boy Rush, but I never thought he should have had anything to do with that show. Just stupid.
But look, ESPN has gone left wing. And it's not just me "seeing politics in a ham sandwich". The Bruce Jenner thing was insane. Same for Michael Sam.
But look, ESPN has gone left wing. And it's not just me "seeing politics in a ham sandwich". The Bruce Jenner thing was insane. Same for Michael Sam.
you make a good point, I also think they fell all over themselves to defend Colin Kapernicks disrespect of the national anthem. Again too much concern over being PC I think.
I never let political leanings interfere with my entertainment. I like having the ESPN networks. I watch a helluva lot of football, baseball and basketball on them. I watch College football/basketball/NFL Live and Baseball Tonight regularly. I sometimes watch Highly Questionable and Around The Horn because I find them entertaining. I often watch the 30 for 30 segments if it's about something that interests me.
I probably haven't watched a half dozen 6 PM Sportscenters since they started making phones that you can access the internet with. Why would I? There are usually no game highlights aside from a few afternoon MLB games. If there are any breaking stories, I already know about them because of my phone, and I'm really not interested in any previews of the games coming up that night. I do watch the late and early morning Sportscenters because there are probably highlights that I haven't seen.
If there's a program on that doesn't interest me, I don't watch it,but I'll never begrudge anyone else who wants to watch. It really is that simple....
I probably haven't watched a half dozen 6 PM Sportscenters since they started making phones that you can access the internet with. Why would I? There are usually no game highlights aside from a few afternoon MLB games. If there are any breaking stories, I already know about them because of my phone, and I'm really not interested in any previews of the games coming up that night. I do watch the late and early morning Sportscenters because there are probably highlights that I haven't seen.
If there's a program on that doesn't interest me, I don't watch it,but I'll never begrudge anyone else who wants to watch. It really is that simple....
Unless you are in politics or political commentary, if you're famous you should have one of two lines:
1) If you like the person in power - "I hope everybody can get behind the president to work together and do what's best for this country"
2) If you don't like the person in power - "I hope the president can see the points of view of others and work together to do what's best for this country"
That's the move. Don't cause people to dislike you because of your political views.
1) If you like the person in power - "I hope everybody can get behind the president to work together and do what's best for this country"
2) If you don't like the person in power - "I hope the president can see the points of view of others and work together to do what's best for this country"
That's the move. Don't cause people to dislike you because of your political views.
leaning? They are full blown left wing propaganda just like most other media outlets. Their dislike for Tim Tebow, glorification of Michael Sam, Bruce Jenner etc... is enough to make me vomit. I loathe ESPN
Bob Iger has been rumored to be running for president in 2020 and John Skipper is a very active DNC supporter. All comes down to making your peer group like you. Not different than the HL, who has alienated the majority of their customer base out of stubborn idealism.